Dried Porcini Mushrooms

Dried Porcini Mushrooms taste like walking through the woods on a beautiful, rainy spring day! Their earthy, nutty flavor and firm texture make them perfect for a wide variety of dishes. You can use them as:

• A strong, earthy addition to meat dishes such as with Beef Wellington.
• An aromatic, umami flavor upgrade to sauces, including tomato sauce and more!
• An extra burst of flavor for omelets and even poached eggs.
• A meat alternative for vegetarian dish bliss!

When you’re ready to make magic with your dried porcini mushrooms, soak them in water for thirty minutes and then gently dry with a cloth or towel. For flavor times ten, you can sautée these mushrooms in extra virgin olive oil before adding them into your favorite recipe.

The Story Behind Porcini Mushrooms

Porcini comes from Italian, meaning piglet. These little giants — the caps can get up to nearly a foot in diameter! — are often thought of as the king of mushrooms. They are unique in that under their dark brown, fat caps is a spore sponge, not gills. They change shape slightly as they grow, going from round and fat caps, to slightly flatter caps with wide, cream-colored stems.

Porcini mushrooms are wild, and cannot be cultivated due to their complex relationship with tree roots. They can be found in the Northern hemisphere in the soil by certain trees (like beech) in the summer and fall. This makes them a prime candidate to be dried so that their flavor is locked in, and they can then be rehydrated and enjoyed all year round.

Can I Eat the Stems? 

Typically, you would not want to eat any part of a wild mushroom until after it’s been cleaned and cooked. Dried wild mushrooms may still have some grit that can be removed during the rehydration process. However, it is safe to use both the stem and cap of your porcinis in your recipes. In fact, you can slice these mushrooms with the stems on to add a beautiful touch to pasta, salad, and other dishes.