Some of the most interesting foods on this planet can, surprisingly, be grown right inside your home or garden. Gardening has therapeutic benefits, but the nutritional value of eating what you grow is appealing to many. If growing your own crop seems worthwhile, then consider how simple it is to grow portobello mushrooms. Not only are these varieties hardy and meaty, but they’re high on the gourmet shelf. Here’s why you might want to grow portobello mushrooms.
1. Witnessing the Growth Cycle of the Mushrooms
Every stage of growth a plant enters gives us a lot to wonder about. Though slow and gradual, you will be inspired, having such specimens maturing and constantly getting bigger. The experience you gain is surely worth noting. Those who buy mushrooms enter a store where they receive a well-packaged bundle. You, however, can have bundles growing on your home shelves.
2. They Add to Any Dish and Are Main Courses
If you’re wondering why portobello mushrooms make a great choice for cultivation, it's because they can be cooked in a diverse number of ways. Whether you sauté it with vegetables or leave it as large strips of “steak,” the texture and density of this mushroom is versatile. Some chefs add portobello mushrooms to a dish in an attempt to give it density. This mushroom can absorb flavors while maintaining its own.
3. You Control the Quality and Quantity
By using adequate fertilizers and proper watering, it’s possible to grow mushrooms larger than anything you find with your grocer. The influence you have over the quality of these mushrooms may come with time, but you’ll eventually be able to isolate different traits in what you grow. Isolating the qualities you like can then be done in order to preserve your best stock for later.
4. Reproduction Is Done with Your Current Mushrooms
Mushrooms don’t rely on seeds and flowers to reproduce. They rely on spores. This air particle is a reproductive organ that, when latched onto the right growing medium, can start to bloom into mushroom heads. The portobello you grow also produces spores, and these can be collected to then germinate for a new batch of mushrooms with the specific traits you capture.
5. It Can Substitute Meat
Portobello mushrooms are often cut with strips of beef because the texture of this mushroom and meat are sometimes identical. Many such recipes start with a steak sauce. Other recipes use nuts like almonds or walnuts as the base of their portobello meat mix. Of course, in such recipes, no meat is added. Oats and breadcrumbs are added to create density.
6. Packed With Vitamin D, Calcium and Phosphorous
Portobello mushrooms are also a powerhouse of vitamins and minerals. Its vitamin D helps to keep your muscles strong and healthy. The natural calcium it contains helps us to mature strong bones. By producing phosphorus, mushrooms enhance how your body uses fats and carbs.
