Oyster mushrooms are flushing in Puget Sound

[boatloader]

Out again 3 miles and no luck!

Well shucks! I do have a park near my place in Gig Harbor that is teeming with Alder and I have yet to see any in there. Like I said earlier, mushrooms can be mysterious (part of why I like em), seemingly no rhyme or reason to it. I do all of my oyster hunting closer to the waters of Puget Sound, and haven't looked inland much. I wouldn't think Buckley would be too far in, but... I guess the proof is in the pudding. At least now when you find some, it will be that much sweeter!

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[quackkiller]

Yes I am hoping, literally only trees that are around are the alders. Little swampy in there as well!! Hoping for a few next time!

[Norman89]

There are a few around Buckley IV found them around south prairie and eatonville as well

[quackkiller]

Cannot wait till I figure it out, must just be my luck, was in a spot today 100yds in Avery direction was alders with a swamp in the middle and not a single thing, my son and I combed it 2 times to no avail....

[lokidog]

I found a couple of small ones on an old Alder log near one of the beaches. These were fresh, but, unfortunately, they are usually only on the last vestige of these trees and do not seem to flush before the tree is too gone for a repeat.

[boatloader]

It could just be that you're a week or two behind being a little farther inland? how high elevation are you?

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[quackkiller]

I believe it should be right about 600ft.

[WSU]

I went out to a couple areas this weekend that had them in the past and found some. I sautéed a bit up to try out (they are new to me so I always start with a small amount). No ill effects but also not too impressed.

How do people prepare these? Sautéed in butter wasn’t great like chanterelles.

[boatloader]

I went out to a couple areas this weekend that had them in the past and found some. I sautéed a bit up to try out (they are new to me so I always start with a small amount). No ill effects but also not too impressed.

How do people prepare these? Sautéed in butter wasn’t great like chanterelles.

I ran across a couple articles years ago that completely flipped conventional wisdom on its head and I have never turned back... Orthodoxy contends that you never soak mushrooms, some folks won't even run em under the faucet because they will get soggy like a sponge. Continuing on the experts say that when cooking they will release their water and you need high heat so it evaporates or else you're just steaming them. Well... What these adventurous people below have found is that you literally can't overcook a mushroom as long as you aren't burning it. So what is the harm in soaking mushrooms to clean them (which is about 100 times easier AND more effective than brushing) when you're just going to cook out all that water anyways? The answer is none! Then they discovered that if you essentially boil the mushrooms ( I do it in just an inch or two of water in a huge cast iron skillet) until all the water evaporates, which takes about 10 minutes (add more water throughout if you have to) the mushrooms become fully cooked and their  cell structure closes up and they cease to absorb the same amount of liquids as before. NOW is when you add the butter or oil or whatever you were gonna use and sauté until GBD (golden brown delicious). But if you start off with the fat/oil right away like any normal chef will tell you the mushrooms sponge it up and never release  it again giving you a soggier greasier end product. Like I said, I never turned back! I like oysters finished with butter, salt, garlic, and fresh thyme. I like their meaty texture and deep umami flavor. I have found they benefit from a longer cook opposed to a short fast saute compared to chantrelles, and I like them better than chantrelles. In my household that is about a 50/50 split on who likes which ones better. I think my whole house likes hedgehogs and shaggy parasols better than the both of em though! This was fascinating info that truly blew my mind on how much easier it is to clean, handle, cook, and eat any mushroom than most of us have been taught. Cheers!

https://www.thespruceeats.com/a-new-way-to-cook-mushrooms-913400

http://cookingissues.com/2009/12/21/crowded-wet-mushrooms-a-beautiful-thing/

https://www.cooksillustrated.com/articles/1856-why-you-can-t-overcook-mushrooms

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[Buckewe]

They are just starting to pop around my house.when things get going strong I can fill a 5 gallon bucket within a couple hundred feet of my back door

[WSU]

How are they dehydrated?

[boatloader]

They are just starting to pop around my house.when things get going strong I can fill a 5 gallon bucket within a couple hundred feet of my back door

It's a beautiful thing isn't it! Here the log in my backyard yesterday...

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[Buckewe]

This is one of a dozen logs. Pic is from last year

[quackkiller]

Holy cow, I will be out this weekend again!!!

[Fatherof5]

So these are edible? About the only mushroom hunting I’ve does for morels.