Mushrooms are 90% water. Seriously. They’re basically fuzzy little water balloons. When you cook them, that water leaks out and floods the pan.
At first, they’ll look like they’re swimming. Don’t panic. This is normal. Let that water evaporate completely.
Once the pan is dry again, the mushrooms start to fry in their own oils. That’s when the magic happens. That’s when they get real flavor.
The Shrinkage Factor
Remember how you started with a huge pile of mushrooms? Yeah, they’re going to shrink. A lot. Like, 70% of their volume will vanish.
Don’t be alarmed. It’s not a magic trick; it’s just water leaving. When they’ve shrunk to about a third of their original size, check them. They’re likely done.
If they look like tiny, sad gnome hats, they’re perfect. Overcook them, and they become gnome hats that got run over by a truck.
