Last Updated on September 6, 2023

This deep-fried Beer-Battered King Trumpet Mushrooms, without a doubt, is on the top of my list.

Slice up steamed king trumpet mushrooms, dip them into ice-cold beer batter, then drop them into hot oil and let them sizzle away.

The result is crispy, light, puffy!

how-to-make-Beer-battered-King-Trumpet-Mushroom

Vegan this word for most people sounds like vegans should be eating lots of green leafy salads, fresh fruits, and veggies all the time…well, haha~ this is not the case for me. I’m still craving deep-fried food most of the time.

I like my beer-battered king trumpet mushroom, particularly to go with lemongrass dipping sauce, although this combination looks a bit wired…I know…but they surprisingly taste so GOOD together!

What type of beer is for Beer Batter?

I still remember when I was at culinary school in Perth, my French lecturer always told us,’ When it comes to cooking with alcohol, you only use the wine that you’d like to drink for your cooking,’ and I think this rule also applies to beers!

Some people like dark, roasty, bitter-flavored beer such as stouts or porters, while others like lightly flavored beer such as Pale Ale or Larger.

There’s no right or wrong when it comes to beer batter. Pick the beer you like is the key ( as long as it’s not too sweet or fruity.)

Why incorporate beer into the batter? Well…Beer will provide carbonation that crisps the fried dough and flavor to add a little extra touch.

No matter what type of beer you use, it has to be icy cold for beer batter– put your beer in the fridge at least for 2 hours before using. It’s crucial for a crispy batter!

What do we need for Beer-Battered King Trumpet Mushroom?

King Trumpet Mushroom-also known as King oyster mushroom, French horn mushroom (Pleurotus eryngii) is an edible mushroom native to Mediterranean regions of Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa, but also grown in parts of Asia.

They are the largest species in the oyster mushroom genus, and have thick, white edible stems and small brown caps. When raw, It has little flavor or aroma. But when cooked, it has a very meaty and juicy texture, it also develops a typical mushroom umami flavor with a texture similar to that of abalone.
That’s probably why king oyster mushrooms are widely used in Vegans’ and Vegetarians’ recipes for meat substitutes. I have another post of 38 Best Oyster Mushroom Recipes to help you cook more oyster mushrooms in your diet.

P.S. When it comes to mushrooms, we don’t wash them in water. As they are mainly grown in an indoor environment, they are usually not too dirty.

All you need to do is give the mushrooms a wipe with a damp cloth or a quick rinse. It’s true that they will absorb water, and the more water is absorbed, the lower the flavor.

The reason why I steam the king trumpet mushroom before deep-frying is because I found that King oyster mushrooms won’t soak up too much oil while deep-frying.

Due to the nature of mushrooms is sponge-like, they will soak up liquid while cooking) and also give it a little chewy texture.

Ingredients for Vegan Beer Batter

Beer– Some people like dark, roasty, bitter flavored beer such as stouts or porters, while others like lightly flavored beer such as Pale Ale or Larger. There’s no right or wrong when it comes to beer batter. Pick the beer you like is the key. If you don’t drink beer, you can opt for Non-Alcoholic Beer ( as long as it’s not too sweet or fruity.)

No matter what type of beer you use, it has to be icy cold for beer batter– put your beer in the fridge at least for 2 hours before using. It’s crucial for a crispy batter!

All-Purpose Flour– I use Organic AP flour most of the time. As for beer batter, we need something between bread flour( strong flour) and cake flour so that you can use all-purpose or plain flour. Flour makes the beer batter a beautiful golden color, as well as helping the batter rise and puff when combined with the baking powder.

Rice Flour– We are going to use rice flour for dusting( breading) and also for the beer batter. White rice flour is ideal for light batters, like tempura or snappy noodles. Adding rice flour to the beer batter will make the beer batter stay crispy. You can even use Coarse rice flour for dusting( as it gives the beer batter a better grip on the surface)

Baking Powder– Almost all of the baking powder available today is double-acting baking powder (What’s double-acting baking powder?) because it is a very effective raising agent in cooking. It also makes the batter puffy.

Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, and Sweet Paprika- these spices give the beer batter extra flavor.

Oil for deep-frying– any type of neutral-flavored oil with a high smoking point. Such as peanut oil, avocado oil, grapeseed oil…etc.

How to make Beer-Battered King Trumpet Mushrooms

1. Steam the King trumpet mushrooms in the steamer for 20-25 minutes( Using a damp cloth to wipe the king trumpet mushrooms before cooking if they’re dirty), then leave them in a fridge and let them cool down.

2. Meanwhile, we make beer batter- pour the beer into a medium-sized mixing bowl, then place all-purpose flour, rice flour, baking powder, onion powder, garlic powder, and sweet paprika into the beer, using a whisk to mix all these ingredients until no lumps are visible. Leave the bear batter in the fridge before cooking.

3. Slice steamed king trumpet mushrooms into approx. 5mm thick slices.

4. Heat up cooking oil in a pot or a wok to175-180°C ( 347-356°F .) Prepare rice flour in a bowl for dusting, lightly dust all the sliced mushrooms with rice flour.

5. When the oil is hot enough, dip sliced mushrooms into the beer batter and scrape off excessive batter around the mixing bowl, then drop them into the hot oil ( One by one!) Don’t overcrowd them in the pot( I cook 5-6 pieces at once, giving them space to float around). Cooking them till golden color, then flip them to the other side, take them out until both sides are a golden color, then onto paper towels to absorb the excess oil.

6. Cook them batch by batch. Must clean the oil by using a fine sieve between batches. Otherwise, the burnt bits will stick to the beer batter.

Cook’s Tips:

Pick the beer you like is the key ( as long as it’s not too sweet or fruity.)
Steam the mushrooms first to prevent them from soaking up too much oil while deep frying.
Use rice flour for dusting and the batter to give it a crispier result.
While deep frying, don’t overcrowd the mushrooms; give them some space for floating around in the oil.
Must skim the oil in between. Otherwise, the burnt bits will stick to the beer batter.
After finishing cooking, wait for the oil to cool down completely. Clean the cooking oil by filtering the oil through a fine sieve, then store the oil in a sealed glass container for next use!

Hope you like this King Oyster Mushroom Recipe!