What types of porcini mushrooms are there: photos and descriptions. Description of the porcini mushroom and its forms, beneficial properties, doubles
Porcini- the most delicious, nutritious and valuable representative among the entire kingdom of mushrooms. Even inexperienced mushroom pickers easily recognize the porcini mushroom and fill their baskets with it.
Let's take a closer look: description of porcini mushrooms, when to collect porcini mushrooms, where porcini mushrooms grow, types of porcini mushrooms and beneficial properties, how to grow porcini mushrooms in the country.
Why is this mushroom called white? The porcini mushroom got its name back in ancient times. Because of its marbled white flesh, even after drying and heat treatment, the flesh remains white, in contrast to darkening mushrooms. Some also call it boletus, capercaillie, mullein.
White mushroom description
Porcini has a delicate aroma and spicy taste. The cap of a mature mushroom grows on average 7-30 cm in diameter. But in some latitudes, with heavy rainfall, you can find a porcini mushroom with a cap diameter of 50 cm.
The color of the cap is from light brown to dark brown - it all depends on the trees under which mushrooms grow.
A young mushroom has a convex cap; as the mushroom ages, the cap becomes flat.
In dry and windy weather, the mushroom cap becomes covered with small but deep cracks, damaging the mushroom. In rainy weather, a film of mucus is visible on the top of the cap.
A ripe mushroom has juicy, dense, fleshy flesh of an attractive white color.
White mushroom leg reaches a height of 12 cm, diameter of the stem is 7 cm. The shape of the stem is barrel-shaped or club-shaped, which distinguishes the porcini mushroom from other mushrooms. The color of the stem varies from white to deep brown.
Where do porcini mushrooms grow?
The porcini mushroom grows on all continents, with the exception of cold Antarctica and arid Australia.
Most of all, the white mushroom is found in coniferous and deciduous forests with pine, oak, birch, spruce. They prefer to grow under trees over 50 years old, they love lichens and places covered with moss.
Weather for mushroom growth should be warm and rainy - June - August temperature 15-18 degrees, September - 8-10 degrees. Prefers warm, foggy nights - this is the time of harvest.
The porcini mushroom does not like waterlogged places - peat bogs and swamps.
Growth of porcini mushrooms begin with June and continues until September, mass collection occurs in August. In the southern regions it can grow until October.
Mushrooms grow in columns-rings and families, so if you encounter only one mushroom in the forest, you will certainly find more.
Types of porcini mushrooms - photos and names
Depending on their habitat, porcini mushrooms come in different types.
White oak mushroom- the cap is brown, not brown with a grayish tint. The pulp is loose, not as dense as that of birch forms. Found in oak forests from June to October.
White pine mushroom- large cap with dark color. The pulp under the skin is brown in color. Can be found in pine forests. The mushroom stem is thick and short.
White birch mushroom– the cap is light, almost white with a diameter of 5-15 cm. It grows exclusively under birch trees in birch forests and groves. Can be found from June to October alone and in groups.
Spruce porcini mushroom– probably the most common type of porcini mushroom. The leg is elongated and has a thickening at the bottom. The hat is reddish-chestnut in color. Spruce mushroom can be found in spruce and fir forests.
False porcini mushroom (gall mushroom)– the main difference from the porcini mushroom is that when cut, the flesh of the false mushroom darkens and becomes pinkish-brown. When cut, the porcini mushroom remains with white flesh.
The gall mushroom has a pronounced mesh on its stalk, which the edible white mushroom does not have.
The tubular layer of the gall fungus is pink; in a real porcini mushroom, this layer is white or yellowish.
A gall mushroom with bitter pulp that does not change even after boiling and frying, unlike the edible one.
Beneficial properties of porcini mushrooms
Porcini mushrooms contain large amount of minerals– that’s why it is the most useful and popular mushroom.
The porcini mushroom pulp contains the optimal amount Selena, which can cure cancer at an early stage.
The pulp also contains calcium, iron and phytohormones.
The white mushroom contains riboflavin, which helps normalize the thyroid gland, improves hair and nail growth.
Lecithin helps clean blood vessels from cholesterol. E rgothioneine helps in renewing body cells, good for kidneys, liver, eyes, bone marrow.
Low-calorie porcini mushroom, well suited for drying, frying, stewing and pickling.
Any mushroom is difficult to digest, but dried porcini mushroom is the most accessible for digestion, and up to 80% of the protein is absorbed.
Harm of porcini mushroom
This edible mushroom, but they can be poisoned only in a few cases:
Porcini mushroom contains chitin and is poorly digestible by children, pregnant women, and people with diseases of the digestive system.
Like all mushrooms, the porcini mushroom also accumulates toxins contained in the soil. Do not pick mushrooms near businesses, within the city, near landfills, or highways.
Some people have an allergic reaction to fungal spores.
Consumption of a dangerous double (poisonous gall mushroom) can lead to poisoning.
Growing porcini mushrooms at home
Many people dream of growing porcini mushrooms in their garden plots, and this is a completely solvable task. All that is needed from you is time, perseverance and accuracy. The mushroom grows in the forest, so it cannot grow without symbiosis with a tree - keep this in mind.
The ideal option is when your plot of land is adjacent to a forest, although it can be grown with several trees growing on the plot. It can be oak, pine, birch, a couple of aspens, spruce. The trees must be at least 10 years old.
There are 2 main ways to grow porcini mushrooms:
From mycelium
From spores found in the mushroom cap.
Growing porcini mushrooms from mycelium
First you need to purchase quality material from a specialized store. Let's start preparing the site and planting. This can be done from May to September.
Around the tree you need to expose the soil, removing 15-20 cm of the top layer. You should end up with a circle with a diameter of 1-1.5 m. Save the top layer for later covering the area.
We place rotted compost or peat on the prepared area, the thickness of the fertile layer is no more than 2-3 cm.
We lay out pieces of prepared mycelium at a distance of 30-35 cm from each other and in a checkerboard pattern.
Finally, carefully cover the porcini mushroom mycelium with a layer of soil (which has been removed) and pour plenty of water - 2-3 buckets for each tree.
Mulch the watered area with a layer of straw 25-30 cm thick to maintain moisture.
Continue watering with fertilizers 1-2 times a week.
Before frost, cover the mycelium with a layer of foliage or forest moss. In spring, the shelter is carefully removed with a rake. The first harvest of porcini mushrooms will appear within a year, and with proper care, such a mycelium can bear fruit for 3-5 years.
Growing porcini mushrooms from caps
For this method of breeding, you need to go into the forest and get some porcini mushrooms. Mature and even overripe mushrooms are better suited. Hats must have a diameter of at least 10-15 cm.
Also, when picking mushrooms, pay attention to what tree they grew under, so you will plant them under these in the future.
Separate the caps from the stems, you will need 7-12 caps per bucket of rainwater, soak for a day. Also add 15 grams of sugar per 10 liters or 305 tbsp alcohol to the water. l. for 10 liters.
After 24 hours, thoroughly knead the caps with your hands until smooth, filter through a layer of gauze.
Prepare the planting site as described in the previous propagation method. One difference is that you must first disinfect the peat or compost layer with a solution of tannins.
The solution recipe is to brew 100 grams of black tea in a liter of boiling water, or you can use oak bark by boiling 30 grams of bark for an hour.
When the solution has cooled, water the area at the rate of 3 liters per tree.
Care for the mycelium as follows - abundant but not frequent watering. Insulate the area for the winter and remove the insulation layer in the spring.
There's nothing complicated about growing porcini mushrooms at home on a personal plot.
Video - Correct porcini mushroom
A special delicacy on any table is the porcini mushroom - not only tasty, but also healthy. It can be used not only for food, but also as a medicinal product. For a mushroom picker, it is important not to make a mistake in choosing - to look at the handsome one among the forest grass and be able to distinguish it from its skillfully camouflaged poisonous and inedible counterparts.
The white mushroom or boletus (Boletus edulis) belongs to the class Agaricomycetes, genus Boletus, family Boletaceae. It has many names: cow, bear, wood grouse, belevik and others. Classified as edible.
The cap is convex in shape, gradually becoming flatter, with a span of up to 30 cm. The outer part is usually smooth, but may have wrinkles and cracks in hot weather. During periods of high humidity with a small mucous layer, in dry times it is shiny.
The color of the porcini mushroom cap varies depending on where it grows:
- among pine trees - closer to chocolate, perhaps pink edging;
- in a spruce forest - brown with a coffee, sometimes green tint;
- next to deciduous trees - light, light walnut, yellow ocher.
The pulp is dense, in newly emerging specimens it is light, turning yellow with age. When cut, the color does not change. It has a weak taste and smell when raw. A special pleasant aroma spreads during cooking or drying.
The stem of the mushroom is 8-12 cm high, up to 7 cm thick. The shape is “barrel” or “club”, elongated in aging specimens, thickened at the base. The surface shades are brown with whitish or reddish tints. The reticular layer is light, most often located closer to the cap. Rarely is it mild or absent altogether.
The tubular layer is from light in young to yellowish and greenish in older individuals; it comes off easily from the flesh of the cap.
Distribution and collection season
They grow next to many trees, but most of all they love the “community” of pine forests, birch or oak groves, and spruce forests.
In the fall, the boron form friendly shares space with the green russula in the oak forest and with the chanterelle next to the birches, appearing at the same time as the greenfinch.
There is a high probability of finding such whites in pine trees that are 20-25 years old, or pine forests that are at least 50 years old and covered with moss and lichen.
The best temperature for mushroom growth is 15-18 degrees Celsius in the summer months, and 8-10 in September. Serious temperature changes and rain inhibit the development of mycelium. White hare grows best after minor thunderstorms and foggy, warm nights.
They like soils with the presence of sand and loam, without excess water. Peat bogs and swampy areas are excluded. They also do not like hot places, although they prefer good lighting.
You can meet the hare on all continents except Australia. It grows especially actively in Europe, northern America and even Africa. In Asia it reaches Japan and China. In Russian forests - almost everywhere, reaching the tundra and Chukotka, but is not found in the steppes. Doesn’t like to “climb mountains” too much.
Fruiting occurs solitary, closer to autumn days - in clusters.
Porcini mushrooms grow in seasons: in more temperate climatic latitudes - from mid-June to the end of September, the most mushroom time is from the fifteenth of August. Where it is warmer, it may appear by the end of May and not disappear until October.
Species diversity and description
Scientists have counted 18 forms among white hare, but the average amateur will not want to climb into such jungle. And it’s possible to meet some only on other hemispheres of the planet. Therefore, let’s take a closer look at what grows in the forests of Russia.
Spruce
The white spruce mushroom (Boletus edulis f. edulis) is large in size, up to 2 kg per specimen. The hat is chestnut-brown or “brick with a red tint”, in the form of a hemisphere, turning into a plane over time. The top is wrinkled and velvety to the touch. In young mushrooms, the edges are slightly turned inward.
The tubes are white, gradually appearing yellow-green. Leg height 6-20 cm, thickness 2-5. The mesh layer is located closer to the cap.
Distribution and collection time
Collection is possible from early June to early October in spruce-pine and mixed forests - wild and park. They love the proximity to spruce.
Oak
The porcini oak mushroom (Boletus quercicola) has a cap most often of a coffee-gray color, with possible light inclusions, with a diameter of 5-20 cm, fleshy and dense. With age, it gradually begins to wrinkle. As humidity increases, the surface becomes shiny and slightly slimy.
The leg is widened or club-shaped, 6-20 cm high and 2-6 cm in diameter. The inner part is more fragile than that of other species.
Where and in what season is it collected?
Oak porcini mushrooms grow from May to October next to oak trees and mixed vegetation in the middle and southern zone of the center of the country, the forests of the Caucasus, and Primorye. They spread widely, sometimes in clusters.
Birch
Birch porcini mushroom (Boletus betulicola) – the fruiting body is much larger than that of its other counterparts. The cap reaches 5-15 cm in diameter, but at times grows to 25-27 cm. The color is light - from white to light coffee, it can wrinkle slightly and crack in the heat.
The tubes are white, with the decay of the mushroom comes a creamy tint. The interior is dense and remains white when dried. The leg is barrel-shaped, white-brown, the mesh is closer to the cap, 5-13 cm high, 1.5-4 cm wide.
Distribution and collection time
The white birch mushroom is present throughout the forests of the European part of Russia, the middle latitudes of Northern and North-East Asia, the Caucasus, and the tundra zone - among the northern birch forests. Any soil (but does not take root on peat bogs), the main thing is that birches or at least aspens grow nearby.
You can find it from early summer until October. Some beauties can survive until the first cold weather. Trim carefully 1.5-2 cm from the ground. You need to look for birch porcini mushrooms on the outskirts of the forest and along nearby roads.
Pine
The white pine mushroom (Boletus pinophilus), also called boletus, looks like a “fat mushroom.” The height of the leg is from 5 to 16 cm, with a diameter of 4-10 cm, thicker at the base. The surface is completely “enveloped” in a reddish or light brownish mesh.
The diameter of the cap is 5-25 cm. The general color is dark brown, there may be variability in reddish shades, the outline is slightly pink, in newly grown ones it is closer to light. The lower part is white-yellow, darkening with increasing age. The flesh at the break is white, under the skin it is brown with a red tint, with a weaker structure than that of the white birch mushroom.
Where and in what season is it collected?
Borovaya porcini mushroom is collected in the Siberian taiga, coniferous forests of the western half of the European part of the country and in the regions of the northeast from July to the 15th of October. Prefers sandy pine forest soils, old forests with mosses and lichens. Can be found in forests mixed with pine.
It is important to collect before the tubular layer acquires a greenish tint - old specimens can lead to poisoning!
Picking mushrooms - how to do it right?
When going to the forest, you need to understand where, when and how to collect porcini mushrooms. It is preferable to start “hunting” for them in July and August. They especially scatter across the soil after brief thunderstorms and warm fogs at night. In summer, the boletus mushroom grows for 6-9 days, in autumn – 9-15.
It is advisable to come to the forest before the sun has risen, when the white mushroom is clearly visible. Move slowly, carefully examining the ground. Especially places with sand and loam, where the soil does not flood. When the summer is damp, it is worth looking at a distance from trees, on hills and in places well lit by the sun. If the season is dry, whites hide near the trees, where the grass is thicker. They love to live next to morels.
The best specimens for collecting are those with a cap diameter of approximately 4 cm. Boletus is loved by various kinds of pests, so you need to look out for them carefully, especially in the cap. Be sure to cut it into pieces and remove the wormholes. Within 10 hours, the porcini mushroom must be processed (placed for drying, salting, fried, etc.), otherwise most of the beneficial properties will be lost.
Collection rules
- cut off the porcini mushroom carefully, without damaging the mycelium;
- can be unscrewed;
- clean from possible pests (although it is better to take whole ones);
- place in a collection container with the cap down;
- if the legs are high, lay them sideways;
- leave overripe and questionable specimens on the ground;
- do not trample.
Healthy porcini mushrooms are not afraid of frost, so they can be harvested even after frost. After thawing, they do not lose their taste.
Nutritional quality
Freshly picked porcini mushroom has a calorie content of 34 kcal per 100 g of mass, dried - 286 kcal. Nutritional value – 1.7 g fat, 1 g carbohydrates, 3.5 g protein per 100 g weight. Also disaccharides and saturated fatty acids.
Praised for excellent taste in any form. The special nutritional value is that it makes the stomach work actively.
90% of the weight is water, the remaining 10 is divided into proteins, fiber, carbohydrates, minerals and fats.
It contains the most important microelements - iodine, copper, manganese and zinc. Vitamins – PP, C, B1, A. 22 amino acids. The amount of protein depends on the type, age of the mushroom (the younger the better), place of growth and method of preservation. Dried porcini mushrooms are especially good at preserving proteins.
Digestibility of mushroom proteins
It happens more slowly than in animals, since the proteins of the fungus are enclosed in special walls that “do not penetrate” the enzymes of the digestive tract. To improve absorption by the body, mushrooms need to be well chopped, boiled or fried.
Usage
White mushrooms without wormholes are allowed to be eaten in any form - dried, boiled, fried, salted, pickled and fresh. When dried, they do not become dark, leaving a pleasant forest aroma. The sauce goes great with meat and rice. Powder from such mushrooms can be used to season various dishes. Italians love them very much, adding them raw to the ingredients of a salad with Parmesan cheese, seasoning with oil, spices and lemon juice.
Dried mushrooms can be stored for 1 year by placing them in paper bags. The air temperature should be fixed and moderate, and regular ventilation is required.
The benefits and harms of porcini mushroom
Porcini mushrooms are both beneficial and harmful depending on their human use.
Beneficial features
- in pharmaceuticals – treatment of mastopathy, oncology, angina pectoris, tuberculosis;
- strengthen the immune system;
- improve the condition of eyes, hair and nails;
- are a preventative against anemia and atherosclerosis;
- when used externally – promotes rapid healing of wounds.
Harm
- collected near roads and industrial enterprises - absorb heavy metals and toxic substances;
- if stored improperly, porcini mushrooms can cause serious stomach upset, especially in children;
- Excessive consumption of dried mushrooms can cause obesity;
- use porcini mushroom with caution in patients with liver and kidney problems.
Mushroom look-alikes
A serious problem is created by dangerous doubles of the porcini mushroom. To distinguish the porcini mushroom from false poisonous and inedible mushrooms, use the table below.
Porcini | Satanic (false white mushroom) | Gall (bitter) | |
---|---|---|---|
hat | from red-brown to almost white | grayish-white, coffee shades or olive | light brown shade |
Leg | light mesh layer | yellowish-red with mesh pattern | dark mesh layer |
Tubular layer | white or cream in young and greenish in old | reddish-orange, turns blue when pressed | white, later pink |
Pulp | dense, odorless | dense with an unpleasant odor | soft with a pleasant mushroom smell |
Behavior at fracture and shear | color does not change | slowly turns red, then turns blue | turns pink |
Edibility | edible | poisonous | inedible |
It is clear that poisonous and inedible mushrooms are in many ways similar to porcini mushrooms, but upon closer inspection they can still be distinguished. An additional look at the external condition will help - false ones have an impeccable appearance.
Symptoms of doppelgangers poisoning, first aid
In case of poisoning in an adult, serious symptoms last up to 3 days. These are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and headache. But due to the unknown impact of poisons, psychogenic reactions are real, including hallucinations, absolute loss of self-control and memory, and even lethargic sleep or death.
As soon as symptoms arise, immediately rinse the stomach and take the poisoned person to the hospital or call an ambulance. The effects of doppelgangers mushrooms, especially Satanic mushrooms, have been little studied and delaying first aid can be fatal.
Carefully compare the appearance of the specimen you come across on a “quiet hunt” with the description of the porcini mushroom, as you remember it and using the photos given in the article. Place only those in your cart that you are completely sure of. And then the beauties brought home will delight all gourmets with the amazing aroma and taste of forest gifts.
Kira Stoletova
“Mushroom king” is what people call the porcini mushroom (boletus). It differs from its counterparts in its excellent taste and beneficial properties. Porcini mushrooms have many varieties, which are quite widespread throughout Russia; they are used not only in cooking, but also in medicine. They are in great demand among mushroom pickers, so there is a way to grow it even at home.
Description of the mushroom
The porcini mushroom is often called simply “white” or, in other words, “boletus”.
The peculiarity of this type of mushroom is that even when dried, it retains its natural color of the pulp. Another distinctive feature is the unique, characteristic aroma.
The cap of the white mushroom below has a spongy structure, milky color. Interesting fact: The shape of the cap can be used to judge the age of the fruiting body. In young people the structure is clear and round, but in adults it is flatter.
Appearance
Description of white mushroom:
- Pulp: fleshy, white and juicy in young specimens, but yellowish in mature ones.
- Hat: velvety, dark brown (30-35 cm in diameter). There have been cases when mushroom pickers managed to find rare specimens in an oak grove in which it grew to 50-60 cm.
- Hymenophore: tubular, or spongy, with a deep notch at the stem, easily separated from the bottom of the cap.
- Leg: usually quite tall (10-12 cm), color ranges from grayish-white to dark brown. Sometimes you come across real forest giants that reach a height of 25-30 cm and look impressive. Depending on age, the shape of the leg also changes. In young specimens it looks like a barrel, while the old mushroom gradually decreases in size and its base dries out.
Where do they grow?
Porcini mushrooms grow in different places: found in the forests of Russia, Mexico and the African tropics.
The development cycle directly depends on weather conditions. In temperate climates, the fruiting bodies ripen in late May-early June. Autumn is considered the mushroom season, because until the end of November you can harvest a generous and tasty harvest.
According to the description, they live in colonies, i.e. Several dozen specimens appear on one piece of land. Particularly active during the season of good rain.
Habitats of porcini mushrooms: grow under pine, birch, oak, in open and sunny clearings or meadows. Loves soil overgrown with moss.
If you are going on a “quiet hunt” for the first time, contact experienced mushroom pickers who will tell you where you can harvest.
Types of boletus
Edible varieties of porcini mushroom have the following classification:
- B. dark bronze: This species can be distinguished by the color of its cap. The copper or bronze boletus is characterized by a brown cap color. Usually the body comes in all sizes. There are both small and large individuals. Inside, the flesh of the mushroom is white. You can be convinced of this by seeing the handsome man in cross-section. Boletus has a pleasant taste, which persists even after heat treatment of the product. They are easy to find in the fall in mixed and coniferous forests (pine forests), under green pine or spruce.
- B. mesh: This species is similar in appearance to the moss fly. It has the same leg, shaped like a cylinder, and a large cap (from 10 to 35 cm). It is popular due to its taste. The probability of encountering a reticulated porcini mushroom is high not only in Russia, but also in European countries, as well as the USA. Many boletus mushrooms appear in forest clearings at the end of May.
- B. birch: The name comes from the usual habitat for this species - birch groves. The hat is yellowish-brown in color, not convex in shape. The stem is brown, from 9 to 12 cm. The spores of the fungus are small. This species differs from its fellows - it does not darken in cross section and does not acquire a black color. Leg with pink edging. Mushroom thickets appear several times a year. It is better to look for them in the autumn. They grow in soil that is rich in microelements.
- B. pine: large cap up to 15 cm in diameter, distinguished by a purple color, tasty fleshy pulp, squat leg. Don’t be surprised if you hear the phrase: “The white pine mushroom became embarrassed and turned completely pink.” When cut, boletus mushrooms are distinguished by their burgundy color. Their homeland is pine forests; it is impossible to find these representatives of the Mushroom kingdom on the meadow plain. In order for them to sprout and produce a harvest, rainy weather is necessary. The best time for active growth is spring.
- B. royal: the largest of all varieties of porcini mushrooms. The habitats of this beauty are pine and deciduous forests. Its dimensions: cap - from 20 to 35 cm in diameter, stem height - 10-15 cm. Unusual color - crimson-violet. The pulp is juicy and elastic, gradually changing its color to pink. For a species like this to grow in the soil, it requires heavy rainfall.
- B. oak: this species has become a favorite due to its nutritional value. White oak mushroom does not have a characteristic odor. It is in demand because of its size (12-20 cm), velvety cap of brown color with a grayish tint and large stem. Usually the top of the cap is covered with a film - a skin that becomes sticky in humid weather. The skin grows tightly together with the surface of the cap and is almost impossible to remove. The pulp is looser, the taste is sweetish.
- B. spruce: The edible cap is distinguished by its dark burgundy or chestnut color. The top layer of the cap is rough. The leg is smooth, massive, elongated, covered with a light mesh on top. The white spruce mushroom feels great on the ground, which is covered with dry needles.
- B. yellow: The mushroom cap is golden-white. Its shape is convex, reminiscent of a pillow. The surface is smooth. In damp weather, it is covered with a mesh mucous coating. The first layer is elastic, but over time, deep cracks begin to cover the mushroom. Boletus grows on a thick stalk that does not have a mesh. The surface of the leg may be covered with small scales. The cut area quickly turns blue. The composition of this product includes a lot of microelements beneficial for human health. The king of the forest has a memorable taste.
The types of porcini mushrooms are very diverse and are allowed to be eaten. Boletuses are mycorrhiza-formers. They usually enter into symbiosis with various deciduous and coniferous woody plants.
Irina Selyutina (Biologist):
Thanks to folk attentiveness, a connection was noted between the appearance of porcini and other types of mushrooms: the boron form of the porcini mushroom appears in the fall almost simultaneously with the greenfinch, in oak forests with green russula, and in birch forests with chanterelle.
For his development he prefers:
- well-drained soils, but without waterlogging (sandy, sandy loam, loamy). Avoids peat and swamp soils;
- trees over 50 years old, forests with formed moss and lichen cover. However, at the same time, in pine forests the maximum yields of this fungus can be collected if the trees are 20-25 years old.
The optimal temperature for the development of fruiting bodies is +15...+18°C in July and August, as well as +8...+10°C in September. But large differences in day and night temperatures and large amounts of precipitation lead to a reduction or complete cessation of fungal development. The white mushroom appears in masses after short thunderstorms and foggy warm nights.
In the process of evolution, the porcini mushroom populated almost all the continents of the Northern Hemisphere. It was brought to the continents of the southern hemisphere with seedlings of mycorrhizal coniferous trees.
Despite its wide distribution, the porcini mushroom is still absent in some places in the wild. And then “white” are called in those areas mushrooms that have a really white or very light color of the fruiting body, but are not real boletus mushrooms. Examples of such “doubles” can be white boletus, giant talker mushroom, steppe oyster mushroom (steppe porcini mushroom).
Beneficial features
They say about the porcini mushroom that it is a storehouse of nutrients. The product contains trace elements that are necessary for humans to overcome many diseases.
Beneficial features:
- Contains selenium. It prevents “activated cancer” cells from multiplying.
- The chemical composition includes vitamin C. The properties of ascorbic acid make it possible to maintain the vitality of the human body. Appetite improves, the immune system is restored, and insomnia disappears.
- All types of porcini mushrooms contain vital material for our bones - calcium. By including this product in your diet, you will compensate for the lack of the following microelements - iron, potassium, and B vitamins, which will help improve memory, restore the functioning of the nervous system, and restore blood circulation in the brain.
- Helps cleanse the blood.
- Vitamin A is essential for maintaining beautiful and healthy skin.
- Eating porcini mushrooms will help regulate the functioning of the thyroid gland.
Damage to boletus
The energy value of porcini mushroom is high, but at the same time you should be careful. It is strictly contraindicated during pregnancy and for feeding children.
Negative characteristic:
- The life cycle of the porcini mushroom is extremely short, so it is easy to get poisoned by it (the overripe fruiting body).
- They are difficult to digest, which sometimes causes digestive system upset.
- The chitin content negatively affects kidney function.
- Absorbs harmful substances from the environment.
- The “kings” of the forest are strong allergens, so they should be consumed with great caution.
- There are poisonous counterparts, in particular the gall fungus. These mushrooms can be easily distinguished by the color of the hymenophore. The gall boletus has a red inner cap, and it also has a looser pulp structure.
The value of porcini mushroom is unique, but when consuming this product, be careful, focusing on your health, because if not processed correctly, it releases harmful substances.
Mode of application
BZHU - 35 kcal per 100 g. The calorie content of porcini mushrooms depends on the method of preparation. It is prepared fried, boiled, stewed and dried, and pickled for the winter. In medicine, infusions and decoctions based on mushroom broth are used.
In cooking
Porcini mushrooms have a pleasant taste, which is why they are highly valued in cooking. Their usefulness is due to the unique fats and carbohydrates in their composition - they are necessary to maintain normal well-being.
Only fresh ones are suitable for cooking; if stored raw for some time, you can be poisoned.
The largest amount of useful microelements enters the human body in dried form (75-80%).
Before cooking, you should check the edibility of the boletus mushroom. This is easy to do: when cooking, add onion to boiling water. If it turns blue, it is better not to use the product, because... it contains bitter toxic substances.
It is used to prepare light soups (broth based on it is considered as healthy as chicken broth), appetizers, salads, baking fillings, main courses, and sauces. Among other products, boletus mushrooms differ in that they do not take long to prepare. They need to be boiled for 5-7 minutes.
This product must be soaked before cooking. Store prepared meals in a cool place, preferably in the refrigerator.
In medicine
Porcini mushrooms grow in the forests and are used by traditional healers. Alcohol tincture, decoction, fresh juice or powder are considered traditional medicine.
Eating porcini mushroom stimulates cell renewal. The contents of the product allow the human body to independently cope with many diseases: cardiovascular, physical and mental fatigue, prevention of influenza, stroke, cancer, increased immunity, normalization of metabolism.
To prepare a medicinal product, fill a liter jar with well-washed, dried and cut boletus caps and add high-quality vodka to cover the product. The tincture is prepared for 15 days in a dark, warm place. After this, it is filtered, the raw material is squeezed out and poured into a container that will be stored in the refrigerator. Take 2 times a day 30 minutes before meals, 1 tsp. with a small amount of cold boiled water. This preparation is saved for the winter; it tastes bitter. The course is usually 1-3 months, depending on the disease. If you want to improve your well-being with varicose veins or thrombophlebitis, then in parallel with taking the tincture orally, rub it into problem areas of the lower extremities.
Pregnant women should not be treated in this way. The medicine is dangerous for the health of the unborn baby; the risk group also includes people with severe pathologies and individual intolerance to the components.
Attention! Before taking the tincture, you should consult your doctor.
Growing methods
It is not difficult to organize the cultivation of porcini mushrooms on a personal plot. The easiest way is to grow them in the garden with your own hands. The plant reproduces in two main ways.
From mycelium
To create a mushroom bed at home in your garden plot, you need to grow “seeds”. Buy mycelium (spores) from a specialty store. Such seedlings are not uncommon, because many people want to have homemade boletus.
Prepare the soil in advance, immediately after the snow melts. The best place is the ground around the trees. Oak, green pine and birch are suitable, i.e. symbiont trees. Clear 1.5-2 m of all plants around them - this is where the planting site will be.
Fertilize the soil before planting the spores. Use organic matter - peat, compost. Then try to evenly seed the soil with mycelium. Don't forget to water it well. Wait for mushroom threads to appear on thin stalks, and insulate the mycelium in the winter with straw.
Growing porcini mushrooms in your summer cottage in this way is not difficult. The harvest can be harvested the following spring. Usually one mycelium bears fruit for no more than 4-5 years.
From hats
To plant porcini mushrooms in a similar way, prepare boletus caps: separate them from the stem and place them in the sun to ripen. The size of the caps should be at least 5-10 cm in diameter. Please note that boletus mushrooms will need to be planted in the same place where they grew previously. This planting will preserve the best mushroom specimens.
The dried caps are soaked in water for a day, and then rubbed by hand into a homogeneous paste. By squeezing the raw materials using gauze, you will get mushroom spores (in water), which you can use for further breeding of boletus mushrooms. Sow the mycelium, carefully distributing it over the entire surface of the planting site, after which it is regularly watered and checked to ensure that the mycelium does not begin to rot.
A species of porcini mushroom (also known as boletus, cow mushroom) is an edible, tubular mushroom that belongs to the genus Borovik. Its appearance is significantly influenced by environmental conditions, but despite this, the porcini mushroom always looks like a handsome giant compared to its other relatives.
The most common inhabitant of spruce and fir forests has a brown, smooth, dry cap with a reddish or chestnut tint, and a long stem, widened towards the bottom.
An abundance of brown caps with a grayish tint are found in oak forests, hence the clarification in the name oak porcini mushroom.
The proximity of birches makes the cap of the boletus light, almost white, and thanks to its proximity to pine trees, its cap is large, dark with a purple tint and brownish-red flesh under the skin.
Boletus can also have a cap that is bright yellow, purple, orange-red, light brown, black-brown, light bronze or ocher. But such specimens are not very common.
Photo of white mushroom
Structure
Mature individuals are characterized by a convex cap with a smooth or wrinkled surface. The hat is sticky during wet weather and looks disgusting; It is matte in dry, sunny weather. The skin does not separate from the pulp.
In young individuals, the juicy, dense pulp is always white, while in older mushrooms it has a yellowish tint, and just under the skin there may be a small layer of red-brown tint. Many people are interested in whether the porcini mushroom turns blue when cut. It is believed that this species does not differ in this property.
Porcini mushroom in its raw state has a faint odor and only during the cooking process does a pleasant mushroom aroma appear.
The leg of the boletus is massive, club-shaped and with a whitish surface, which can also take on a slight shade of the cap. At first, the white tubular layer gradually turns yellow and in mature individuals turns into an olive green color. Boletus spore powder is olive-brown in color.
Habitats
Boletus likes mature and old forests with an abundance of moss and lichens, but it also feels great on sandy, sandy loam, and loamy soils.
The white mushroom is common on all continents except Australia.
Warm, foggy nights and short heavy rains, especially in the second half of August, are ideal weather conditions when whites delight in huge numbers. Boletus is found from June to September.
Some general information
Why are these mushrooms called porcini? There is no reliable answer to this question. The most common theory is that the porcini mushroom retains its color white during processing; most other mushrooms tend to darken or turn brown.
In the summer, the life cycle of the porcini mushroom lasts 6–9 days, and already in September it increases from 9 to 15 days, but during this time it reaches impressive sizes compared to other mushrooms, which ripen in approximately 3–5 days.
The description of methods for storing fresh mushrooms boils down to the fact that boletus mushrooms must be processed immediately, otherwise after 10 hours they will lose their beneficial properties.
Due to their unprofitability, porcini mushrooms are not cultivated industrially, but amateur mushroom growers conduct similar experiments.
The closest relative is the boletus mushroom, a tasty, edible tubular mushroom, quite common, always growing in the company of birch trees. It has a long, thin stem and a convex cap with a diameter of up to 15 cm.
The poisonous gall mushroom is very similar to boletus, which has the following main differences: the tubular layer is dirty pink, the flesh is bitter, and there is a dark mesh pattern on the stem. Another dangerous double of boletus is the satanic mushroom; it is found in damp forests, has a reddish tubular layer and quickly turns blue when cut.
This year we had a very hot summer and there were no mushrooms at all. Only in September did the rains begin, and then all the mushrooms grew at once: boletus, boletus, boletus, and porcini. Today I want to tell you about the porcini mushroom with a photo, how to cook it deliciously and store it for the winter. There are many different and tasty mushrooms, but still the most delicious, nutritious and valuable is the porcini mushroom. And now in detail about
White mushroom with description, photographs and recipes
Description of white mushroom
Where the name came from is not entirely known; in the old days all edible and valuable mushrooms were called porcini. Later, the white one stood out as a contrast to boletus and boletus, which darken when cooked, since it does not change color when cut, cooked, or dried. It is also called boletus, mullein, capercaillie, and yellow.
The diameter of the cap is from 8 to 30 cm, but can be larger, it is convex, and in old bends it becomes flat. The color is usually light brown, it can be very light and white, the cap is smooth or slightly wrinkled, matte in dry weather, shiny and slightly slimy in rain. The cap can be dark brown, depending on the trees in which the mushrooms grow. The color can be uneven, patchy or lighter at the edges. May crack in dry weather.
The pulp is very dense, white, and does not change color when cut. If the cap is dark in color, then under it there may be a layer of reddish or brown flesh.
The smell is pleasant, mushroom, barely noticeable. A strong pleasant smell appears when frying and especially when drying.
The stalk is about 12 cm tall (can grow up to 25 cm) and up to 10 cm wide (usually 6-7 cm). It is also dense, white when cut, the outer layer is light brown. Usually in the form of a barrel or club, when it grows, a thickening of the leg remains at the bottom. Less likely to become cylindrical. Usually covered with a light network of small veins. Lighter in color than the cap.
The spongy layer of young mushrooms is dense and white; in old ones it becomes yellow or olive in color. The pulp is easily separated from the cap.
Types of porcini mushrooms
There are different types of porcini mushrooms, depending on their habitat. And some biologists even consider them to be different mushrooms.
Spruce porcini mushroom(main type) - the most common, usually on a long leg with a thickening at the bottom. A hat with a chestnut or reddish tint, often stained, uneven, the surface is dry and smooth. Grows in fir and spruce forests, from June to October.
White oak mushroom - he has a brown cap, not brown, but a grayish tint. Usually darker than that of birch forms, the flesh is not as dense as that of other porcini mushrooms, it is looser. Grows in oak forests in June - October. It is found in the middle and southern zone of the European part, in the Caucasus, the Urals, and the Primorsky Territory. Grows frequently.
White birch mushroom- has a light, almost white color and grows under birch trees.
White pine mushroom or boletus- distinguished by a large cap with a dark color, sometimes purple. The pulp under the skin is brown in color. Grows in pine forests.
There are many more forms that differ in the color of the cap, stem, and place of growth. I think everyone knows exactly what type of porcini mushroom grows in their forest; usually, the traditions of collecting and storing mushrooms in each area are passed down through inheritance. At the same time, cases of poisoning are reduced to a minimum.
I would like to mention one more mushroom, it is often called the Polish mushroom. It is edible, but when cut or pressed on the flesh it turns blue.
Polish mushroom
Gall mushroom— the tubular layer turns pink over time, the flesh is bitter, there is a dark mesh on the stem, and it turns red when cut. If you put it with good mushrooms, then everything will become bitter.
Gall mushroom - bitterling
Satanic mushroom- the leg is a very rich red-brown color, the flesh on the cap is red. A very poisonous mushroom. When cut, it also turns red, and the color quickly becomes deep red. And these mushrooms, especially old ones, have an unpleasant odor. Unlike real boletus mushrooms, which have a pleasant taste and smell.
Satanic mushroom is poisonous!
Where do porcini mushrooms grow?
They are found mainly in coniferous-deciduous forests with spruce, pine, birch, and oak. They love mossy places or lichens, prefer trees over 50 years old. But in a pine forest it begins to grow from 20-25 years. Often found next to green russula, chanterelles, and greenfinches.
Loves moderately warm weather and rain. In June-August at a temperature of 15-18°C, and in September at 8-10°C. Loves rain with thunderstorms and warm, foggy nights. At this time, the most massive appearance of mushrooms occurs.
Lighting does not affect the growth of the fungus, although it is considered light-loving. It is found both in the shade and under tree branches. But under unfavorable conditions, it grows better in sunny, warm places.
Loves not too waterlogged places; does not grow in swamps and peat bogs.
The white mushroom grows almost everywhere except Australia. Grows wherever there are trees, not found in the steppes, found in the Arctic zone
It usually grows from mid-June to September, the largest collection is in August; in the southern regions it can grow in October.
Beneficial features
Porcini mushroom is distinguished not only by its excellent taste, but also by its ability to stimulate digestion. It is not very different in composition from other mushrooms, but it stimulates the stomach very well.
Antitumor substances have also been found in them. Polysaccharides and sulfur compounds have this effect. Boletuses can be a preventive measure against cancer. They also suppress infections and have wound-healing and tonic properties.
Freshly prepared mushrooms are not very well absorbed by the body; their proteins cannot be digested due to their chitinous walls. But after drying, up to 80% of the protein becomes available to the body.
Use in folk medicine
Porcini mushrooms are useful for anemia and atherosclerosis, as they contain lecithin and the amino acid ergothioneine, which help cleanse blood vessels of cholesterol plaques. Promote cell renewal and are beneficial for the kidneys, heart, vision, and bone marrow.
Boletus mushrooms are also very rich in antioxidants; they strengthen the immune system.
Mushrooms are rich in vitamin D and potassium. Useful for heart disease, for strengthening bones and the general condition of the body, for increasing hemoglobin.
Porcini mushrooms, like other mushrooms, very strongly absorb harmful substances and heavy metals. You cannot pick mushrooms near roads, highways, industrial enterprises, and railways. Otherwise, you risk collecting the entire periodic table!
How to cook porcini mushroom
These mushrooms have excellent taste and aroma.
Fried porcini mushrooms
This is our favorite dish in the fall during mushroom season.
First, I wash the porcini mushrooms and clean the stems. I don’t boil the mushrooms, but cut them straight into a frying pan, so they are tastier and more aromatic. You just have to be sure that all your mushrooms are edible!
I cut into pieces in a frying pan with oil. There they are stewed under a lid over medium heat for about 20 minutes. There is a lot of water in the mushrooms and it turns out that they are stewed in their own juice; I do not add water on purpose.
Then I open the lid and fry the mushrooms for about 10 minutes so that the excess water boils away. And immediately add one small onion (finely chopped), salt to taste.
Then I add potatoes in strips. Usually 5-6 medium potatoes.
To make sure the potatoes are fried faster and the mushrooms don’t burn, I move the finished mushrooms into half the frying pan, add a little oil and lay out half the potatoes. Then I move the mushrooms onto the layer of potatoes, freeing the second half of the pan, adding a little oil again and laying out the second half of the potatoes.
I distribute the mushrooms evenly on top and close the lid. Fry over medium heat, closer to high. This way the potatoes cook quickly, they turn out with a crust and the mushrooms don’t burn.
After 8-10 minutes, stir the potatoes and leave on the fire for another 5 minutes. Then turn it off and let it stand for 10 minutes. Now you can enjoy delicious, aromatic potatoes with porcini mushrooms!
Porcini mushroom soup - simple and tasty
Porcini mushroom soup is rich, and only elm mushrooms can compete in aroma, but they grow in spring and early summer.
- Porcini mushrooms - 300-500 gr.
- water 1.5 liters,
- big onion,
- 1 medium carrot
- 3-4 potatoes,
- 2 teaspoons semolina,
- Pepper, salt,
- Greenery,
- Oil for frying
- Sour cream to taste
You need to rinse and peel the mushrooms well so that nothing unnecessary gets into the soup. Cut the mushrooms into small pieces so that they fit comfortably in a spoon. Now fill them with water and put them in a saucepan on the fire.
While they are boiling, finely chop the onion and grate the carrots on a fine grater.
When the mushrooms begin to boil, a lot of foam will appear - we constantly remove it with a spoon until the foam forms. Cook the mushrooms for 10 minutes.
Then we add the potatoes, at this time there is usually no more foam.
Now let's fry for the beautiful color of our soup. First, simmer the onion until transparent and then the carrots until golden brown. Put it in the soup.
Now we need to cook our porcini mushroom soup for about 40 minutes so that it is well cooked. 5 minutes before the end, add 2 teaspoons of semolina. It will add a little thickness to the soup, but it is almost invisible there. Add salt and pepper to taste.
When serving, you can sprinkle fresh dill on a plate and add a spoonful of sour cream.
The soup turns out very tasty - cook for your health!
Harvesting porcini mushrooms for the winter
Let's marinate
Cooking porcini mushrooms according to this recipe is very simple and quick.
I do everything almost “by eye”, so I immediately apologize for the approximateness in the recipe.
Wash the porcini mushrooms, clean them, cut them into approximately equal pieces and cook in water over high heat. The water is salted. After boiling, remove the foam and then cook for about an hour until the mushrooms are completely cooked. They should sink to the bottom of the water. At first they float completely on the surface.
At this time, wash and sterilize the jars in the oven and boil the clean lids.
Preparing the brine: I just make very, very salty water so that it tastes very salty. Add peppercorns, allspice, cloves, and bay leaves. Let everything simmer for a bit.
I drain the finished mushrooms through a colander and place them in jars. The jars need to be made incomplete - about half a liter of mushrooms in a seven hundred gram jar.
Immediately pour the brine, while you need to move the mushrooms with a spoon so that the air comes out better and the brine gets into the jar more evenly. Then add a teaspoon of vinegar essence to a seven hundred gram jar and roll it up with a tin lid.
I immediately turn it over onto the lid and wrap it up. Stand until completely cooled under cover - usually 2 days.
Any mushrooms can be marinated in this way, but it is better to do them all separately. Each type in its own jar. They stand very well underground all winter.
Drying
For drying, take any porcini mushrooms. They cannot be washed.
Clean well with a knife or cloth and dry cut into large pieces. Small mushrooms are not cut. It is good to dry it in the oven, but you can also dry it in the oven.
You need to dry it over low heat with the door ajar to allow moisture to escape better. Be sure to ensure that the mushrooms do not burn. First, they are dried at a temperature of 40-50°C until dry.
When the mushrooms stop being sticky, you can increase the temperature to 65-70°C, but no more!
It is impossible to say exactly how long the drying process will take. In a regular oven with heating, cooling, airing, it can take two days. But you will get delicious, aromatic, healthy mushrooms. They are much better and more nutritious than fresh ones.
Freezing
Everything is very simple here. If you have space in your freezer, be sure to freeze the mushrooms for the winter. You can boil them until tender in salted water, as when pickling. Then cool and put in the freezer, dividing into portions. So that in winter the bag goes straight into a frying pan or into soup.
You can also freeze fried mushrooms - this way they turn out even tastier and more aromatic than just boiled ones.
You can also freeze fresh mushrooms, but they take up a lot of space.
Now I’m sure you won’t confuse the porcini mushroom with others, because its photo and description are familiar to you, and now you also know how to cook it.