Fresh wild forest oyster mushrooms

[intrepidity]

I scored a dozen wild oyster mushrooms.

Never had them before. What is the single best way to prepare them to fully appreciate them? My default would be just butter saute. Tempted to add garlic but want to really appreciate their flavor. They smell awesome.

The other option is to put them on a pizza, but will that really do them justice?

[ramen]

1. Butter, salt, pepper should do it.

I like to dry sear very hot first and then add butter and saute on low for a good while. Garlic's not going to hurt but I see your point about wanting to mainline the mushrooms.

[intrepidity]

2. Should I leave them whole or slice?

I've been looking at my local mushrooms for 3 seasons now and these are the first oysters I've found. Although I did find something a couple months ago that I really thought were oysters, and they probably were, but I just put them on a pizza and so probably missed out.

ETA: they are each about 3-4 inches across.

[ramen]

3. Either will work,

but the texture will be great left whole.

[intrepidity]

4. I've started prepping them

and made "medallions" of some of the stems; others I will leave intact.

I agree about the hot dry sear prior to the butter, the only way to go!

Thanks for your input!

ETA: btw, just looked again at my photos of the prior find from Oct 7, and those were also most def oysters. Those were on a fallen tanoak trunk, while these were on a still-standing--but not for long sadly--one.

[Warpy]

8. I agree, the simplest preparation is the best

but if the OP is disciplined enough to set aside a few of the cooked leftovers, then experimentation is a go.

[intrepidity]

11. Nope, not disciplined at all

They were amazing. They actually tasted just like parmesan cheese crisps. For the first time, I realized that it might actually be possible to go vegan (although no plans to do so).

Pure umami. Quite a revelation.

[Warpy]

14. Oh, yeah, sing it loudly

Sometimes the best way to do anything is to keep it really simple so that you taste the main ingredient, not a bunch of "layered" flavors that obscure its taste.

My favorite mushroom prep for supermarket button mushrooms, brown or white, is to saute them in butter over fairly low heat. Before they've started to dry after producing their juices in the pan, I grate a little nutmeg into them. Done, and wonderful served on toast. If I've done a large amount, I put the remainder in the fridge to use in mushroom and Swiss cheese grilled sandwiches.

[2naSalit]

5. They're a favorite in my area...

The type around here are kind of dense and a little chewy but still have a nice flavor. I suggest a tiny dash of rosemary, it enhances the mushroom flavor like Bay leaf does for spuds.

Garlic is never wrong with most mushrooms.

So when I first encountered them, we gathered them from around my friend's property, we had ten pounds! So they were cut into 1 inch cubes, sauteed and the bulk were frozen for later in manageable portions. Then, with enough for dinner, he made an entree with the mushrooms as the primary feature, substituting them for meat. He said they are called "beefsteak" mushrooms, in some circles, because they have a very slight beefy flavor to them, slight. They go well in dishes where you might use beef, they go well with the other flavors you would add.

They were great in whatever he put them in, I don't harvest them, generally, because when I'm out 'shroomin', I don't have room in my pack for heavy oysters when I'm collecting morels.

[intrepidity]

6. Ahhhhhh!

Unfortunately, I have never happened upon a morel.

I only look in my immediate dog-walking territory, and almost everything I find are still unidentified by me. Although last season I started finding slippery jacks everywhere, and experimented a bit with eating them (since suillus generally are non toxic). I am really, really, really cautious about id'ing what I find and virtually never actually eat them, aside from tasting for ID purposes.

I found some candy caps the other day, and the only reason I know that for sure is because they dried out (it was only 2 tiny specimens) and then my whole (tiny) home smelled of maple syrup! I went back out and collected all the other look-alike Lacterius, and dried them out, but only a couple have that smell! I really love learning this stuff.....

[2naSalit]

7. Morels are the easiest to identify...

They are a springtime mushroom, I have never seen them in the fall. Chantarelles (types of oyster) but not morels.

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=morel+mushroom&t=newext&iax=images&ia=images

[AKwannabe]

9. Nice score!

Last weekend on the WA coast we found a large cauliflower mushroom. Fresh and wonderful. So far have had it in Tom Yum soup and a pasta dish with garlic and razor clams. The mushrooms were easy to taste in both dishes so far.

I think eggs are a great compliment to mushrooms. Could try mushroom omelette and probably not lose the mushroom in the dish. Bob Appetite!

[intrepidity]

13. I think I spotted one of those today

Have never seen any around here, but today I saw what looked like maybe one on a tree about 30 feet down the hill from the trail I was on. Took some pics. Will revisit in the next couple days for more pics and to see whether I can get at it. Found a whole bunch of new mystery specimens today that I need to try to ID.

[mitch96]

10. I'm jealous. The only fresh mushrooms I find are at the grocery store and

farmers markets. Found a gent that grows Lions Mane but are a bit expensive. I've made a tincture of Lions mane and Oyster mushrooms.
Lots of work and I give my self a daily squirt for health...
m

[intrepidity]

12. Well, I went back out today and found and even more massive batch

But, much to my consternation, it was out of reach. I'd have had to take a massive risk to get at them, it was a fallen oak tree hanging down a cliff. But it was absolutely covered with beautiful oysters! At least I got to take photos of it, and then left it. That was tough, really tough.