The Magical Mushroom Dust You Need in Your Pantry

Blitz dried porcini mushrooms into an umami-packed condiment for deeply flavorful meat rubs.

Mushroom dust melds with garlic and woodsy herbs to make a flavorful rub for these lamb chops. Lynda Balslev for Tastefood

Yes, you want dust in your pantry.

More specifically, you want dried porcini mushrooms in your pantry. Dried mushrooms keep indefinitely and can easily be reconstituted for use with pasta and risottos or added to soups and sauces. More important, you can simply blitz the heck out of them and turn them into deeply flavorful and aromatic dust.

Porcini mushroom dust is a magical condiment. It has a flavor and aroma that is earthy, smoky, and umami-rich. It melds with garlic and woodsy herbs, such as rosemary and thyme, and is a secret ingredient in spice rubs and marinades.

Dried porcini mushrooms are earthy, smoky, and umami-rich. Jiri Hera/Shutterstock

While dried porcini mushrooms are pricey by the pound, the good news is that you don’t need a whole lot of them to make a rub. (In this recipe, you need only half an ounce.) When mushrooms are dried, their flavor intensifies, so a little goes a long way. Other dried mushrooms, such as shiitakes, may be substituted, but aim for porcini when available. Use a spice grinder to blitz the mushrooms before mixing them with the rub ingredients to create a paste consistency. If you don’t have a spice grinder, you can use a mini food processor, which will yield slightly coarser results.

Lynda Balslev for Tastefood

Porcini-Crusted Lamb Chops

Active Time: 20 minutes Total Time: 30 minutes

Serves 4

• 1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 2 garlic cloves, grated
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
• 1 teaspoon kosher sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 8 bone-in lamb loin chops, each 4 to 6 ounces and about 1 inch thick

Finely grind the mushrooms in a spice grinder. Transfer to a small bowl. Add 3 tablespoons oil, the garlic, rosemary, salt, and pepper, and stir to make a paste.

Coat the lamb on all sides with the rub and let it stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat in a large ovenproof skillet. Add the lamb to the pan without overcrowding. Brown the chops on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side.

Transfer the skillet to the oven and cook to your desired doneness, 8 to 10 minutes for medium rare, depending on thickness. (A meat thermometer inserted in the center should register 125 degrees F to 130 degrees F.)

Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving. (The internal temperature will increase while resting.)