THE SOUTHERN VEGETARIAN COOKBOOK THE SOUTHERN

BBQ PORTOBELLO MUSHROOM SANDWICH WITH SMOKED GOUDA

The Blondises are good folk. They run Central BBQ here in Memphis, and it’s a definite favorite of many Memphians. They serve their fair share of tourists, but that actual Memphis residents love this place is in itself a high honor. I always look forward to going there to eat BBQ since Central offers a stellar BBQ portobello sandwich that we vegetarians really appreciate!

Our buddy J.C., the manager at Central, was kind enough to share their recipe with us, so now you can make this amazing sandwich at home. It’s perfect to make in the backyard this summer—especially if you expect to have a few vegetarians drop by. But there's nothing like sitting on the front porch at Central BBQ and enjoying this sandwich as hickory smoke wafts through the air.

They make their own Italian dressing at Central, and their house-made BBQ sauce is killer. I’ve simplified the recipe here so you can make this in a hurry and feed the masses.

½ cup BBQ sauce for serving (store-bought is fine for this at-home version)

Wipe the mushrooms with a damp cloth to clean them. Choose a bottle of Italian dressing that is emulsified, meaning that it doesn’t separate in the bottle. Marinate the mushrooms by pouring the Italian dressing over them and placing them in a sealed container in the refrigerator for at least an hour or up to 24 hours.

Preheat your outdoor grill to high. Remove the mushrooms from the marinade and place them on a sheet pan. Sprinkle both sides of each mushroom with our Memphis BBQ Dry Rub seasoning. Grill the mushrooms gill-side-down for about 7 minutes or until lightly charred around the edges. Flip the mushrooms over and place the cheese onto the gill side of the mushroom. Grill the mushrooms another 3 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the mushroom is nicely marked by the grill grates.

Serve each mushroom on a bun and top with a teaspoon of BBQ sauce and about a ¼ cup of BBQ Slaw.