How to Freeze and Preserve Chantrelle Mushrooms

[billythekidrock]

Very timely ICE. We ate at least five pounds of them last week. The OP is loaded right now, but with the cold nights and frost they could go away fast.

ALWAYS look down hill of a find, then go down hill and look back up. You will find the buggers hiding right under your feet.

As for cutting versus pulling..... Pull away. I pull them up and cut off the dirt. Very few mushroom will regrow after cutting and that is only in the early stages of growth.

Look at it this way. The mushroom is the fruit (think apple) of the Mycelium (think tree). It doesn't matter if you cut or pull an apple off the tree, it will not grow back.

[robodad]

Thanks for the information, That will save some time for sure !!!

[NRA4LIFE]

ICEMAN,

Are you finding them on the West side or East?  I have never looked on the West side.

[ICEMAN]

Westside. Never gathered any on the east....

[snocohunter]

After I spotted this thread the other day, I called up my best friend since childhood whose Dad used to take us picking mushrooms near where I now live. Told him we should do a little mushroom huntin. Well, spent about an hour and a half in the woods and found some nice chantrelles. I was surprised how many we found not far off the road. It seems like when we were kids we'd always have to go pretty deep to find them. Had the most luck along some game trails. I'll try to add some pics later.

[billythekidrock]

A lot mushrooms like to grow in disturbed areas so roads and trails are great places to start looking.

[boneaddict]

Too cold and dry over in this neck of the woods this year.  Maybe if this water brings some warmth in the next week or two

[snocohunter]

Here are some pics:



The big boy I found on our way out



We had a pretty good frost last night, so I'm gonna try to head out here again soon before they're all gone. On a side note, i always pull them up and cut off the end, my buddy says to cut them off and leave the base in the ground so it can grow back. I told him i call BS but let him do it his own way.

[snocohunter]

One more quick question, have you guys ever just frozen them without cooking them? I don't have any sherry.

[ICEMAN]

snoco, I have not. My dad did and claimed they did not freeze well and were sort of destroyed when he tried. Heck, give it a try?

[sagerat]

I've been getting my share too! Do you guys know the time frame for them? I'm guessing mid Sept. thru mid to late Oct.

[ICEMAN]

I get buckets in mid to late November, depending on how soggy and rainy.... Rain doesnt wreck em, but the freeze really degrades them.....

[billythekidrock]

Snocohunter - Try a dry saute. Toss the mushrooms in a med/hi heat pan with table salt to pull out the moisture. Saute until the liquid is gone. Don't add oil or butter. Let cool then put them in ziplock bags.

I also cook them this way, then add to cream of mushroom soup. Let cool and freeze in small bags to add to more cm soup over rice.

[robodad]

Figured I would bring this EXCELLENT information back up since the season is upon us, been out a couple times and located some YUMMY gold, I'd like to see more recipes you folks use for these tasty little buggers !!!

I just saute them in butter and some spices and eat right away but will be trying the preserving methods contained here this year !!!

Thanks again for the information !!!

[huntmando]

I found a little jag last week, but am looking forward to this weekend. I have always canned them, but I am going to try the
saute method and see how that goes. Thanx for the info.