How to clean brown caps properly - this is how it works

How to clean brown caps properly - this is how it works

Watch out, maggots!

The chestnut mushroom grows preferentially on acidic soils near spruce trees, but is also often found under pines and beeches. A typical identification mark is the smooth, maroon hat. This is covered with a slightly greasy layer. Like other boletus, the brown cap is very popular with snails and maggots. While you can simply cut away the feeding points of snails, the maggots are mostly inside. Therefore, you should cut open chestnuts lengthways in the forest and examine the mushrooms for possible infestation. As a rule, you can leave larger specimens - they are already too heavily infested - and should only take the young ones with you. You can do a rough pre-cleaning at the collection point.

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Cleaning chestnut boletus - you have to pay attention to this

The chestnut boletus should be cleaned and processed straight away at home. If you have cleaned them thoroughly, you can store the fresh mushrooms in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator for another three to four days. However, it is better to prepare them immediately and / or, if necessary, freeze them raw. The best way to prepare is as follows:

  • Cut off the lower, hard part of the stem.
  • Cut away eating and other damaged areas.
  • The stem quickly becomes woody and spoils the mushroom enjoyment.
  • Peel off the hat skin.
  • Remove the mushroom sponge.
  • Clean the mushrooms with a knife and a damp cloth.
  • Do not wash the chestnut mushrooms as they soak up a lot of water.

Caution is also advised in the event of gold mold infestation: this poisonous mold is often found on larger chestnut mushrooms. Infested specimens are no longer edible and should therefore be left standing.

Tips

The chestnut mushroom is a mycorrhizal fungus and lives mostly in symbiosis with spruce, but also with other tree species. For this reason it cannot be grown in the home garden. Nonetheless, you can buy “brown caps” mushroom grow kits. However, this is the red-brown Giant Trümmling (Stropharia rugosoannulata).