Oregon Wild Mushrooms

Chanterelles

It's wild mushroom time again in Oregon, thought I'd republish this, as Boletus and Chanterelles are back in season. These are pics from the last two year's bounty.

While raising kids, great family fall fun was hunting for wild mushrooms in forests, parks, and coastal dune areas on the Southern Oregon Coast.

Bolteus before cleaning

The most (safe) tasty and popular to find are Boletus and Chanterelles as they look like no other wild mushroom, so they can't be mistaken for a "dangerous" species.

My adult children continue this annual quest with their friends and family during the short time mushrooms appear in October and November before the first freeze.


They can be dried, or cooked then frozen and I choose the latter, cooking in butter with diced onion and garlic then freezing for later use in recipes, like scrambled eggs and omeletes, or beef and chicken dishes.

Cleaned Boletus

Sliced Boletus Caps

This year was especially good for Boletus.  After brushing and cleaning, the entire fleshy mushroom can be sliced, cooked and frozen.  I prepare mine separating caps from the stems, cooking each in different batches as each has a distinctive flavor, caps more beefy tasting than stems.

We find lots of Chanterelles, plus some rarer types: Japanese Pine, Hedgehog and Oyster mushrooms.

Japanese Pine, Hedgehog & Oyster Mushrooms