Morel Mushrooms

I was introduced to morel mushrooms as a teenager. The first time I went morel hunting, I was in a stand of sugar maple trees and the ground was covered with moss and grass. Morels were everywhere and at least 6 inches tall. It was amazing. I am now in my fifty’s and I haven’t been hunting in years but this year I traipsed all over our farm looking for elm and maple trees but found nothing. My sister and I hiked back to the maple grove where we found so many as a teenager. We had a wonderful day reminiscing about exploring the area as kid’s but still didn’t find any mushrooms. Thankfully Joe found some or it would have been a disappointing year. I will tell you though it was a learning experience if nothing else. I started researching and asking questions and was told to look for elm and popular trees. I knew to look around maple but this year the star of the season was the sycamore tree. It was a wet spring and there was some flooding. The big finds that I heard about were near creeks that had flooded and where the sycamore grows. Joe said that's where he found his mushrooms. He said he saw one and then looked around and found a few more. They blend so well into the leaves its not hard to see why they call it hunting.

Sycamore tree

Morel Mushroom Hunting

They are only found for a few weeks in the spring. Where I live in Northern West Virginia it was later in April and into May. It really just depends on the weather. When the temperatures start to get in the sixty and seventy's and stay that way for a few days they will start popping up.

The information I found said that morels are found in sandy or loamy soils. This reference also states that morels do not enjoy wet ground but can be found in an area after it has been wet or flooded. The trees that seem associated with this mushroom are elm, maple, popular and sycamore trees. Also several people recommended old apple orchards. Morels are found abundantly in West Virginia, Ohio, Tennessee, Kentucky and several other areas but there are regions that do not have morels such as the Gulf Coast and the Great Plains states. I would suggest doing a little research to see if they are found in your area. The only reason I am not going to list them is because as I was reading over the list I found on the internet, I also saw in the comments that people were saying how wrong it was and that they "did" find morels mushrooms in that region.

How to identify Morel Mushrooms...

They are sponge like and completely hollow. The top comes right out of the stem it is all one piece. They can be yellow or black in color.

Morels range in size from 2 to 12 inches. The big ones tastes as good as the little ones.

How to clean Morels

Morels will only keep for about 4 or 5 days. It is recommended to place them in a bowl and cover them with damp paper towel.

Morel mushrooms are a little harder to clean than most mushrooms because they are thinned skinned and sponge like. You can’t brush them so you have wash them. You can just hold them under running water or the best way to clean them is to shake them a little to remove any loose dirt and put them in a bowl or sink of cold water and move them around a little bit. I would recommend doing this right before preparing because they will mold, if you try washing them and then put them in the refrigerator. After removing them from the sink, lay them on a towel and let them dry for a little while.

Cooking Morels

Just like anything there are several recipes for cooking morels. One of my favorite ways to eat them is to just fry them in my eggs. Joe showed me his favorite way of preparing them with batter and frying them. However, you decide to do it I promise you will not be disappointed.

Preserving Morels

You can preserve Morels by dehydrating or freezing them. It is recommended to sauté' before freezing.

Pictures of Morels Mushrooms

A friend of mine had a successful year and was generous enough to share his photo’s. I am sure his success is based on experience. He has handed down his knowledge to his children who in turn are teaching their kids. It is a wonderful way to explore and enjoy the beautiful West Virginia hills.

More information...

There is so much information out there its overwhelming but this is a site I trust for reliable information. The Spruce has a great article on growing your own Morels Mushrooms. Also shows you the false Morel. I promise its not hard to tell it from the Morel you eat. The false Morel is not hollow it has a webbing inside.

Warning: Never eat a mushroom unless you are positive of its identity.

Disclaimer: All material on this site are provided for informational purposes only and should not be taken as a substitute for professional medical or health advice. You should never eat a plant that you have not clearly identified eating a plant that is not edible is dangerous.

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