Mushroom weather

Dave · October 10, 2016, 07:28:56 AM

The Hen of the Woods mushrooms (Maitake) are finally liking the weather.
My brother texted me yesterday afternoon he just found his fourth Hen, so I headed out after the Eagles game

I usually do a loop and check several dead standing oaks where they like to grow. Didn't have to go far as the first tree supplied me with quite a bit for dinner and the freezer.
Not sure if I've ever found one in better condition, either. Between 10 to 15 pounds and all of it was absolutely perfect.
Here are two pics I snapped

Here it is growing at the base of the oak. There are also two smaller ones just getting going that I'll be back to check on in a day or two.

I tore off a small piece at the top of the pic to show its inside color and threw my foot in there for sizing.

It wouldn't fit in the plastic shopping bag I brought along, and I ended the search there. I'll head out again later today to check the other trees on the loop and add to the thread.

Here's a link you can check out. There aren't any other mushrooms that mimic this one. They can get pretty big, too. This one is only average size.
http://theforagerpress.com/fieldguide/octfd.htm

Okanagan · October 10, 2016, 09:24:27 AM

Great find. That thing is HUGE!

Nothing better than fresh mushroom fried up with venison tenderloin and I'll bet you have some of that fresh also.

bambam · October 10, 2016, 04:41:22 PM

Looks good ! I've seen these but never eaten them . How do you fix them ?

Coulter · October 10, 2016, 05:19:48 PM

Cool...I so wish I liked to eat mushrooms. I've tried and tried, I just can't do it. I did find these fine specimens in the Adirondacks last year. Is this Hen of the woods also? It sure was colorful...

another shot of the same one...

And how 'bout these? I'm pretty certain they aren't edible.

Dave · October 10, 2016, 07:50:43 PM

Coulter, the first one is a Chicken of the Woods and I have no clue about the other two. I've seen those bottom ones too, and take pics, but never got to the computer to try and identify them.
I think the best way to cook them up is by slicing them pretty thin, and cooking them with onions, butter and olive oil in a cast iron pan. Then towards the end add some chicken broth and let them suck up some of the broth. Once it's cooked down and the broth is gone, they're ready.

Dave · October 10, 2016, 07:53:54 PM

I just posted this to show you the texture of the Hen. Hopefully I did it right and you can see it ok - used my phone for the video.

Okanagan · October 11, 2016, 08:53:34 AM

Man that looks good.

The qualities (for me anyway) that make mushrooms fly is their texture when cooked and their ability to take on most any flavor you want to add. I'd be tempted to have a few postage stamp size pieces of bacon cooking in the pan with those mushrooms!

Coulter · October 11, 2016, 05:13:42 PM

Mmmmm...bacon makes anything taste good. Maybe I should try mushrooms one more time

So Dave...is that Chicken of the Woods edible as well?

FinsnFur · October 11, 2016, 09:48:56 PM

WOW...that thing is huge. I've been looking for some up here cause I heard you can make jerky out of them too

But about that orange one...is that on a downed tree or some type of wood? I thought you were suppose to steer clear of orange mushrooms that grew on wood?

Coulter · October 12, 2016, 11:26:28 AM

No idea if that orange one (chicken of the woods) is edible. It is on a downed tree. It's pretty well covered in moss too making tree identification a bit difficult without trying.

Dave · October 12, 2016, 12:11:17 PM

Quote from: Coulter on October 11, 2016, 05:13:42 PM

So Dave...is that Chicken of the Woods edible as well?

That is definitely Chicken of the Woods and a desirable mushroom. They look a little old in that pic. They'll be almost fluorescent yellow underneath - looks dangerous by the color but are fine. I've found them on different kinds of trees. They usually grow in shelf-like formations kind of the way your first picture looks, both on fallen decaying logs and on living trees (ones on living trees usually tend to be just smaller amounts). And see above for the way I cook em. I'll be sure to add bacon to that - can't believe I never have!

Never heard of making jerky out of them, Jim, but now you have me thinking.

FinsnFur · October 12, 2016, 07:04:43 PM

I havent been able to come up with any to try it Dave, but I'm told you treat it as if it were meat and run it through the same process.

Dave · October 13, 2016, 12:17:57 PM

Went back to check on those small mushrooms that were growing next to the ones I originally found (above). To my surprise they really hadn't grown any bigger. I picked what I could as they still seemed tender. Then continuing on my loop I cut across a harvested corn field and along a small hedgerow that I had walked a half dozen times over the years. First time walking it this time of year, though, and stumbled across a few chestnut husks. Well there are about 4 chestnut trees that have been worked over probably by deer and squirrels as chestnuts were hard to find. Managed to come up with about 75-100 though.
Here's a sample of this morning's foray. Coulter, I flipped a few over to show the yellow belly.

Chickens on the stump. I only took about a 1/3, and then just the thinner ones. Only so much you can eat. No pics of the Hens.

FinsnFur · October 13, 2016, 10:45:38 PM

MANNnnnn that is a dangerous hobby. There's no way to practice lol

Coulter · October 14, 2016, 08:59:28 AM

Interesting...and man they sure do look tasty. I might just have to keep an eye out for some while we squirrel hunt this weekend. Now those chestnuts I would have no problem devouring...Those are some tasty little morsels. Nice find there for sure!

Okanagan · October 14, 2016, 09:03:37 AM

Quote from: Dave on October 13, 2016, 12:17:57 PM
Went back to check on those small mushrooms that were growing next to the ones I originally found (above). To my surprise they really hadn't grown any bigger. I picked what I could as they still seemed tender. Then continuing on my loop I cut across a harvested corn field and along a small hedgerow that I had walked a half dozen times over the years. First time walking it this time of year, though, and stumbled across a few chestnut husks. Well there are about 4 chestnut trees that have been worked over probably by deer and squirrels as chestnuts were hard to find. Managed to come up with about 75-100 though.
Here's a sample of this morning's foray. Coulter, I flipped a few over to show the yellow belly.

The yellow undersides of those mushroom look like chanterelles, a very tasty mushroom here in the PNW.

JohnP · October 25, 2016, 10:41:31 AM

We get all our mushrooms from Safeway or Fry's, always in season and you don't have to expend to much energy to find them.

FinsnFur · October 28, 2016, 05:38:54 AM

LOL John

Dave · October 29, 2016, 07:15:20 AM

Haha John. We don't have Safeway's or Fry's though