During the springtime, Americans become obsessed with morel mushrooms. There’s no other mushroom, except truffles, that has such a distinctive flavor.
If you’ve not had the pleasure of tasting a morel, it can be described as rich and creamy with a bit of nutty flavor. If you have the opportunity to find this elusive mushroom, you will want to know how to cook morel mushrooms to get the best flavor from them.
Because they are wild, they need to be cooked before eating them. And it’s important that you know how to identify them.
If you are hunting them yourself and it’s your first time, be sure to go along with a more experienced friend. That friend can show you what to look for and how to stay away from the toxic mushrooms.
If you see any kind of decay on the mushroom, be sure to throw it out. Only cook one type of wild mushroom at one time. Taste a very small portion, so you can tell if you have any type of allergic reaction.
If you buy morel mushrooms from someone, you should keep them cool and dry. If they get too hot, they could become damaged.
Never store them in plastic bags. The container that you use should be breathable. The best type of bag is a mesh or onion bag.
You can wash them in cool water but do not soak your morels in water because this could damage them. You can use a food dehydrator to dry them for long term storage.
There are many different ways to prepare a morel but here are two favorites:
Pan-Fried or Sautéed
- Melt 4-5 tablespoons of butter in a skillet
- Add the morel mushrooms
- Sprinkle some dried sage but don’t add the salt or pepper yet
- Use a medium low heat
- When the mushrooms turn a golden brown and are tender, they are done
- Add salt and pepper when you serve it
Deep Fried Morel Mushrooms
- Clean the mushrooms thoroughly
- Slice the mushrooms in half
- Make an egg wash using a beaten egg and milk
- Dip the mushroom in the egg mix
- Dip into either flour or Panko or use both
- A deep fryer or cast iron skillet works best
- Heat your oil to 375 degrees
- Place the breaded mushrooms in the heated oil and turn once about halfway through
- When they turn a nice golden brown, remove from the oil onto a draining rack
- Immediately add the seasoning of your choice
You can use you favorite spices but just using salt and pepper will enhance the naturally delicious flavor.
You can add them to your favorite pizza or add them atop a fat, juicy steak. Anyway that you would use a regular mushroom will work for morels.
Many people prefer eating them by themselves so that other foods don’t overtake the deliciousness of the morel.
There are a lot of ways to cook these rare mushrooms. They taste best if you cook them within one to two days of being harvested. However, you can can or dry them just like any other mushroom.
Knowing how to cook morel mushrooms will allow you to savor the deliciousness that this rare mushroom has to offer. Enjoy!
