The month of May means it’s morel mushroom time in Michigan.
More than a mouthful, the edible mushroom with a short harvest season is special for a few reasons. They’re fun to look for, hard to find in many places and they’re prized by chefs for their earthy and nutty flavor that’s unlike any mushroom found in the grocery store.
One Metro Detroit chef says the morel season seems to have started earlier than usual.
“Normally you’ll see like one or two right now, because soil temp has to get warm, but there was such a good amount of rain and then suddenly it got warm,” said Chris Gadulka, the executive chef at Sylvan Table in Sylvan Lake. He says he’ll add a morel mushroom dish to the menu once the season is in full swing, as he has in the past.
Gadulka says Michigan morels are special because of the soil here. He says morels from California have been available for a while, but the ones from Michigan are “tremendously” more flavorful.
“They have the look, but the flavor is not as nutty. The texture is a little more dense, and if you don’t soak them in water and agitate them, they’re going to be gritty,” he says of the California morels. “Michigan has that nice combination of sand and clay soils. It doesn’t get rubbery. It’s an appealing mushroom texture.”
At Sylvan Table — which is known for having a zero-waste kitchen and using ingredients from local farms, including the one on site — Gadulka only uses Michigan-grown morels that come from a certified mycologist.
The most common variation of morels are white or gray, with the dark gray or black ones being harder to find. There’s also a “half-free” morel which has more of a skirt-like cap. All three are edible.
Where to forage for morel mushrooms
They can be found in Michigan and surrounding states. Experts say the best chances are of finding them are in the woods, but they can grow in any place that gets a lot of rain throughout March, April, May and June.
They particularly like areas that have been burned, and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources offers an interactive map that can help morel foragers find sites like that.
The DNR also recommends looking near old trees, particularly elm, ash, poplar and apple. Searching a day or two after a rainy day can also help.
In addition to the state’s map, there are several smartphone apps that can help with your search. Mushroom Finder, Mushroom Spot, GeoForager and similar apps can give you clues as to where to find edible mushrooms near you and also assistance with identifiying any fungi you do find.
Gadulka says be patient, because 2026 is looking to be a great year for morels.
“There have been some great years and some really not great years,” he said. “If it gets too hot too quick, you’ll get a really nice flush and then it’s done. But if (the temperature) stays like this, it could be a booming year.”
How to collect morel mushrooms
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources recommends using a pocket knife to cut the stem of the mushroom, and collect them in a mesh bag.
Some mushroom-finding apps recommend you give the cap a little tap before cutting to help release spores so more mushrooms can grow in the area. Chef Gadulka suggests cutting the stem about a half inch above the soil so as not to disturb the mycelium network. That could help with regrowth.
Once you’ve got them home, put them in a paper bag and store in the fridge.
For safety’s sake, always wash mushrooms before eating or cooking with them. Avoid picking older mushrooms or ones that look like they’ve been eaten by worms or have other signs of decay or damage. Before cooking, cut them open lengthwise to check for bugs.
Where to buy morel mushrooms right now
For those who want to skip over the time, sunscreen and bug spray it will take to go foraging through the woods for these popular mushrooms, there are some options.
Farmers markets are a good start. The Royal Oak Farmers Market advertised having a vendor that sells fresh morels at their weekend stand on E. 11 Mile just east of Main street.
There are online retailers that will sell you fresh, foraged morel mushrooms, like foraged.com. Dried or frozen morel mushrooms can be found on many online marketplaces, including Walmart and Amazon.
Buying morels at all, let alone buying them not-fresh, however, takes the fun out of searching for and enjoying these magical gifts from nature.
How to prepare morels if you do get some
At Sylvan Table, chef Gadulka will take the best morels and put them on the menu, while the smaller or more beat-up mushrooms might get dried to use as an ingredient during the off-season for an added dashed of umami.
“We have done, in the past, a mixed grill dish with garlic grilled asparagus with morels and this really awesome bernaise with it and we couldn’t keep enough in house. The dish lasted two weeks and we sold 50-60 a night,” he said.
“The minute morels hit the menu here, it’s nuts.”
He said for the home cook, the best practice is to clean them well and don’t over think it. What grows together tends to go together on the plate. He recommends serving morels with Michigan fish like walleye or perch, or with green veggies like asapragus or fiddlehead ferns.
“All of this stuff grows together so it really works. If you want to get eccentric, a little bit of tamari and some spice, some picked onions and morels,” he said. “It’s super good.”
mbaetens@detroitnews.com
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Where, when and how to find morel mushrooms in Michigan
Reporting by Melody Baetens, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
