How to Keep Morel Mushrooms Fresh

Keeping the priceless morel mushroom bounty fresh during and after a day of foraging or after purchasing these expensive beauties at an open air market requires a a dry environment and a little bit of planning. Moisture will cause fungus and bacteria to flourish, turning the gourmet morel delights into a slimy mess. Taking a bit of time to brush off bits of dirt and leaf matter will help preserve the exquisite morels, at least until arriving home when some are sure to be devoured in butter sauce. Eating morels just after picking is the best way to eat them, according to Louise Freedman, who wrote "Wild About Mushrooms."

5-gallon bucket
3 brown paper grocery bags
Newspaper
Tweezers
Can of compressed air

Instructions

- 1
  
  A brown paper grocery bag helps keep morels fresher longer.
  
  Keep morels fresh during and after picking by keeping them dry. Line a 5-gallon bucket with one of the brown paper bags and take it along while foraging. Place newly picked mushrooms inside of the brown paper bag, as it will provide protection from bruising and wick away moisture.
- 2
  Pick as many morels as you can find. Avoid picking morels that look discolored, have wilted sides, have bites taken out of them or are mushy or slimy. When the paper grocery bag inside of the bucket is half full, replace it with a new one. Fold over the top of the bag to keep the morels dry and secure.
- 3
  Spread newspaper sheets out on kitchen counter. Carefully place the morel mushrooms on the newspaper. Look at each morel closely for bugs, dirt, sand, leaf matter or pine needles. Blow away particles of sand or bug larvae lodged in the many nooks and crannies of the mushroom cap with a gentle shot of compressed air.
- 4
  Transfer the cleaned mushrooms to a new brown paper bag and place it directly in the refrigerator. Use mushrooms within four days for the best level of freshness.

How to Grow Button Mushrooms Indoors

How to Sterilize Wild Bird Seed Substrate

Growing Mushrooms