Hunting or foraging for wild mushrooms can be a very rewarding experience, but knowing which mushrooms are edible is a key skill to have before heading out into the woods.
In this guide, we’ll share the best tips and tricks for edible mushroom hunting, discuss the best mushrooms available for foraging in different regions of the US and share some incredible recipes to make the most of your bounty.
Mushroom Hunting Basics
I went on a foraging walk withForage SFlast year, and our guide explained that when it comes to mushrooms, you need to be 200% sure about what you’re harvesting before even thinking about eating it. While the same is true for plant foraging too, it’s perhaps even more important for mushrooms since there are lots of mushroom lookalikes that can be dangerous. If you’re not an experienced forager yourself, be sure to mushroom hunt with an experienced guide.
Learning which mushrooms grow in your region, and in which season, can make your mushroom hunting more productive and safer. And don’t forget to have patience! Mushrooms are sometimes fickle little creatures, and most mushroom foragers will tell you that some days you find a bounty, and other days you come home empty-handed.
Tools For Foraging Mushrooms
如果你准备捕猎蘑菇,你需要一些好的工具来帮助你。首先,除非你是一个蘑菇采集专家,否则你需要一份你所在地区详细的蘑菇野外指南。在你出发之前一定要检查一遍,然后在从森林里收获任何东西之前再仔细检查一遍。
Some other tools you’ll find helpful along the way:
- Notebookand pen for taking notes
- A magnifying glass(to pair with your field guide to determine the details of a particular specimen)
- A good knife, scissors, ora special mushroom cutting knife
- A large basketto carry your harvest out of the forest and a backpack to carry all your gear
- A light orheadlamp
- Waterproof clothing and boots
- A local, regional, or park map and/or GPS to help you find your way home after adventures further afield
Mushroom Hunting.com还建议用蜡或纸袋来保存任何你不确定是否分开的标本;如果你在森林里无法看到蘑菇的所有细节,你可以在回家后仔细看一看,以确认安全。To further understand your specimens,The Sprucesuggests both black and white paper to test spore patterns, which can help confirm identity of any questionable fungi.
What Types of Mushrooms Can You Forage?
There are hundreds of mushroom varieties that grow around the US in various timeframes, geographies, and weather patterns, but here are some of the most common mushrooms hunted in the US.
Lion’s Mane
This gorgeous fungi is unlike any idea of mushroom you might have seen. It is bright white, and almost fluffy looking – making it a ‘fool-proof’ mushroom, according toThe Mushroom Forager.This mushroom, also called pom-pom mushroom, is in the familyHericium, all of which are edible – though some are more delicious than others.
Wild Foodism他解释说,这种蘑菇“是真菌界最美味的蘑菇之一,味道和质地类似蟹肉。”They also write that like many wild mushrooms, Lion’s Mane has been found to improvecognitive functionand can be neuro-regenerative.
Lion’s Mane fruits in the spring through summer and into fall, almost always on dead or dying hardwood – but this species also takes well to cultivation in sawdust and on logs at home.
Chanterelles
The golden, beautiful mushrooms known as chanterelles (Cantharellus cibarius) are highly regarded in the mushroom community and among chefs.WildEdiblesays that these mushrooms can range in color (yellow to deep orange), flavor (mildly peppery with a distinct fruity apricot-like aroma), and in size (as large as 5 inches in diameter, but 2 inches is closer to average).
Like other mushrooms, chanterelles are often found in late spring through late summer or early fall in theEastern United States,but fall and winter inCalifornia. These mushrooms seem to like hardwoods like maple, poplar, white oaks, pines, birch, hemlock, and bay, and they like slightly damp areas, so are good to find after a rain.
According to multiple sources, chanterelles are often prone to bug damage, so be sure to inspect and clean your fungi prior to cooking lest you enjoy some extra critters with your mushrooms.
Morels
Field & Stream羊肚菌被称为“美国蘑菇”,因为它们分布广泛,容易识别,而且非常美味。They are fairly distinct looking, and so are often considered asaferoption for beginning foragers. F & S explains that the morels like to live on the edge of forested areas, especially around trees like ash, aspen, elm, and oak trees—and especially around dead trees.
Related Post:Morel Mushroom Hunting
羊肚菌的生长季节是春天(白天60ºF,晚上40ºF)。在这个季节晚些时候,你可以在森林深处找到它们。它们喜欢肥沃的土壤,比如河床,它们尤其喜欢被烧毁的地方或被破坏的地面。
Maitake Mushrooms
Maitake (Grifola frondosa) are truly wild-looking mushrooms. These arealso knownas hen of the woods (since it looks like a fluffing chicken) or ram’s or sheep’s head.Paul Stamets, the renowned mushroom hunting expert, explains that maitake mushrooms are “particularly fond of oaks, elms, and rarely maples,” and that they feed on dead roots of aging trees.
That means these mushrooms bunches are found at the base of trees. Also like some other mushrooms, maitakes have some greatnutritional benefits,including immune-boosting compounds.
Porcini Mushrooms
Porcini grow across Europe and North America and is nearly impossible to cultivate, so if you’ve eaten porcini mushrooms, they are most likely wild and foraged! It’s famous not only for its flavor but also for its unique structure–unlike other mushrooms with gills, the porcini is actually quite spongy on the underside. These mushroomscan be foundin hardwood forests near pine, chestnut, hemlock, and spruce in the summer and into fall.
Related Post:Winter Foraging: 20+ Edible Greens, Nuts, Seeds, and Fruits to Forage For in Cold Weather
像鸡油菌一样,它们经常是蛆虫或蠕虫等昆虫的家园,所以检查它们并在需要时清洗。Porcini mushrooms (Boletus edulis)are often found dried in gourmet stores and are a great addition to most meals, since theirmeaty, nutty, or umami flavor适合大多数食物。
Vegetarian Recipes for Wild Mushrooms
既然你知道了应该在森林和田野里寻找哪种蘑菇,现在你可以学习如何烹饪它们了。所有的野生蘑菇在黄油或橄榄油中煎炒的味道都令人难以置信——这种做法可以让各种坚果、泥土和肉的味道渗透进来。它们可以直接食用,也可以与意大利面、意大利调味饭或玉米粥一起食用。但如果你想让你的蘑菇食谱更上一层楼,下面是一些你可能会喜欢的野生蘑菇食谱。
Lion’s Mane Mushroom Recipes
- Lion’s Mane ‘‘Liver’ and Onions Recipefrom One Green Planet
- Lion’s Mane Mushroom Tacosfrom Vegan ESP
- Lion’s Mane ‘Crab Cakes’from Asheville Fungi
Maitake Recipes
- Roasted Maitake (Hen of the Woods) fromPBS Food
- Gnocchi with Fresh Maitake fromBlue Apron
Morel Recipes
- Pan-fried Morels fromThe Great Morel
- Stuffed Spring Morels fromTreeHugger
- Heidi Swanson’sSaké Mushrooms(any variety)
Chanterelle Recipes
- White Wine & Garlic Chanterelles fromIsa Chandra Moskowitz
- Chanterelle Cream Soup fromMy New Roots
Porcini Mushroom Recipes
- Heidi Swanson’sPorcini Mushroom Fettuccine
- Learn how to grill, roast, and dry porcinis fromCrazy About Mushrooms
- Spring Grilled Porcini fromHunter, Angler, Gardener, Cook
Further Resources For Mushroom Hunting & Foraging
North American Mycological Associationis dedicated to the promotion of scientific and educational activities related to fungi, supports the protection of natural areas and their biological integrity, and advocates the sustainable use of mushrooms as a resource and endorse the responsible mushroom hunting and collecting that does not harm the fungi or their habitats. Here are a few more mushroom hunting resources we recommend:
- Paul Stamets is a world-renowned mushroom hunting expert and has written many books on the subject. Read more about his work andhis books.
- Poisonous mushrooms to avoid fromAmericanMushrooms.com
- Wild Foodism,Easy to Identify Edible Mushrooms for the Beginning Mushroom Hunter
- Book:Mushrooms and Other Fungi of the MidContinental United States
- Book:Edible Wild Mushrooms of North America: A Field-to-kitchen Guide
jack coopersays
Really Nice Post…
http://www.global-technical-support.co.uk/norton-support/
Theresa "Sam" Houghtonsays
我希望我能在祖父去世前从他那里学到猎蘑菇。我是一个蘑菇迷,希望有足够的信心去进行一次觅食探险。
Ashleysays
The mushroom in the photograph depicting a morel is a false morel. It appears to have folds and not pits.
Leigha Staffenhagensays
Hi Ashley-
好眼力!谢谢你发现并告诉我们。我更新了图像。
Leigha