Morels can garner a price tag of at least $30 per pound and are often seen for much more (via Michigan State University), especially if they’re being shipped (via Northwest Wild Foods). They’re expensive for a number of reasons.
You could be wondering “How many morels does it take to make a pound?”
It takes 7 pounds of fresh morels to make 1 pound of dried. These morels are wild harvested, using no pesticides or chemicals of any type. Also Know, how much do Dried morels sell for?
Why are morels so expensive?
Morels are so expensive because of the supply and demand of the tasty mushroom. Hunters just can’t seem to find enough! Especially if Michigan spring weather does not corporate. When hunting for the allusive morels, this question seems to always come up.
Because morels are hollow, they don’t hold up well in transport, so getting them to the market can be difficult. One of the first signs of spring is the sudden sightings of morels from March through June.
Another common question is “Why are morel mushrooms so expensive?”.
This is what our research found. morels are considered top-tier mushrooms, due to their depth and earthy, nutty flavor. They also have a meaty texture, unlike the more slimy texture of other mushroom varieties. For these reasons, even mushroom haters will enjoy morels. So here’s the catch when it comes to morel mushrooms: they’re expensive.
How much do morels sell for?
Dried morels sell for $15-$20 per ounce and about $160 per pound. Cooked morels in dishes sold via a food truck or farmer’s market sell for up to $72 per pound minus the cost of the other items in the dish. Frozen morels sell for $40 per pound. It takes about 8 pounds of fresh morels (worth $240) to make 1 lb of dried morels (worth $160).
However, dried morels and frozen morels are available year-round. When buying fresh morels, look for mushrooms that are plump and without dry stems. Avoid mushrooms that are dried out, brittle, bruised, or softening as these will rot more quickly.
What is a Morel?
Create your FREE Amazon Business account to save up to 10% with Business-only prices and free shipping. Morels are a delicacy with many uses; fried, stuffed and baked, added to sauces, sauted, stir fried and many other uses. The dried morel reconstitutes very well, coming back to it’s original form very well.
However, dried morels will last up to 12 months or longer so you have more time to sell them. Fresh morels only last 1-2 weeks when refrigerated so you’ll need to team with a grocery store or sell at a farmer’s market to get these out fast.