Plant-based snacking has a reputation problem. Too much of it is either aggressively health-focused and joyless, or it’s processed into something so far removed from its source that the “plant-based” label feels like a marketing exercise. Mushroom jerky is neither of those things — and it took us a while to figure out exactly why it works so well.
Why Jerky Works — and Why Mushrooms Work for Jerky
Jerky succeeds as a snack because of three things: texture, flavour depth, and staying power. Conventional beef jerky nails all three — the chew tells your body it’s getting something substantial, the Maillard reactions during drying concentrate umami compounds, and the protein content actually satisfies rather than just stalling hunger for 20 minutes.
What we discovered, after many batches and a lot of testing, is that oyster and king oyster mushrooms hit those same three notes surprisingly well. The cell structure of oyster mushrooms — dense, fibrous, layered — gives them a chew under dehydration that most vegetables simply can’t match. The umami compounds (glutamates, ribonucleotides) concentrate during drying the same way they do in meat. And mushrooms carry marinade in a way that flat mushrooms like portobellos don’t — the layers trap flavour at depth.
The King Oyster Difference
King oyster (Pleurotus eryngii) deserves a separate mention. It’s the thick-stemmed mushroom you’ve probably seen in Asian grocery stores — usually sliced into coins for hotpot, or pulled into strips to mimic scallops.
For jerky, we cut the stems into thick biltong-style strips, marinate them for 24 hours, and dry them low and slow. The result is genuinely surprising to people who try it expecting something vegetal or soft. The strips are firm, substantial, and carry the smokey BBQ marinade all the way through. It’s not a compromise version of jerky. It’s a different thing entirely that happens to satisfy the same craving.
What Makes a Good Mushroom Jerky
Not all mushroom jerky is made equally — this is worth knowing if you’re buying from anyone, including us. Here’s what matters:
- Mushroom species: Oyster varieties (grey, king) and shiitake are the best candidates for jerky. They have the cell structure for chew and the flavour compounds for depth. Button mushrooms, portobello, and most grocery-store varieties don’t work as well — they’re too high in water and too low in structural fibre.
- Fresh vs. dried mushroom base: Starting from fresh mushrooms (or high-quality whole dried mushrooms rehydrated) gives a fundamentally different result to using powdered mushroom — the texture isn’t reproducible from powder. Look for products that tell you what mushroom form they start with.
- Marinade quality: The marinade does the flavour work. A good mushroom jerky uses a marinade with proper umami support — tamari, apple cider vinegar, real spices — not just sugar and smoke flavouring.
- Drying method: Low-temperature dehydration preserves more nutrients and gives better texture than high-heat baking. It takes longer, but it’s worth it.
- Clean ingredients: Mushroom jerky doesn’t need stabilisers, artificial smoke, colour additives, or mystery “natural flavours.” If the ingredient list is long and unrecognisable, that’s a flag.
Shroom Spice: The Seasoning Side
We get asked a lot about Shroom Spice and what it’s actually for. The honest answer: everything that needs more flavour. It’s built around dried mushroom as the umami base, with a seasoning blend that makes it function like a savoury, slightly smoky all-purpose seasoning — eggs, rice, noodles, soups, roasted vegetables, marinades, salad dressings.
The mushroom base means it adds depth rather than just salt. That’s the difference between a seasoning that seasons and one that flavours. It’s become our bestseller at farmers markets, largely because people try it at the stall on something simple and immediately start thinking about what else they can put it on.
Where We’re Going
We’re a small, deliberate operation out of Katikati, Bay of Plenty. We grow what we can, we source from NZ growers where possible, and we make everything in small batches. That’s not going to change as we grow — it’s the point.
What is changing: we’re expanding the range slowly and thoughtfully. New flavours are tested over months, not weeks. New products only happen when they’re genuinely good, not just because there’s a market gap to fill.
If you want to follow along, get in touch — or find us at Bay of Plenty farmers markets when the season’s right.
Too Mush Bro makes mushroom jerky and seasoning in small batches from Katikati, NZ. Shop the full range →