# Oyster Mushrooms



## moonwolf (Sep 20, 2004)

Anyone finding oyster (pleurotus) mushrooms this season yet?

It's been pretty wet up here so far and post morel time....should be just about ripe to hunt oyster shrooms around rotting poplars. I am to be looking for them after the heavy rains this weekend and the week heats up. Mosquito population is high....I'm guessing Pleutotus should be ready for picking. 

This is not a recent pic, but gives an idea what I find:


----------



## farmerDale (Jan 8, 2011)

Found a very few morels this year with the drier conditions, but in the woods, I am seeing a lot of oysters starting up. And they grow so fast, gotta keep close watch on them. Next few days for sure.


----------



## 1shotwade (Jul 9, 2013)

I'm not seeing any oysters yet but have found chicken of the woods and pink unders.Like others,morels didn't go good this year.
I watched a video that a guy said he no longer picks summer oysters because they are too thin. Instead he only hunts them in the colder months.

Wade


----------



## suitcase_sally (Mar 20, 2006)

Last weekend I picked all I wanted for this year. I still have quite a few from last year. I have a 9 shelf Excaliber that I have to take half the shelves out of so they will fit. Even so, I got 3 loads.


----------



## suitcase_sally (Mar 20, 2006)

This is from last year.


----------



## moonwolf (Sep 20, 2004)

suitcase_sally said:


> Last weekend I picked all I wanted for this year. I still have quite a few from last year. I have a 9 shelf Excaliber that I have to take half the shelves out of so they will fit. Even so, I got 3 loads.


That's what I was wondering about storing oysters...I have 
Always only picked enough to eat fresh. If I find quantities this
year I want to dehydrate them for storing.....any tips about that?


----------



## moonwolf (Sep 20, 2004)

farmerDale said:


> Found a very few morels this year with the drier conditions, but in the woods, I am seeing a lot of oysters starting up. And they grow so fast, gotta keep close watch on them. Next few days for sure.


I live in a similar climate zone as you, it seems....zone 3/4...
We had good conditions for morels. I found some, but was hoping
for lots more. Last year I found an area where I picked chanterelles
in late August, and there were lots of oysters, but on the tail end
Of their cycle, partly rotting and mushy. This time of year I 
think they will be good if found....I'll look n the same spots I 
found them last summer....being earlier they should be firm.
Our summers rarely get above the 80's for day time highs, so
In the cooler, humid woods conditions are favourable....also lots
of rotting poplar logs and branches laying. I do find them on 
standing rotting trunks of poplar...


----------



## farmerDale (Jan 8, 2011)

moonwolf said:


> I live in a similar climate zone as you, it seems....zone 3/4...
> We had good conditions for morels. I found some, but was hoping
> for lots more. Last year I found an area where I picked chanterelles
> in late August, and there were lots of oysters, but on the tail end
> ...


Yup, standing broken off poplars indeed.


----------



## farmerDale (Jan 8, 2011)

Found some today a good 15 feet off the ground on a broken standing poplar in the sheep pasture. Now, if only I had not bent my big ladder with my tractor, I would be gleaning those babies. lol


----------



## suitcase_sally (Mar 20, 2006)

DH made me a tool for getting the ones out of reach on a tree. He took a 10 ft. long piece of copper pipe and smashed one end flat, then stuck a drywall trowel in the end. You could use a piece of PVC pipe and duct tape the trowel to it. Works great!


----------



## suitcase_sally (Mar 20, 2006)

moonwolf said:


> That's what I was wondering about storing oysters...I have
> Always only picked enough to eat fresh. If I find quantities this
> year I want to dehydrate them for storing.....any tips about that?


Make sure you clean them of any nematodes that you see. This year they were surprisingly bug free.

They dry rather quickly - about 6 hours in the dehydrator.

Oh, and trim off the little area where they attach to the tree. That part becomes "chewy" when reconstituted.


----------



## 1shotwade (Jul 9, 2013)

When I get into parts that are tough I just cut them into small pieces and save them for soups. They still add a lot of flavor.

Wade


----------



## CajunSunshine (Apr 24, 2007)

moonwolf said:


> That's what I was wondering about storing oysters...I have always only picked enough to eat fresh. If I find quantities this year I want to dehydrate them for storing.....any tips about that?


Here's how I do it:

Brush the mushrooms clean with a clean paintbrush. Wipe with a damp cloth if needed. (If they are rinsed in water, they will absorb water and they will become soggy and take much longer to dehydrate.)

Slice the cleaned mushrooms into 1/4 inch thick strips for more thorough and even drying. (You could slice into 1/2" strips, but allow for more time to dry.)

Arrange the cleaned, sliced mushrooms on the dehydrator trays, making sure that none of the pieces touch or overlap.

Dry them at 110F/43C until the pieces are crispy dry. This will take 4 to 6 hours for 1/4-inch slices, up to 8 hours for 1/2" slices.

Next, I "condition" the dehydrated mushrooms to remove any remaining bits of moisture. If there is even the tiniest amount of moisture hidden in nooks and crannies, the mushrooms will mold during storage. Ugh...nasty-bad.

To condition, dump the dried 'shrooms into a large bowl and cover with a clean towel for 6 to 8 hours, stirring them now and then. Any small amounts of moisture will dissipate during this time. If after this period, the pieces are not crispy dry, run them through the dehydrator (or in the oven at lowest heat, with the door cracked open a bit), until completely crispy.

Note: Try not do this during a humid spell, or the dried mushrooms will absorb too much moisture from the air, rather than dispel it. If that can't be helped, put the bowl near a wood-burning stove or into a gas oven that has a pilot light (with the heat turned OFF). 

Transfer the completely dried mushrooms into glass jars. Cover tightly and store away from direct light or heat. (If you see moisture beading on the glass, or if the pieces bend rather than break, it is a sure sign that moisture is present. Not good.) 

To use dehydrated mushrooms, pour boiling water over them and let them soak for about 30 minutes. Drain, but keep the mushroom-flavored water for cooking (freezes well). 

Use the rehydrated mushrooms as you would fresh mushrooms. 

If I have an abundance of dried mushrooms, I like to pulverize some in a blender to make powdered mushrooms for adding flavor and nutrition to recipes.



.


----------

