Recipe developed & contributed by Maureen Gualtieri
When most of us hear “barbecue,” giant slabs of meat immediately float in front of the mind’s eye. However, there are increasingly tasty options available for vegetarians also popping up every season. This recipe is one of them: A Southern BBQ classic — pulled pork — is reimagined for the veg crowd with chewy and savoury king oyster mushrooms. The grilled, pulled mushrooms are finished with DFC Original Spicy Barbecue Sauce* and served on a bun with a bright, snappy red onion pickle. No more cobbling together side dishes for veggie friends at your barbecue!
* DFC Original Spicy Barbecue Sauce is entirely vegetarian. The Worcestershire sauce we use is anchovy-free, though (sorry, vegans!) the formula does include honey.
Pulled King Oyster Mushroom Sandwiches with Red Onion Quick Pickle
(Yield: 4 servings)
Ingredients:
For pickle:
1/2 large red onion
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp high-quality olive oil
Salt and black pepper, to taste
For pulled mushrooms
8 king oyster mushrooms
3-4 tbsp cooking olive oil
Salt and black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup DFC Original Spicy Barbecue Sauce
To serve:
4 buns of choice (or 8 slider buns)
Fresh cilantro
Mayonnaise
Lime wedges
Thinly slice your red onion. Combine your vinegars and a good olive oil in a glass container, and add salt and fresh black pepper to taste. Pile your red onion into this marinade and mix thoroughly, ensuring the onion is well coated. Cover and let rest in the fridge at least a couple of hours, preferably overnight. (This will allow the acid in the vinegar to leach the harshness out of the onion, leaving tangy flavour without the breath-related fallout.)
When ready for sandwiches, heat your grill to medium-low. Cut your mushrooms in half lengthwise and toss gently in a couple tablespoons of cooking olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste — keeping in mind you will be finishing them with barbecue sauce.
Grill the mushrooms low and slow, getting the juices flowing and a nice char to the outside. Pull from the grill when desired doneness is achieved. Turn off the gas, and set your buns to toast in the residual heat while you take your mushrooms inside.
Put your mushrooms on a surface that will catch all their juices (I used a dinner plate) and “pull” them with two forks using opposing shredding motions. Toss shreds into a small pan or saucepan on low-medium heat, and stir in DFC Original Spicy Barbecue Sauce. (Depending on the size of your mushrooms, you may use slightly more or less than 1/2 cup. Add a little more if the mushrooms look dry.) Cook, stirring infrequently until the sauce reduces and some caramelization occurs approximately 10 minutes.
Retrieve your buns and spread mayonnaise on the bottom halves. Top with a generous scoop each of pulled mushrooms and red onion pickle, and finish with a few sprigs of cilantro. Serve with lime wedges, to be squeezed over the filling immediately before closing and eating. Enjoy your sandwiches and the rest of your summer day!
And here are the visual steps:
