King trumpet mushrooms are known by many names. It can go as King Oyster mushroom, King brown mushroom, and trumpet royale’ among others. It got its name from its size. It is the largest in the oyster mushroom species and unlike the other oyster mushroom variants, it is prized for its stem rather than its cap. The stems can be grilled and are said to have the texture of very tender squid or scallops. The stems of the King trumpet mushroom can grow up to 20 cm long and have a diameter of up to five centimeters. King trumpet mushrooms are extremely popular in many Asian countries due to its abalone-like flavor and affordability.
King Trumpet Mushroom Trivia
- King trumpet mushrooms are a popular vegan “scallop” with its texture and taste being near that to abalone or scallop.
- Due to its size, king trumpet mushrooms can be prepared as a main dish, a side dish, or even a snack.
- Unlike other mushrooms that are usually added to other dishes, king trumpet mushrooms are usually the star of their own dishes.
- King trumpet mushrooms have been said to contain chemicals that stimulate and strengthen the immune system.
King Trumpet Mushroom Buying Guide
Because of its size, it’s very easy to select the best king trumpet mushrooms when shopping for it.
- King trumpet mushrooms should smell clean and fresh rather than moldy or musty. If you get an “off” smell from king trumpet mushrooms then move on to the next one.
- The mushroom stem should be plump and without any signs of drying up or shriveling. This is an excellent indication of the freshness of the product.
- Give it a good press, king trumpet mushroom stems should be firm and should not be limp or squishy.
As for differentiation with other mushroom types, it’s almost impossible to mistake king trumpet mushrooms for any other mushroom variety.
King Trumpet Mushroom Production & Farming in Texas
King trumpet mushrooms are one of the mushroom varieties that are commonly grown by many mushroom growers due to their high price and popularity with restaurants. To find king trumpet mushrooms in Texas, all you need to do is go to a gourmet specialty store or to your local farmers market and you should find freshly harvested king trumpet mushrooms ready for cooking.
Of course, if you want to try and forage these mushrooms yourself, you should contact your local mycological societies for help and guidance because if there’s one thing you can’t do by trial and error, it’s foraging mushrooms. When foraging for mushrooms, 99.99% identification is not enough, it must be 100% identification or none at all.
Packaging:
Because of their size, king trumpet mushrooms are packed by piece (or two) in plastic trays with cling film wrapped over it to protect it from air exposure and contamination.
Enjoying King Trumpet Mushrooms
As we mentioned earlier, king trumpet mushrooms are the stars of their own dishes. They’re best when grilled or roasted as this infuses it with a nice smoky flavor that complements its seafood-like taste. They can also be chopped up and used as a meat substitute.
Storage:
In their original packaging, king trumpet mushrooms can last for up to ten days in the refrigerator. Once taken out from their packaging, the next best way to store them would be in paper bags, of course, still in the fridge. All fresh mushrooms have to be stored in the fridge.
Make Your own King Trumpet Scallop Skewers:
In Japan, the most popular way to serve king trumpet scallops is just to slit them in half down the middle and liberally brush them with yakitori sauce while grilling. Of course, this wouldn’t be Texas Real Food if we didn’t add a Texan twist to the recipe. We’ll be adding bacon strips in between the mushroom “scallops” to kick the flavor up a notch. The bacon will crisp up while grilling and the mushrooms will absorb the oils being released by the bacon, infusing it with a lovely bacon flavor.
Ingredients:
King Trumpet Mushrooms, 500g
Bacon, 340g
Bottled Teriyaki sauce
Step 1:
Cut the mushrooms into one-inch-thick pieces, set aside. Cut the bacon into one-inch pieces and set aside.
Step 2:
Skewer the mushrooms and the bacon alternately on wooden or metal skewers and season with salt and pepper.
Step 3:
Grill the skewers over charcoal until the mushroom is done. Brush with teriyaki sauce just before taking off the grill and allow to caramelize for half a minute.
Step 4:
Serve and enjoy!
When Are King Trumpet Mushroom in Season in Texas?
To find out when King Trumpet Mushroom are in season in Texas, please check the seasonal chart below. Why is this important? We are rarely encouraged to think about the physical lengths our food travels before arriving on the market shelves. And all of this travel comes with a hefty environmental cost that is concealed from the consumer’s eye. One of the most salient benefits to eating seasonally is that you are effectively reducing your carbon footprint and supporting a more geographically sustainable food economy. Check other fruit and veg that’s in season in Texas now.
