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Of all the different types of mushrooms, portobello mushrooms are the meatiest, juiciest, and most satisfying swap for burgers, steaks, and everything in between. They’re large enough and sturdy enough to withstand the high heat of a grill or a searing pan, which only brings more textural and flavorful layers to their umami-rich, tender chew. But before you throw portobellos on the grill, there’s an important step you need to take to avoid sticking.
Grill grates aren’t necessarily smooth, and once they get flaming hot, everything from cuts of steak to vegetables is bound to stick to them. So, if you don’t want to sabotage that charred outer crust the grill instills on your portobellos, you need to oil the grill grates. You can dip a grill brush like these basting brushes in canola or avocado oil to coat the grates. If you don’t have a brush, simply dip a paper towel in oil and manually wipe the grates down with oil before turning on the heat. Make sure you use a type of oil with a high smoke point to withstand the heat of open flames. We would also recommend cleaning the grates of any char or debris from previous grilling so that the grates are both smooth and oiled. If you own a grill, a metal scraper like this one from Cuisinart should be part of your grilling arsenal.
More grilling tips for portobellos
Oiling the grates is essential to leaving your portobellos intact when you flip them and pull them off the grill. But there are other tips to further ensure portobellos don’t stick. The grill grates need oiling, but a brush of oil over the portobellos themselves delivers an extra layer of protection. Another key to avoid sticking is to preheat the grill so it’s extra hot before placing the portobellos on the grate. Letting the portobellos heat up with the grill grates is a recipe for a sticky disaster.
If you’re using a marinade, be sure to get as much off of the portobellos as you can before placing them on the grill. The same goes for washing the mushrooms; it’s better to use a wet cloth to wash them than to saturate them with water by placing them under a faucet. Excess water or moisture is another cause for portobellos sticking to the grill grates. Placing the portobellos cap-side down will keep them moist and tender while creating the charred crust, but don’t be impatient! If you try to flip them before the charred crust has formed, they’ll stick to the grates.
We have many recipes for portobellos that pan fry them, but you can swap the pan for the grill in many of them. For example, portobello gyros and portobello fajitas would both taste even better over the grill. You could grill the portobellos whole before slicing them and incorporating them into pita or tortillas.
