Grilled Balsamic Portabella Mushrooms
It seems like Portobello mushrooms where just made for the grill. Their size, and thickness, make them sturdy enough to take the direct heat, and the manipulation required for grilling. I really love the charred smokieness they pick up on the grill, and the firm, almost chewy texture they get. In this recipe video, I show you how to grill a couple portobellos, but...why stop there. Once grilled, I move back inside, and add some balsamic vinegar during a final sauté. You end up with all the great qualities of the grill, along with a beautiful sweet/sour quality that comes from the balsamic. The combo is complex, and mouth watering…they make a great side dish for steak. Hope you enjoy them.
Recipe Overview and Keys to Success
To make the best Grilled Balsamic Portobellos I want you to play close attention to these few cooking techniques:
- First, make sure you clean the portobellos. You want to remove the gills, as they are really strong tasting and frankly not that good.
- Grilling them is easy, but they may take longer than you think (15+ minutes) over medium heat
- You can easily grill them off ahead of time, and finish them with the balsamic right before cooking…just make sure you season them well, and don’t overdo the balsamic – less is more.
RECIPE FOR GRILLED PORTOBELLO MUSHROOMS WITH BALSAMIC
Ingredients (for two)
- Two portobello mushrooms
- Olive oil
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- Salt and pepper
Making the Portobellos
- Clean the portobellos and coat both sides with olive oil
- Put them on the grill over medium heat, with the cap side up so the juices collect in the mushroom
- Let them grill on this side for at least 5 minutes; until the portobellos are clearly wilted down, and the juice/water has started to evaporate
- Flip the portobellos over, and cook the other side for about the same about of time
- You shouldn’t have to flip the mushrooms more than once or twice; you’re looking to get them softened, and tender. You can move them to a cooler part of the grill if needed
- You can do the above steps a couple hours ahead and just keep the portobellos in the fridge until you're ready to saute them
- Dice the mushrooms into ~ 1x1 inch pieces, while you heat a sauté pan on the stove over medium heat
- Add the portobellos to the pan, season with salt and pepper
- When the everything is to temperature, add the balsamic vinegar, and toss to combine
- The vinegar should be absorbed and/or evaporate in 1 – 2 minutes
- Taste a portobellos, adjust the seasoning if needed, and serve
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