Ate my first giant puffball

[Kart29]

Found some huge white shrooms in the woods while squill hunting last weekend. After I got home I looked them up in a couple of mushroom books I have and some intardnets research. I decided they were giant puffballs and went back a couple of days later to collect them.

I've been eating mushrooms ever since. Dang those are some big fungii! Not my favorite mushroom but it's a far sight better eating than most anything else you find laying on the ground.

 

[canamscott]

Its a little late in the season, but once you try a sulfur shelf mushroom you will never pass one up.

 

[srad]

Found a couple giant puffballs a couple weeks ago as well. Dropped a squirrel & these two volleyballs were about 10 yds away. Never had one before and BOY are they delicious. I cut mine into blocks & sauteed with a little butter, olive oil, onions, and a bit of salt, pepper, & Italian herbs. Good stuff!

Went out & got 3 skwerls today; about an hour into it these two guys come tramping through the woods real loud & I jumped out from my tree and scared the bejeebers out of one of them. They were shroom hunting... guess you don't have to be quiet when hunting mushrooms. Got to talking with them a bit & they were out looking for sheepshead shrooms.

 

[woodsie57]

Always wondered- are there any poisinous ones out there that look like the puffballs- seems there's always a catch with wild mushrooms....

 

[srad]

There are two look-alikes that are not good...
Giant Puffball and Other Edible Wild Puffball Mushrooms - AmericanMushrooms.com

Basically if there are no gills or internal cap, if the flesh is homogeneous and white, you are good to go. If the flesh inside of a 'good' puffball has any degree of greenish or brown/yellowish tint, it's gone to spore. Don't eat it, won't kill you but it will not taste good at all, bitter, and it might upset your stomach.

When preparing a puffball, lightly rinse off the outside, pat dry then peel the outside skin off. Just use a small knife, pinch a bit between the knife blade & your finger and pull down/around the puffball. The outer skin will come off in strips.

Don't wash the peeled flesh, the meat of the puffball. It'll soak up water like a sponge & mess up the consistency of the flesh.

From what I've gathered, puffballs are ideal for wild mushroom beginners. Easy to spot & easy to verify as consumable.

 

[duff]

earthy flavored foam rubber. Not bad but not very good either IMO. Kids enjoy throwing them against the trees!

 

[hammer24]

earthy flavored foam rubber. Not bad but not very good either IMO. Kids enjoy throwing them against the trees!

I'd have to agree. Except I never even got an earthy flavor, you must have got a good one! No flavor, weird texture. I pass on the puffballs. Glad somebody likes them though!

 

[joseywales7450]

Had my first taste of giant puffball last weekend after I found some while bow hunting. Tried a couple bites raw and fried up a couple pieces as well. Fried I didn't think were good at all. But, the raw pieces I ate were delicious IMO. Had great flavor and the consistency of mozzarella cheese. Next one I find, I am cutting up pieces and putting them in a salad and also sliced up in a sandwich.

 

[Anonym]

We've had puff balls growing like crazy in my yard this year. I harvested a couple to try and can't say I was that fond of them either. I might try a sautee next time, but grilling sure wasn't something I'd try again. All the ones I left were easy to find... with the lawn mower!

 

[iamaclone45]

My parents have always had puffballs in their back yard. Two weekends ago they found a couple monsters.

There was another one right next to this one that was easily the same size.

 

[Annie Oakley]

Cut them in about 1 inch thick sections, did in egg and then sprinkle with parmesan cheese and roll in flour. Cook in hot oil until they are golden brown. Yummy.

 

[Dave Doehrman]

Its a little late in the season, but once you try a sulfur shelf mushroom you will never pass one up.

I found this a couple years ago, but wasn't positive on the ID, so I left it where I found it. It was over 16" long.