Barbecue Pulled Mushroom Sandwiches

barbecue pulled mushroom sandwiches
Photo: Yuki Sugiura
Total Time:
40 mins
Servings:
4

You'll need both hands and several napkins to relish every morsel of this meat-free twist on pulled-pork sandwiches. Maitake (aka hen-of-the-wood) mushrooms are grilled until they're browned all over, then you'll shred them with two forks and stir in a simple, speedy barbecue sauce. Mound the mixture on brioche buns, and top with vinegar-spiked slaw for that all-important crunch.

Ingredients

  • Vegetable oil, for grill

  • 2 cups finely shredded green or red cabbage (or a combination)

  • 1 large carrot, peeled and julienned (¾ cup)

  • ¼ cup packed fresh cilantro leaves and thin stems, chopped

  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise or Vegenaise

  • 2 tablespoons apple-cider vinegar

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

  • 1 ½ pounds maitake mushrooms (10 cups), tough stems trimmed but cores left intact, broken into large clusters

  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

  • 1 recipe Speedy Barbecue Sauce, warmed

  • 4 brioche buns, split

Directions

  1. Preheat grill to medium-high; scrub grates, then lightly brush with vegetable oil. In a medium bowl, toss cabbage with carrot, cilantro, mayonnaise, and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper.

  2. In a large bowl, toss mushrooms with olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Grill, turning a few times, until mushrooms are browned and charred in spots, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a large heatproof bowl. Using two forks, shred into bite-size pieces.

  3. Toss mushrooms with barbecue sauce. Toast cut sides of buns on grill, about 1 minute. Spoon mushroom mixture and slaw on bottoms of buns, add tops, and serve immediately.

Cook's Notes

When selecting maitake mushrooms, look for tender, pliable, and damp-but-not-slimy-feeling ones. Skip any that are dry, tough, or brittle.

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