Morel mushrooms, or just morels, are a type of wild mushroom with an earthy, nutty flavor. They have a meaty texture, unlike the more slimy texture of other mushroom varieties. These mushrooms are a highly desired ingredient among chefs and mushroom enthusiasts.
What do morels taste like?
Morels have the strange ability to attract people who typically don’t enjoy mushrooms. They have an earthy flavor that’s nutty and woodsy. The darker the color of the morel, the smokier, nuttier, and earthier the flavor. Morels are at their finest when sautéed quickly in butter and lightly salted or tossed on a grill.
Where can you find morels?
Morels can be found all over the northern hemisphere in locations where there are deciduous forests and temperate climate so long as the weather isn’t too dry or too swampy. People hunt them in Europe, America and Canada. The mushroom is abundant in the northern Midwest states and can be found as far north as Alaska under the right conditions.
This begs the question “Do morels get bigger?”
One answer is that Most Morels will not get any bigger than 3 inches tall but they have been found as large as 10 inches. Now let’s look at the Black Morel… Black morels are usually the first to sprout early in the season . They will have pore ridges and dark caps which don’t hang freely and often curve under themselves as they connect to the stems.
What causes morels to grow?
As you well know there are many variables to the life expectancy and growth of the morel – weather conditions such as temperature (soil and air), precipitation, and sometimes it is a matter of timing. You will also find on this page several morel growth studies sent in to The Great Morel.
Warm, wet nights they will grow in spring, basically from the first of April to the end of May. The first morels are the black morels. They grow in the poplar trees.
Many believe that mushrooms pop up out the ground while others think they grow over a period of time. Well, you won’t need to guess if they grow or pop up after watching this video. Morel mushroom are a delicacy; the bigger the mushroom, the less you’ll have to pick .
What is the best way to cook morels?
It’s best to cook morels simply so you can truly savor their flavor. A simple sauté with butter will help to best bring out the mushroom’s unique qualities. You can also add morel mushrooms to this savory wild mushroom sauce that’s perfect for grilled meats. Fresh morels are put on display in this morel mushroom bisque.