Mushroom "Bacon"
‘Facon’ Bacon
Vegan Bacon
Mushroom Bacon…
A rose by any other name would smell as…intoxicating as real bacon?
Ok…so, mushroom bacon isn’t the same as pork bacon, and we will not compare the two, BUT if you are looking for a healthy alternative to an American favorite, this recipe is definitely worth a try.
We have made mushroom bacon out of Shiitake in the past, but last night, we decided to try it with King Trumpets. Sliced right, Trumpets even sort of look like bacon? Right?
All of the recipes that we came across said that mushroom bacon is quick and easy to make. While it is true that it is easy to assemble, it seems to be an art form to get the air frying/baking/cooking part just right. It is SUPER easy to burn mushroom bacon.
We may or may not have cried a little when a batch or 2 were so burnt that the dog wouldn’t even eat it.
So…a few things we have learned…
Any firm mushroom will work with this recipe. Pick your favorite.
Don’t cut the mushrooms too thin. Remember, they shrink significantly when cooking.
If you use something like a Shiitake, you might want to double to marinade. Make sure it really soaks into the mushroom.
If you are using King Trumpets, they do NOT get as dark as shiitake (that should have been obvious to us). Oops.
Mushroom bacon is a different texture from pork bacon…so don’t try and cook it until it’s that sort of consistency. The mushrooms should be a nice, golden brown (slightly darker around the edges). And they will be slightly chewy. They will crisp up a little more as they cool.
You can cook these lovelies in an air fryer (think warp speed), in a frying pan, or in the oven. We recommend placing the mushrooms on parchment paper or aluminum foil if you bake them (and maybe a little cooking spray/oil).
And let’s be completely real. Mushroom bacon is not bacon, BUT IT IS STILL AMAZING!!! And it was an excellent replacement for our BLT’s.
Keep an eye on these little ones…don’t let them cook for too long or there will be tears.
We will definitely be tweaking this recipe as time goes on…
2-3 cups King Trumpet Oysters, sliced lengthwise into strips about 1/8” think
Marinade:
2 Tbsp oil (olive, sunflower, avocado)
1 Tbsp maple syrup
1 Tbsp brown sugar (optional)
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
½ tsp liquid smoke (in the BBQ sauce aisle)
½ tsp tamari soy sauce
1 Tbsp paprika (smoked if you have it)
½ tsp smoked salt (if you have it)
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp mushroom powder (optional)
1/8 cumin
1/8 coriander
Salt and pepper to taste (we sprinkled a little salt on top after mushrooms finished cooking)
Conventional Oven – 375 degrees
Air Fryer – 375 degrees
Frying pan – Medium to High heat
Slice mushrooms. Whisk all marinade ingredients together in a large bowl. Toss in mushrooms. Mix well, making sure that the mushrooms are nicely coated.
No matter how you cook/bake/air fry these, make sure to work in batches and leave space between mushrooms.
Oven baking time: bake 15 minutes, carefully flip mushrooms, and bake another 10 minutes or so, until nicely brown.
Air fryer: 5 minutes, shake slightly and then check very regularly until golden brown. Our air fryer cooks super-fast.
Frying pan: single layer on the bottom of the pan. Fry 5-10 minutes letting them get golden on one side before flipping. Try not to stir the mushrooms too much.
UPDATE: We prefer the frying pan method. It was the most consistent and crisped up the best.
