Storing/Freezing sliced mushrooms ?

[pianoman9701]

There are so many easily identifiable edible mushrooms that grow in the PNW, especially in the Fall. Chants, white chants, morels, verpas, porcini, puff balls, chicken of the woods, fried chicken, hawkwing, matsutake, lobster, yellowfoot, hedgehog, coral, cauliflower, black trumpet, fairy ring. Get a book. These are all delicious when at their peak.

[W_Ellison2011]

There are so many easily identifiable edible mushrooms that grow in the PNW, especially in the Fall. Chants, white chants, morels, verpas, porcini, puff balls, chicken of the woods, fried chicken, hawkwing, matsutake, lobster, yellowfoot, hedgehog, coral, cauliflower, black trumpet, fairy ring. Get a book. These are all delicious when at their peak.

I'm learning about all of this as an adult. My father only ever picked the golden/orange chanterelles or the shaggy manes and always said that other fungi were too hard to identify. Now that I'm older and have eaten morels, porcini, matsutake, etc. I am REALLY trying to get more into it. I even went on amazon and bought 2 books and a pamphlet with the edible and inedible/toxic or unpleasant to eat fungus and other plants. I really am trying to get into sourcing more of the items that are eaten in my house from out in the wild instead of from the store.

[fishsticks]

We've sautéed in butter until all liquid is reabsorbed, bag, vacuum seal and freeze.  This has worked for chanterelles and chicken of the woods.  Dehydrating also works.  I wouldn't freeze uncooked mushrooms as I suspect they wouldn't retain flavor and texture like they do after being cooked.   

[pianoman9701]

There are so many easily identifiable edible mushrooms that grow in the PNW, especially in the Fall. Chants, white chants, morels, verpas, porcini, puff balls, chicken of the woods, fried chicken, hawkwing, matsutake, lobster, yellowfoot, hedgehog, coral, cauliflower, black trumpet, fairy ring. Get a book. These are all delicious when at their peak.

I'm learning about all of this as an adult. My father only ever picked the golden/orange chanterelles or the shaggy manes and always said that other fungi were too hard to identify. Now that I'm older and have eaten morels, porcini, matsutake, etc. I am REALLY trying to get more into it. I even went on amazon and bought 2 books and a pamphlet with the edible and inedible/toxic or unpleasant to eat fungus and other plants. I really am trying to get into sourcing more of the items that are eaten in my house from out in the wild instead of from the store.

I started picking around 1992 with a friend who was a matsutake hound. I was 35. In 2002, I met a Native man named Running Squirrel through a job I had for two years. We went foraging fairly frequently, as he was a supplier for my workplace in the beginning of our friendship. I learned about many edible greens, roots, flowers, and shrooms from him over the course of about 10 years. He passed away about 6 years ago. He was a huge loss to the foraging world and had been written up in the NYT, LA Times, Chicago Sun Times for the ingredients he foraged for some of the world's top restaurants. I was fortunate to have known him and been able to call him my friend.

[Angry Perch]

I've been getting into it a little more each year. I think it makes hunting even more enjoyable. I believe it was grouse opener in 2013, I found myself absolutely surrounded by boletes. 15 minutes into the season my shotgun was back in the truck, and I was filling bags with mushrooms. We spent the rest of the weekend cleaning, slicing and sun drying, then finished them all off at home in the dehydrator. I vacuum packed in manageable portions, and put them in the freezer. When I opened a pack, I'd grind what I needed in the spice grinder, and put the rest in a canning jar in the cupboard. The smell was absolutely intoxicating! Every steak, roast and chop we ate for the next couple years was coated in ground boletes. Did I miss shooting any grouse that day? Heck no!

[pianoman9701]

I've been getting into it a little more each year. I think it makes hunting even more enjoyable. I believe it was grouse opener in 2013, I found myself absolutely surrounded by boletes. 15 minutes into the season my shotgun was back in the truck, and I was filling bags with mushrooms. We spent the rest of the weekend cleaning, slicing and sun drying, then finished them all off at home in the dehydrator. I vacuum packed in manageable portions, and put them in the freezer. When I opened a pack, I'd grind what I needed in the spice grinder, and put the rest in a canning jar in the cupboard. The smell was absolutely intoxicating! Every steak, roast and chop we ate for the next couple years was coated in ground boletes. Did I miss shooting any grouse that day? Heck no!

I missed a big cow one morning in Early September because I stepped into the dark forest and noticed a cluster of fried chicken mushrooms at me feet. As I stooped to harvest the mushrooms. I looked up to see an old, large cow staring me right in the face. As soon as we made eye contact, she was a ghost. We had mushrooms in camp that night. They would've been better with some heart. Another time, a black bear and I were picking hucks from the same bush, unaware that we were on opposite sides from each other. Needless to say, when we did notices, it was buttholes and elbows getting some distance between us! Foraging can be dangerous!! 

[Angry Perch]

I've been getting into it a little more each year. I think it makes hunting even more enjoyable. I believe it was grouse opener in 2013, I found myself absolutely surrounded by boletes. 15 minutes into the season my shotgun was back in the truck, and I was filling bags with mushrooms. We spent the rest of the weekend cleaning, slicing and sun drying, then finished them all off at home in the dehydrator. I vacuum packed in manageable portions, and put them in the freezer. When I opened a pack, I'd grind what I needed in the spice grinder, and put the rest in a canning jar in the cupboard. The smell was absolutely intoxicating! Every steak, roast and chop we ate for the next couple years was coated in ground boletes. Did I miss shooting any grouse that day? Heck no!

I missed a big cow one morning in Early September because I stepped into the dark forest and noticed a cluster of fried chicken mushrooms at me feet. As I stooped to harvest the mushrooms. I looked up to see an old, large cow staring me right in the face. As soon as we made eye contact, she was a ghost. We had mushrooms in camp that night. They would've been better with some heart. Another time, a black bear and I were picking hucks from the same bush, unaware that we were on opposite sides from each other. Needless to say, when we did notices, it was buttholes and elbows getting some distance between us! Foraging can be dangerous!! 

So the moral of the story is, if you're hunting animals, don't forget to look down. And if you're hunting mushrooms, don't forget to look up!

[pianoman9701]

  I guess so. Or hunt when you're hunting and come back and pick later.

[W_Ellison2011]

My father and I have been picking chanterelles and looked up to find blacktails staring at us.. they were gone before we could get back to our bows lol! Its kind of like when nature calls in the woods. Always be prepared!