Mushroom House Dried Shiitake Mushroom Slices - 1 LB Bulk Bag - All-Natural, Non-GMO, Evenly Sliced, Sealed for Freshness - Umami-Rich Dried Mushrooms for Cooking, Stir Fry, Ramen, Soup, Pizza & More

I bought these to add to my ramen soups and also to have on hand for any recipes that call for mushrooms. I LOVE mushrooms! I am tired of buying the fresh ones only to have them go bad before I use them. I've never used dried mushrooms and wasn't sure how this would work out so this was a test order. First off, this bag is HUGE!! If you love mushrooms the way I do, you will love finally having this kind of endless supply at such an affordable price. I wasn't sure which kind to buy. This seller offers many varieties. The Shitake have an awesome smokey taste that I really like. Even dry they taste amazing. Rehydrated, they have a fresh, meaty texture (not mushy like canned mushrooms, a little more bite than cooked fresh mushrooms). I like them well enough that I doubt I'll be buying fresh mushrooms again anytime soon. So far I've only used them in my instant ramen noodles and they work great for that. I just add them to the water from the beginning and add the noodles when the water boils, letting the water (and mushrooms) boil for 3 minutes. I've been happy with the results. I'm sure cooked longer in other recipes the mushrooms would turn out larger and softer but for those wondering how they do in ramen type noodles, they do great in my opinion. Next time I think I'll try the Portabellos. I'm sure these will last a long time, though :)

Great sliced mushrooms, clean and easy to store, and here is a hint for anyone new to using dehydrated mushrooms when you start the soaking process use hot water and I add a little liquid smoke to make the mushrooms taste like smoked mushrooms and let the mushrooms soak for at least a couple of hours, but overnight is better, and the longer you soak the mushrooms the softer they will be when you get ready to cook with them. After soaking for at least a couple of hours the mushrooms will be soft with just enough body to keep them firm when cooked. If you want them even softer you can actually leave the mushrooms in the soaking solution in the refrigerator and they will be even softer and the longer they soak in the liquid smoke solution the better the smoky flavor.

These reconstitute quite quickly in room temperature water, and they have a good flavor. So far, I have not found any sediment after soaking, but I have not tried to use any of the finer pieces that settle to the bottom of the bag - wouldn't surprise me if there is grit in there. There are many large pieces, so I find it much better to reconstitute first and then chop them up a bit before adding to a dish. Actual price compares well with fresh button mushroom, but of course these are much better flavor, and easier to have on hand at any time. My only relatively minor complaint is that some of the larger pieces do have a fairly big part of the stem still attached, and the stems DO stay kinda chewy after reconstituting and cooking (even very long slow cooking). While these pieces are somewhat tougher, they are still edible, so not a huge deal. It would have been better if they trimmed them closer before processing (but then the price probably would be higher).

They take 30 minutes to rehydrate, and are good for additions to all sorts of dishes. They are a bit bland by themselves, so you will need to season well. Update: I have discovered that these rehydrate better if you leave them in the water overnight, in the fridge. Much more tender and better tasting. Just squeeze the extra water out before you chop them up. And you don't need boiling water - just put them in water straight from the tap, close the lid on the jar, and leave overnight.

I would not buy this again. This comes from China, and is most likely laced with dangerous pesticides and heavy metals. There is a warning label on the bag for cancer and reproductive harm, from California prop 65. The distributor completely ignored the following inquiry, which means that that are most likely less than honest: "Have you tested these imported mushrooms for pesticide residues and heavy metals, and do you have these tests on file and available to the public?" No response whatsoever.

Best price per ounce. no added sulfates.

As a lover of mushrooms, I am extremely pleased with this brand! They make my Asian cooking easier, especially my Korean Ramen Noodle soup, and they keep in a cool dry place for a long time. For use straight from the bag, simply add a little extra liquid to your broth, or rehydrate the mushrooms by soaking them in water before adding to your dish! These are a MUST for any pantry!

This seems like a good bargain. If you've ever had fresh Shiitakes, you probably know that the stems are tough. I always remove them before cooking. This product has too many tough stems, probably about 1/3 if the bag. Otherwise, if not for the stems they are pretty good. I won't buy them again.