You just returned from your latest foraging trip with a bumper crop of bolete mushrooms–now what? If you want to know how to cook a bolete mushroom, you’ve come to the right place! Keep reading to find out all you need to know about preparing these delicious wild foods for the dinner table.
What You'll Learn Today
Cooking Bolete Mushrooms: The Prep Work
Before cooking with your harvest of fresh boletes, you’re going to want to clean them and make sure they are free of bugs.
Thoroughly inspect each mushroom for insect damage. Sometimes, insects will still be present in holes that they’ve bored into the stem.
Look for dark or soft rot spots as well. Both bug damage and rotting spots should be cut away.
Most boletes grow from the ground or on decaying wood, so there’s a good chance the base of their stems will be covered in dirt or rotting wood debris. Cut or brush away as much of this dirt or debris as possible.
If desired, rinse your mushrooms quickly under running water, then shake away the excess. Place them on a towel to drain and air-dry for an hour or so before cooking.
Keep in mind that all mushrooms suck up water like sponges. Bolete mushrooms are especially prone to becoming water-logged and soggy, so be careful not to expose them to water any longer than necessary.
Once your mushrooms are clean and dry, you may want to chop them into smaller pieces. With some boletes, you may need to remove the pores or peel away a slimy coating on the caps.
Separate the cap from the stem if desired, or simply slice the mushroom in half down the center of the stem. Remove the base of the stem if it is tough or woody.
You can cut the mushrooms into slices, dice them into cubes, or even leave them whole if they are small enough. However you prepare them, make sure all the pieces are roughly the same size so they will cook evenly.
How to Cook Fresh Bolete Mushrooms
Now that you have your fresh boletes ready for cooking, there are a few different ways you can prepare them:
Sauteing
This is one of the most popular ways to cook fresh boletes. You will need some butter, oil, or a combination of both, as well as your favorite spices–some good options include salt and pepper, onion or garlic powder, chili powder, rosemary, sage, parsley, thyme, and chives.
Heat the oil in your saucepan over medium-high heat. Place the mushroom pieces in a single layer in the pan.
As they begin to cook, add slices of butter if desired. You can also add the spices at this time or wait until the mushrooms have cooked a little longer.
Allow the mushrooms to sear for several minutes, moving them around in the bottom of the pan to make sure they don’t burn. Keep the pan uncovered, allowing excess moisture to cook off.
Turn over the mushroom pieces, allowing them to sear on the other side for a few additional minutes. The mushrooms will become soft but should maintain a delectable springy texture.
Remove them from the pan once they are thoroughly cooked and have reached the desired brownness. Allow them to cool for a couple of minutes, then serve immediately.
Check out this video for a visual of the process:
Broiling
Broiling boletes is another great way to cook these tasty mushrooms. It will take a bit longer than sauteing, but the taste and texture of the finished dish are hard to beat.
Coat your mushroom pieces in oil, melted butter, or a mix of both. Mix in the desired seasonings.
Place them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast the mushrooms at 500 degrees Fahrenheit until they are cooked and beginning to brown on top.
Cooking time will vary depending on how thick the mushroom pieces are. Generally speaking, it should only take about 10 to 20 minutes, but keep an eye on the mushrooms and make sure they don’t begin to burn; you may want to flip the pieces over at some point during the cooking process.
Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool for a few minutes before serving.
Adding to Recipes
Bolete mushrooms make an excellent addition to soups, stews, stir-fries, and other recipes. You can add them according to recipe directions, even substituting them for other mushrooms if desired.
If adding them to soups or stews, be careful not to cook them too long. The longer they cook in water or broth, the soggier they will become.
Again, follow the recipe directions. If you’re not sure which recipe to use, check out the links at the end of this article.
How to Cook Dried Bolete Mushrooms?
Fresh boletes are delicious, but they don’t stay fresh for very long–they have to be used up within a couple of days or they will start to go bad. On the other hand, dried bolete mushrooms can be stored for up to a year.
You can use dried bolete mushrooms exactly as you would use fresh ones, with one additional step–you have to rehydrate them first.
To do this, place your boletes in a bowl and cover them with warm water. They will swell to three or four times their size as they rehydrate, so be sure to only reconstitute what you can use at any one time.
Allow the mushrooms to soak for about 30 minutes. Drain away the water, but do not discard it–it makes an excellent flavoring to soup broths, sauces, and other recipes.
Once the mushrooms are reconstituted, allow them to drain dry for up to an hour, then broil or saute them as discussed above. If you’re adding them to soups, stews, or other recipes, there is no need to allow them to dry first–simply throw them in whatever recipe you’re adding them to.
Bolete Mushroom Recipes
Here are some excellent bolete mushroom recipes to get you started:
- White Pizza with Porcinis
- Bicolor Bolete Mushroom Pâté
- Bolete Zhulien
- Cheesy Porcini
- Fresh Porcini Butter
Conclusion
Bolete mushrooms add great taste and texture to many recipes, and they can be sauteed or broiled and served as a side dish. If you love mushrooms, then you’re going to want to give these tasty treats a try!
