Porcini Mushrooms (2024)

Description/Taste

Porcini mushrooms are small to large in size with a very thick stem and a rounded cap that averages 7-30 centimeters in diameter. The red-brown to dark brown caps are smooth, slightly sticky, and are convex when young, flattening out with age. Underneath the cap, there are many ivory, spongy tubes which release green-brown spores to propagate. The cream-colored stems average 8-25 centimeters in height and are broad, wide, firm, and dense with small ridges on the bottom portion of the stem. The flesh is white and solid when sliced and emits a yeasty aroma reminiscent of sourdough. When cooked, Porcini mushrooms are creamy, tender, and smooth with a nutty, earthy flavor.

Seasons/Availability

Porcini mushrooms are available in the fall and for a short season in the late spring.

Current Facts

Porcini mushrooms, botanically classified as Boletus edibus, are a popular wild, edible variety that are members of the Boletaceae family. Also known as King Bolete, Bolet Comestible, Cep, Cèpe de Bordeaux, Champignon Polonais, Penny Bun in England, Porcino in Italy, Steinpilz in Germany, Panza in Mexico, and Belyy Grib or Borovik in Russian, Porcini mushrooms grow individually or in small clusters in forests at the base of pine, fir, hemlock, chestnut, oak, and spruce trees. Porcini mushrooms are classified as mycorrhizal fungi, which are varieties that form a mutual symbiotic relationship with the roots of living trees. The mushroom uses sugars from the roots to grow, while the roots absorb water and nutrients from the mushroom. This delicate balance is what keeps the Porcini mushroom from being cultivated as it cannot easily be recreated. Since these mushrooms are mainly found in select regions in the wild, they are often sold in dried form to distribute on a global scale. Porcini mushrooms are favored for their nutty flavor and are beloved by Italians for their use in pizza and pasta dishes.

Nutritional Value

Porcini mushrooms contain iron, fiber, vitamin C, vitamin A, and are high in antioxidants.

Applications

Porcini mushrooms are best suited for cooked applications such as roasting, grilling, sautéing, and braising. They can be used fresh or dried and rehydrated when needed. When using dried, the mushrooms should be steeped in hot water for about twenty minutes to rehydrate, and it is recommended to use the water the mushrooms steeped in for additional flavor. In fresh or dried form, Porcini mushrooms can be cooked and added to pasta, rice, on top of a pizza, soups, stews, sauces, and served over meat dishes. Fresh mushrooms are also popularly fried, grilled, or stewed with nepitella, which is a mint that tastes similar to oregano or with thyme. In addition to chopping or slicing, Porcini mushrooms can be blanched in salads, minced and spread over bruschetta, or pickled. Porcini mushrooms pair well with parsley, thyme, oregano, leafy greens, arugula, dried fruit, fresh cow and sheep’s milk cheeses, meats such as fish, chicken, short ribs, lamb, or steak, risotto, tomatoes, garlic, onions, olive oil, rice, and noodles. They will keep up to three days when stored fresh in a paper bag in the refrigerator and up to six months when dried and stored in an airtight container.

Ethnic/Cultural Info

The name Porcini means “piglets” in Italian, and these mushrooms can be traced back to the Romans. The Romans prized Porcini mushrooms, though they knew them as "Boleti," and cooked them in special containers called boletaria. Pigs also favored eating the mushrooms earning the variety the nickname Hog mushroom. In addition to Italy, the mushrooms are favored in other regions of Europe as well. During the 18th century, French-born king Karl Johan XIV and other aristocracies in Sweden loved Porcini's so much, that the people began calling the mushroom “Karljohan” in honor of their king.

Geography/History

Porcini mushrooms are native to Europe and North America and have been growing wild since ancient times, spreading to other regions across the world. Today Porcini mushrooms can be found in the wild, at specialty grocers, and farmers markets in North America, Europe, Asia, New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa.

Restaurants currently purchasing this product as an ingredient for their menu.

Recipes that include Porcini Mushrooms. One is easiest, three is harder.

Plays Well With Butter		Seriously Creamy Porcini Mushroom Risotto
101 Cookbooks		Porcini Mushroom Soup
The Kitchn		Pork Chops Stuffed with Pine Nuts, Porcini Mushrooms and Pecorino
Apron and Sneakers		Pasta with Porcini Mushrooms & Datterini Tomatoes with Truffle Oil
An Italian in My Kitchen		Homemade Creamy Mushroom Ravioli
101 Cookbooks		Porcini Mushroom Fettuccine
Epicurious		Porcini Mushroom Soup
No Recipes		Farro and Porcini Mushrooms
The Well Traveled Kitchen		Eggs Poached with Potato, Leek, and Three Types of Mushrooms

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