King trumpet skewers.

Most mushrooms on a grill either dry out or fall through the grate. King trumpet does neither: the stem is dense and uniform, so a halved mushroom sits flat on the bars, chars where it touches, and stays succulent in the middle.

Score the cut face, oil it, and save every wet or sweet ingredient for after it comes off.

What you need

Mushrooms

• 1½ lb large king trumpet mushrooms
• 2 tbsp neutral oil
• 1 tsp salt
• Skewers, soaked if wooden

Miso butter

• 4 tbsp butter, softened
• 1½ tbsp white miso
• 1 tsp mirin
• 1 garlic clove, grated
• 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

Or chimichurri

• Parsley, oregano, garlic, red wine vinegar, olive oil, chilli flakes

Method

1. Halve the mushrooms lengthways through cap and stem, so each half has a flat face. Very large ones can go into quarters.
2. Score the cut faces in a shallow diagonal crosshatch. It helps them take butter and gives you the grill marks.
3. Thread onto skewers through the width so they cannot spin — two skewers side by side through a batch of halves is the most stable arrangement.
4. Oil and salt, then grill cut-side down over direct medium-high heat for 5–6 minutes without moving them.
5. Turn and grill the rounded side 4–5 minutes more, until a knife tip goes in with mild resistance.
6. Brush with miso butter in the last minute so it melts and glazes without burning. Or take them off plain and spoon chimichurri over.

Why miso butter

King trumpet is naturally sweet and mild, so it takes a strongly savoury, salty finish without being overwhelmed. Miso and butter is the best pairing there is. Applied early it burns — that is why it goes on in the final minute.

No marinade before grilling. Sugar burns, moisture prevents char, and a dense mushroom does not absorb marinade anyway. Flavour goes on at the end.

Indoors

A cast-iron grill pan on high heat gives you the marks and most of the texture; a heavy skillet with a press gives you a better crust and no marks. The scallop method is the indoor version of this recipe.

Other species on a grill

Whole oyster clusters pressed flat — grilled oyster mushroom steaks method. Maitake wedges, carefully. Beech and golden oyster are too small and delicate; keep them indoors.

Common questions