Oyster mushrooms rank as one of my all time favorite edible fungi. I wouldn’t say they have a ton of their own flavor, but they do have a near perfect texture. Like most mushrooms, they are great at absorbing whatever flavor you give them. Personally, I think my favorite way to cook them is like this.
Another reason I love them so much, is that I usually find them when I’m not looking for mushrooms. Then, all of a sudden, they appear – covering a dead tree or log on the ground. It would be pretty rare to find just one Oyster mushroom. The norm is more like a dozen to two dozen on any given log. I like this because I can harvest enough for a good meal, and still practice sustainable foraging.
Oyster Mushrooms are also special in that they can be harvested almost every month of the year. Most mushrooms only have a month or two in which they fruit, but oysters will fruit as long as they are not frozen! Yes, this means you can actually harvest Oyster’s on a January thaw walk.
Here’s a fun fact about Oysters: They are actually carnivores! Believe it or not, these mushrooms actually eat tiny insects called nematodes. Living in a nitrogen poor environment, the mushroom must adapt, and does so by putting out tiny mycelium lassos that catch these little insects. The mushroom then slowly absorbs its nutrients from the constricted nematode.
Scientific Name: Pleurotus ostreatus
Description:
- Grows on stumps, logs, or trees.
- Reaches 2-5 inches.
- White to gray to brown varieties exist.
- Often has no stem, or a very small one that tends to be off-center.
- Gills extend down to the base of the mushroom