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    Morels: Mushrooms Fun To Hunt, Amazing To Eat with Power To Heal

    3.1KViews Modified: Feb 23, 2022 · Published: Apr 6, 2019
    By Jacqueline 9 Comments

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    Morels: Mushrooms Fun To Hunt, Amazing To Eat with Power To Heal. fresh picked mushrooms

    My husband called me from the woods to say he was reliving his childhood! He unexpectedly found over 5 pounds of gorgeous morels right at the edge of our woods! So, guess what we had for dinner?

    Morel mushrooms are an amazing, rare delicacy and highly sought after. One of the reasons they’re so prized is because morels cannot be farmed like other mushrooms we purchase at the grocery store. These are handpicked in their natural habitat.

    That’s also why they’re so expensive – a pound of the mushrooms sell for $30. to $50.

    Fun to Hunt: The Perfect Time to Look for Morels

    My husband grew up hunting morels with his family in the spring. They always knew the time was perfect when the chilly rains stopped and the sun warmed the earth in late April or early May. It depends on the year, but when it is cool and damp, the fruiting bodies are developing, but when the sun kisses the earth, they just pop! A good rule to remember is the 40-50-60 rule. Morels grow best when it’s 40 degrees at night and 60 degrees during the day because that means the ground temperature is about 50 degrees.

    The old timers say that when the oak leaves are the size of a mouse’s ear and the lilacs begin to bloom – then that’s the time to look for morels.

    Look for the trees, then the Morels

    Look for the trees when hunting for mushrooms – but not just any trees. Morels are often found at the base of ashes, sycamores, hickories, and elms, and it’s even said there’s a better chance if the trees are dying. Apple orchards and partially-cleared woods are other good spots. And in the western U.S., wildfires can produce morel bonanzas the year after.

    Avoid poisonous Mushrooms

    Morel mushrooms are unique-looking, so it’s unlikely you’ll confuse them with other mushrooms. There are a wide variety of poisonous mushrooms in the forest. That’s why it’s VERY important to only pick the mushrooms you know are safe.

    Avoid the type of mushroom nicknamed “false morel.” They look similar to true morels, but it’s easy to see the differences once you know. Unlike true morels, the tops of false morels are not attached at the base, and the inside is not hollow.

    difference between false and true Morchella mushrooms

    (Source)

    How to Harvest Morels

    Cut the bottom of the stem with a knife, leave the bottom 1″ on the ground, and use a mesh bag instead of plastic to keep them from degrading quickly.

    Mushrooms Have Power to Heal

    Over the course of the last few years, there’s been a remarkable body of research on the medicinal properties of mushrooms. GreenMedInfo has a great database of 542 abstracts on medical mushroom studies.

    Some of these focus on how they:

    • Treat HPV infection 
    • Boost Immune Function
    • Produce Vegan Vitamin D3
    • Lower PSA in Men
    • Boost Brain Function

    Belowground, morels form symbiotic relationships with the roots of living trees, helping them get nutrients, so it makes sense that they are a functional super-food capable of bringing life-giving, healthy benefits.

    Mushrooms are low in calories and great sources of fiber and protein. They are high in complete B vitamins, selenium, potassium, copper, and (particularly when exposed to the sun) vitamin D. They’re packed with antioxidants.

    Functional properties of edible mushrooms: “mushrooms have various degrees of immunomodulatory, lipid-lowering, antitumor, and other therapeutic health effects without any significant toxicity.”

    Morels are Amazing to Eat!

    Morels are one of the most desired wild mushrooms in the world with that famous morel flavor. They are nutty, meaty, and indescribably delicious!

    Soaking to remove little bugs

    We almost always find tiny Springtails (the size of gnats) hiding in the crevices of morels. They do not bother us because we get them out by soaking them in salt water for 30 minutes. We do not feel we are sacrificing flavor or making them soggy by using this method. There are some who will just rinse them or brush them off! Ugh!

    You can see springtails floating in clusters in the salt water bath (yellow arrows below). I have never found worms or larvae. Cooking insures removal of any poisons and kills any bacteria.

    Directions to Prepare Morels (this sounds complicated, but it is not at all): 

    • You will need a large stainless bowl sufficient for complete immersion depending how many you are cooking up.
    • I use a 1/4 cup of table salt (more or less) depending on how many I’m soaking. Immerse them completely including the inside of the stalks, removing trapped air bubbles. Don’t waste your good Himalayan salt for this. Inspect the morels for dirt and debris.
    • Set timer for 30 minutes – don’t over-soak.
    • After 30 minutes, rinse thoroughly and slice in half lengthwise with a sharp knife.
    fresh mushrooms and soaking them to remove bugs!

    See the little clusters of springtails indicated by the yellow arrows.

    • Lay out the cut sections on paper towel to drain for a few minutes (below L.).
    • The flesh should be thick, chewy in texture, and clean, as well as free of mushyness and decay. Fresh morels are a colorful, absolutely beautiful, intricate part of creation.

    drying them after soaking, and the thick side walls

    Now you are ready to Pan-Fry Morels Like a French Chef

    You cannot eat raw morel mushrooms. I repeat, you cannot eat raw morels!

    • I have used both my 9″ cast iron skillet and my big 14″ stainless to fry when serving quantities to friends. Both work equally well, and there is no sticking.
    • Add 1/2 – 1 clove of garlic, (to taste, minced or sliced) to moderately heated 3 TBSP coconut oil or more (R. below). While garlic is sauteing and flavoring the oil, prepare the morels. You can cook them with or without breading. We prefer the light breading for this delicacy.
    • To add breading, I individually dust each piece of morel with lightly sea-salted and black-peppered organic whole wheat flour (or a substitute for gluten-free)(L. below).

    dusting with flour to bread the morels

    To cook morels, start by searing them in coconut oil over medium high heat to brown, just as you would other mushrooms. The morels will soften and brown.

    Some recipes have you cook morels in butter, but I found that butter will burn/smoke before the morels are sufficiently browned. Virgin coconut oil is resistant to oxidation at high heat. You will never taste coconut flavor. I only fry in coconut oil, for health reasons. If you want to add butter, add it at the end.

    I sometimes caramelize onions to go with our meal. The natural umami flavors pair beautifully!

    Frying the morel mushroom in coconut oil

    It is some of the best, most satisfying eating in the world when you find God’s natural gift of food or grow it, harvest it and cook it yourself!

    It is a wonderful, simple life! I’d better end this here, so I don’t give in to the temptation to make a ‘morel of the story.’

    Bon Appétit!

    The Joys of Foraging: Edible Wild Free Food For You To Enjoy!

    “Consuming mushrooms regularly has been associated with decreased risk of breast, stomach and colorectal cancers.” ~Dr. Joel Fuhrman

    a plate of morchella mushrooms
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    Related

    Hi! I’m Jacqueline!

    Thanks for being part of this journey with me.
    Welcome to my own little place on the internet! Home is where I love to be. I feel there is no greater place to incubate souls. These days you’ll find me using my experiences here to write about herbal remedies and natural health research — a big passion of mine. But being a wife and mother is not easy. It is challenging and potentially lonely. I get that. I wanted to create a place to connect with and support other moms for creating a natural, healthy, and fulfilling home life.
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Marilyn Kjellman

      May 08, 2019 at 12:31 pm

      Hi Jackie,

      I emailed you the following and got your auto reply, so I’m forwarding it here. Regarding the morels—I really hope to find some someday! We foraged wild leeks last year and that was great fun. We also forage for lots of wild berries and naturalized apples here in the UP of Michigan.

      I’ve been a reader for many years now. I was wondering what you use for laundry? I have made my own in the past but as my boys get older, it doesn’t seem to get the stink out anymore. I know it’s bad to use products with SLS, but I read there are so many similar ingredients and companies will market them as “natural” to draw us in. What do you suggest?

      Thank you,
      Marilyn

      Reply
      • Jacqueline

        May 08, 2019 at 6:15 pm

        Hi, Marilyn! We use Nellie’s laundry soda and it works so well. We live on a working organic farm and so I need something that does take the stink out Ha! https://amzn.to/2DXIyqL
        Here is a post I wrote with lots of the natural things we use that are also free of toxins to the best on my ability 😀 https://deeprootsathome.com/favorite-products-top-picks/ I hope that helps!! Blessings!

        Reply
        • Marilyn Kjellman

          May 08, 2019 at 7:06 pm

          Thank you. I was looking for a post like that, but it didn’t come up on a search for ‘laundry”. Is Nellie’s just like a normal washing soda? I think I’ll have to give it a try. I was hoping this would not post as a public comment, but there wasn’t a box to check to keep it private. Thanks again.

          Reply
          • Jacqueline

            May 17, 2019 at 9:38 pm

            It’s not a problem at all, Marilyn. Blessings!

            Reply
    2. Olivia

      May 08, 2019 at 8:46 pm

      So fun!!! Morals are the yummiest!

      Reply
    3. Deanna

      June 01, 2019 at 8:53 am

      Hello Jaqueline,
      I’ve been reading up on your articles about the immune system to gain information for my mother…she has been diagnosed with Lupus and suffers from the symptoms every day. She tried 2 different drugs and is on a 3rd now (she isn’t into natural healing like I am) and so far everything has made her worse and even put her into the hospital ER.
      I asked her if she would be interested in trying some natural ways of healing herself and surprisingly she said yes!
      Would you be able to send me all the info you can on Lupus? I have the bone broth article saved and ready to send to her, and I’m saving this article about morels to share with her, too. Would you have any more info that might help her?
      Thank you for sharing your wisdom!

      Reply
      • Jacqueline

        June 07, 2019 at 6:40 pm

        Hi, Deanna! I am sorry but I’m just seeing this!
        I am so sad to hear about your mom. I really didn’t do anything out of the ordinary (and never went back to the doctor bc I was super concerned about what he wanted me to take)..so no meds but I did get a lot of sunshine, hard work outside (as long as I could take) and grounding walking in bare feet (15 minute) in clean grass (no chemicals), extra sleep and LOTS (maybe 2 1/2 – 3 cups a day) of good, non-diluted broth from our own organic, pastured cattle bones. The soil was healthy and they had plenty of good green highly-mineralized grasslands to roam free. No barn, even in the winter, bc they were Belted Galloways a very hardy breed. I also did the good supplements in the astaxanthin post (but not the astaxanthin at that time).
        I was about 50 then. I didn’t know about turmeric then, but I take a LOT now…perhaps 6,000 mg a day in divided doses. It is highly anti-inflammatory and would probably help her a LOT. https://nutritionfacts.org/2018/10/23/how-to-treat-lupus-with-turmeric/ This is the turmeric I use now: https://amzn.to/2X1ovCJ amd I take 4-6 a day to get to 6,000 mg. which is a good medicinal dose.
        I am praying and hope this is helpful to you and your mom. Blessings, Jacqueline

        Reply
    4. Mercedes

      October 08, 2021 at 3:54 pm

      Hi Jacqueline! I hope you’ve had a great week so far – I’ve been going through your blog today and absolutely love your posts. Specifically, I was so happy to see the one about using elderberry syrup to fight the flu rather than flu shots – my mom got a life-long autoimmune disease from a flu shot so we stay far away from those and elderberry is a staple in our home! I appreciate getting the info out there to others.
      I wanted to reach out on this post because I thought you might be interested in a recent research study one of my clients posted on the top 25 US counties for mushroom foraging. Mushroom foraging has become a really popular hobby recently for people looking to get outdoors and test their nature knowledge, and it’s really rewarding when you actually come home with some nutritious finds! Here’s the link to the full article: https://www.movebuddha.com/blog/mushroom-foraging-best-counties/
      If this is something you’d be interested in covering please let me know and I’m happy to provide more data/hi-res infographics if needed! Look forward to connecting.

      Kindly,
      Mercedes

      Reply
      • Jacqueline

        October 08, 2021 at 4:39 pm

        Hi, Mercedes,

        I think I’m going to need to pass bc the schedule is so full and I need to stay on track, but thanks for reaching out to me and thinking of me!
        Blessings,
        Jacque

        Reply

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