Matsutake Identification

This video showcases beautiful matsutake (Tricholoma murrillianum) growing native in the Pacific northwest. Early November is usually primetime to forage for these delicacies. This is one of many different sub-species of "Matsutake," a mushroom made especially famous for the Japanese species 'Tricholoma Matsutake." Those mushrooms take on a smaller stature and brownish coloring compared to our native species, and can fetch big bucks in markets in japan, where they actually auction off the mushrooms and can sell for hundreds of dollars per pound. They do however have a similar taste and aroma, which makes the PNW version of this mushroom more than fit for a royal meal.
This video shows me walking into a coniferous forest in western Washington in november at 200 ft above sea-level and finding a few great examples of this sought after fungus. I plan to do a bit more in depth video later about the history of these mushrooms, the culture surrounding them, and the commercial pickers who take to the forests of the pacific northwest every autumn to forage these mushrooms.
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[@naturallynorthwest9748]

Do you ever smell them before you have spotted them? The other day when I was hunting, I started smelling them. I stopped, looked around and immediately found some! I was able to cook them up with some venison tenderloins from my deer that same afternoon. Pretty darn good hunting day! Once you have smelled them, its unforgettable.

[@eriatarka209]

Absolutely.

[@nickwhite2569]

This happens to me relatively often with morels! Almost every time I smell them in the air I find a big patch

[@johnzomer5579]

It seems like educational mushroom KZbinrs fall into one of two camps, either they pretend that active species do not exist or it is their only focus (usually to the detriment of much usable information). Thank you for creating videos that shed light on all types of fungi!

[@fattymcbastard6536]

Matsutakes are tough to find if you don't already know areas where to look. Even if you know the plants they associate with, they won't necessarily be in the area, because they also require that podzolic soil you always find on the tip of the stipe. So, whenever you're exploring a new area, pack a garden trowel so you can dig down to see if the podzolic soil exists there. If it doesn't, then you're wasting your time looking for them. If it's there, then great. Look around for Kinnickinnick, aka Bear berry, Evergreen Huckleberry (5:09- this plant), and Prince's Pine.

[@RTFosmark]

Hey thanks, Fatty McBastard!

[@SkyfallLotus]

Very helpful - thank you, FMB!

[@duckshaker]

Fatty McBastard...I believe the plant @ 5:09 you mentioned is Evergreen Huckleberry, not Kinnikinnick.

[@stephaniecarlos195]

OMG… I nearly fainted when you found the naturals button motherlode! Totally looking forward to reuniting with family members as well as investing in a place to retire whilst I join up with family in the PNW Thank you for sharing the love. Humboldt Honey

[@randygoldman5382]

Such a wonderful way to get a little exercise and spend time in the natural world.

[@RayKttailPage]

This really helped in showing me the difference with the False Matsutake I have found in the past.

[@martinlouden9005]

Beautiful mushrooms. I'm glad you had such a good day's foraging.

[@AlbertPayne-xw6qx]

Great video I see tons of these every year when I am early Chantrell picking can’t wait to try a couple. I feel much more confident after watching your video. Talk to several people that are picking them in the area where I hunt for Chantrell.

[@kdavis4910]

It's been on my bucket list to hunt in the PNW for awhile now.

[@HiddenChin]

Nice ID video.

[@marthahines1979]

Glad you are in th PNW. Some videos are great but from another part of the country and the environment is not the same. Only found these one time. Not so easy in my mind. Digging off trail makes a big difference. Thank you. Great close ups and identifying characteristics

[@sweetsugarjones]

Wow. They’re beauteous.

[@PNWgirl921]

Great video! I found my first 2 this last week with the help of a friend that’s a pro. So much fun!

[@jamesalanstephensmith7930]

Informative!

[@jvlog5349]

Thank you for sharing I’m uploading videos to show Japan everyday as possible as I can. Your videos are one of the motivation to make videos for me. Thank you so much for uploading

[@CascadeBackcountry]

I cannot find a reliable matsutake patch! Found a few stragglers here n there. Beautiful looking forest there

[@timothyslover1541]

Really valuable video for those of us that are earlier in the process. Great ID information as well as narrowing the environment down. Almost gets me off the couch on this rainy day.

[@alysoncarbary2020]

I had heard that where you find candystick/red and white fungus in late spring or summer go back in the fall and look for Matsutake . I did just that and found some great specimens!

[@mushroomwonderland1]

Awesome, I have heard that too but I've never tested the theory, cool to hear, thanks! 🍄🤘

[@duckshaker]

Alyson Carbary...The "candystick" is a plant, not a fungus. Its real name is Allotropa Virgata. You can find Matsutake where there is no Allotropa, but if you find it that means the Matsutake mycelium is present, and under the right conditions the mushrooms will be there. I've found Allotropa near sea level, and at elevations up to around 4000 feet, and it no doubt exists even higher. One more thing...it is only red and white for part of its growing season. Later it will become a dark brown.

[@shay_box]

Love these videos! Thanks for taking the time to share your knowledge 🍄

[@daroldw4606]

Yay! Looks like I get another mushroom to look for. I just started looking for mushrooms the second week in October. Thanks!

[@Daniel-x4z]

After the storm. Glad to see someone finds tan oaks still.i remember when they were 80$foe#1 65#2 and the buyer will come to your town and the next year less and less u get it now u can't find any

[@johnhep2671]

Great video. Very helpful and generous with your knowledge

[@torclausen]

love this channel!

[@jrizzdawhiz253]

Awesome Bro!! You make it look so simple and effortless… I just need to find my first one so that I know what to look for! Now I have a much better idea of that picture! Thank you 🙏

[@maycollier1193]

Really enjoyed your video. ❤❤

[@bobwhisenhunt7085]

Great job.

[@coryg7051]

Great footage near the end, finding those clusters but can i ask for future vids that you pan the camera around just to get a sense of landscape and foliage where they're growing.

[@lilcuttee7]

I have just found wonderful and find your videos so helpful. I am always so excited to get out and forage.

[@lizafajardo-lf7po]

nice one,, here in finland matsutake mostly dark or light brown color

[@williamschultz9999]

very nicely done

[@matthewjfreeman75]

Amazing videos! I really appreciate all the details on the environment and the close-up shots for identification, thanks so much for sharing your 🍄 knowledge

[@angiejones3714]

We found some a few weeks back and we thought they were delicious.

[@matts2588]

Nice video. I have been wanting to learn more about matsutake picking. I go get the chanterelles and have seen some of those I think. Now I know what to look for. Thank you!!

[@kimprocarione5473]

Absolutely gorgeous buttons! That one button is so big! Outstanding! Thank you so much!

[@seandepoppe6716]

Amazing finds thanks for sharing your knowledge with us. In Whatcom County just north of you foraging as well

[@qinxin9458]

thanks, very helpful

[@nessao3396]

Another Awesome Video Thank You!! I have a lil mushroom spot that's on my way home from work, for the last month or so it has blessed me with Bolete,🍄, Russula and then today on my lunch I scored some truffles!!!

[@mushroomwonderland1]

Wow! Nice! I've never found a truffle.. That's on my bucket (basket) list!

[@flashmcdash36]

Love finding a vein of Matsutake. Fun to peel and clean and I love to cook in a noodle soup with homemade stock. Don’t forget to follow that line!!!

[@alinabadus8735]

This was very useful - we found a bunch of mushrooms today and were pretty sure they were matsutakes... but wanted to be absolutely sure. Your video was very helpful, thank you!

[@manchesterrealty]

Great video keep up the good work! Looking for a better mushroom season in 2023.

[@darlenemcconnell3575]

WOW thanks for the information :-)

[@jesszhang3749]

Thank you so much. I learned something today by watching your video !

[@karlbe8414]

Wouldn't it be important show the differences between poisonous Amanitas??

[@SkyfallLotus]

Another great video! Thank you for answering my question from the previous video and elaborating more on finding these. Makes me excited to go out and on my time off and find my first one(s)!

[@ovangal3852]

Is there a way to do a meet up to do a beginner's mushroom hunt? Love ur content! Thx for sharing ur knowledge.

[@mushroomwonderland1]

Sorry, not at this time, I'm very busy. But I suggest to join a mycological society that offers forays, great way to learn!🍄

[@ovangal3852]

@@mushroomwonderland1 Thx for the response. I have just joined the Oregon Myocological Society. But no outtings becuz of Covid. Bummed.😔

[@woonahn45]

I'm glad to see your video for the first time today. It didn't snow on the trail there. I want to go there to pick matsutake mushrooms. I live in Seattle.

[@britbrew]

Thank you for the excellent description and video, no mistaking this mushroom after watching this video. One thing that I'm curious about, one of the other channels described the smell as cinnamon, does that fit with your description? I think you mentioned wet socks or something, I'll have to watch again.

[@pinhighdiscdyes]

Off to do some hunting today!! Hope I get lucky!!! First time for me

[@michaelsolin3995]

Awesome!!! Thank you so much for your vid’s!! There real, full of information and daaaamn, those shrooms!! Man oh man, wish I could go out on a hunting expedition with you!!!

[@SG-ce7ji]

❤️

[@sopheap4177]

Thanks for another great video. May I ask about how long it took you to find the first matsutake on this rainy day, by the time you entered the forest? Just wondering if you had to hike a while before getting to the soil they grow in?

[@johndonahue4777]

It's nice and rainy out there. Looks like fantastic mushrooms. And beautiful woods. How would you describe the smell??

[@mushroomwonderland1]

Yes that's a beautiful forest! I would say they smell sweet and musty at the same time. It's so unique I have a hard time comparing it to anything else.

[@angelperez4256]

Awesome video I try matsutake's one time they're so good, it's a specific place or trees where you can found them?

[@Annie-zf7xi]

Wow cool!

[@michaelkozak7295]

Thank you for getting wet. Just wondering, as an add on could you show us how to prepare them. Not every video. You say they are good to eat, show us. Again thanks for your hard work

[@mushroomwonderland1]

I think in the future I will try to do more of that. It just takes an awful lot of time and effort, time that I don't really have right now. Maybe someday when the channel gets big enough and I can quit my day job I will have enough time to put a cooking segment at the end of each video!

[@michaelkozak7295]

@@mushroomwonderland1 again thank you for bringing you interests to us ... 👍

[@nhido-cuocsongcanada1112]

very good support fully you👍👍👍

[@leafseaburg198]

Thanks

[@Jeralton]

Do you know about tinctures and how to make them? Been looking at making some but I thought it would be a cool video idea.

[@valiasafrigina2391]

Thank you for video. Could you please show how to cook matsutake.

[@joshuagrubb5080]

I wish i was closer to the kitsap area i wanna join your mushroom society but im in bellingham

[@fishermam321]

Nice job :)

[@Nicole-ww4lg]

Can you do some tree identification vids too?

[@mushroomwonderland1]

Definitely working on it!

[@honeyvitagliano3227]

🙏🏻💞

[@tunneloflight]

Most people love Matsutake. Be forewarned though. A few of us absolutely detest them and cannot even tolerate having them in the house.

[@timmynormand8082]

Awesome information thanks bro. How to you cook them?

[@mushroomwonderland1]

You can cook them just like any other mushroom, saute them in a little bit of butter, salt pepper and a splash of white wine. There are many traditional Japanese recipes you can look up online. I like to put them in a pot roast because they are very tough and they hold up well under long cooking. I also like to just sautee them and pour them over a steak. Some people are just not huge fans of them.

[@timmynormand8082]

@@mushroomwonderland1 I go in the woods a lot an see mushrooms everywhere. Last yr this time I seen what I now know oysters. A lot of them but I wasn’t positive so never ate any I’m going thisweekend Like you said warm rainy weather sometimes a lil cooler but I live in Louisiana rains all the time mushrooms every where thankto you an a book I got a few othe u tubers I’m learning abt them

[@sherrelcarlson9200]

Where do you sell fine specimens of matsutake mushrooms? Or morels,reshii ? I always find them but have no idea where to sell them!?!?

[@kpturn42]

Ah yes, the delicious Lightbulb of the Woods

[@alexandertraks3195]

Just found some today in grass in Michigan. Thank you for help identifying. I had some perfect #1's ; the gills were pink. Is this correct?

[@timothyogburn7656]

A slight black licorice?

[@easterdm]

Is stuff getting pretty water logged? I was thinking of making a trip over but I hope I'm not too late.

[@spiritbyesha5861]

Where do you sell these at?

[@logeyful]

I want to go look for these, could I find them on the east side of the cascades?

[@lelandpollock9142]

Wondering why your not cutting the bottoms off and leaving them in there natural bed. On the coast we always bring a knife to cut the mushrooms rather than picking them and destroying the bed. It's actually a law... I cringe everytime he pulls the root out of the ground.?

[@martinginsburg7222]

science says there is no difference pulling vs cutting

[@mikek3741]

Nice haul! How do you clean these?

[@mushroomwonderland1]

I just use a soft barbecue sauce brush to clean off needles and stuff. You can use a paper towel to wipe the cap.

[@your_eulogy2688]

Dry sponge or a brush. The sand was super annoying. My friend said to take em home "dirty" basically then clean em. Once the sand dries a bit it comes right off. Blew my mind because I'm so anal about cleaning chanterelles. I only found a few my 1st time and they weren't perfect buttons so I peeled the veil to get all the sand and stuff off 🤷🤦

[@taylormcculloch8632]

Noice!

[@karenbergmann209]

Why did you pick so many of them? Do you dry or freeze them.?

[@mushroomwonderland1]

Dry them and eat them, give to friends etc.🍄

[@chrisryan1662]

Can you please help me ID some mushrooms?

[@stevelawson104]

Idaho?

[@mushroomwonderland1]

Nope, Western Washington, Seabeck to be exact.

[@brianjanku4549]

They taste strange.