Both mushroom ketchup and spiced mushroom powder are flavourful and versatile condiments to add a little umami in cooking.

I first heard about mushroom ketchup, after my friend Creag bought me a cookbook, The Scots Kitchen, a book full of Scottish traditions, lore and recipes. This mushroom ketchup and mushroom powder recipe was inspired by the book.

Inspired By The Scots Kitchen

Creag and I both love traditional cultural dishes from around the world. It was a lot of fun when we made injera and cardamom, saffron & vanilla poached pear together. Despite being Scottish himself, Creag was never able to explain what traditional Scottish dishes are like. So he picked up The Scots Kitchen, for us to cook some Scottish history together.

Initially published in the 1920s, the cookbook is a compilation of old recipes from the hundreds of years prior to the publication date. It had been reprinted a few times since, but only in small volume. So it’s really hard to find a brand new copy. It took Creag a while to even track down a used one in good condition. I feel really lucky to own a previously-loved copy of The Scots Kitchen.

We made this traditional mushroom ketchup to use in the Scottish sautéed veal kidney recipe from the book.

What is Mushroom Ketchup?

Many of the recipes in The Scots Kitchen call for mushroom ketchup (catsup) as an ingredient. Then I learned that mushroom ketchup is a traditional condiment originally from the United Kingdom. Unlike the ketchup we are familiar with, historically mushroom ketchup was made from mushrooms instead of tomato, and is of a liquid form rather than a thick paste. I would describe it as a “mushroom extract” to be more accurate.

If you come across mushroom ketchup of the consistency of tomato ketchup, then they have been modernized and thickened. The mushroom ketchup recipe I have below is of the liquid form, staying true to the traditional making.

You can use mushroom ketchup like soya sauce or Worcestershire sauce to flavour dishes or use in marinate.

What is Mushroom Powder and How to Use It?

After we extract the liquid from the mushrooms to make mushroom ketchup, we are left with cooked mushroom solids. It’s a waste to throw away the cooked mushrooms, as they are full of flavour still.

You can certainly repurpose the mushroom solids into soups, stir-fries, stuffings, or any dish that requires mushrooms.

Creag and I decided to dehydrate them and turn them into a powder form. With the existing salt and spices in the mushroom, we found the mushroom powder perfectly rich and flavourful.

I have used the spiced mushroom powder on a few occasions. Try them as seasoning in sautéed vegetables or on rice, in soups or as a dry rub on meats and steaks. They are very versatile and add umami and depth to any dish.

You can store the spiced mushroom powder pretty much indefinitely, which is another advantage.

What Kinds of Mushrooms Should I Use?

To make this recipe, you can use any combination of fresh mushrooms, or a mix of fresh and dry mushrooms. I like the depth of flavour of the dry mushrooms, so I would recommend using a small handful of them whenever you can.

For the fresh mushrooms, I used 50/50 white and crimini mushrooms in this recipe. The dry mushrooms I used contain yellow boletes, oyster mushrooms, portobello, and porcini.

Again, you can use any variety you like. The cheaper mushrooms work just as well as the more expensive ones, so no need to break the bank for this recipe.

Steps to Make Mushroom Ketchup & Mushroom Powder

The following images illustrate the important steps to make mushroom ketchup and spiced mushroom powder.

Combine mushrooms, salt, spices, onion in a mixing bowl. After mixing them up, let it rest for up to 24 hours to release mushroom juice.
Add water and apple cider vinegar. Simmer in a large pot to extract the flavour and reduce the liquid to desired amount.
Strain the liquid through a fine sieve or layered cheese cloth. Press on the mushrooms to squeeze out all the juice.
Spread the mushroom solids on a baking sheet and bake in the oven at 200℉ for 10 hours or until completely dehydrated.
Process the dehydrated mushrooms in a coffee grinder in batches.
Pulverize continuously to obtain a fine powder.

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