06-05-2025
Morel mushrooms are in season! Here's where they can be found (and how to cook them)
OSSEO — The 29th Annual Osseo Heritage Day and Great Mushroom Hunt returns this Saturday, May 10, with the hunt and morel mushroom auction.
Organizers have lined-up a full day of events with chainsaw carving, vendor booths and food trucks, as enthusiasts take to the woods around Hillsdale County in search of spring morels.
Mushroom headquarters will be located half a mile east of Jefferson Township Hall in Osseo.
Foraging for morel mushrooms can be a great way to get active and explore nature. While enthusiasts hold their hot-spots close to the chest, new foragers should be mindful of the dangers of 'false morels.'
What is a morel mushroom?
Morels are a wild mushroom with an earthy, nutty flavor, according to with a meat texture. They cannot be grown on farms.
Where can morel mushrooms be found?
Morel mushrooms have a short growing season in the spring and are often found in wooded areas near dead or dying trees, near ferns, and along riversides, according to
Beware…
'False morels' may look similar to the real thing but are often poisonous. These lookalikes can be a reddish-brown or yellow color and aren't hollow like legitimate morels.
What is the best way to cook a morel mushroom?
Morel mushrooms need to be cleaned in cold water to help remove dirt, debris and any insects that might've been foraged with the mushroom. Once they're cleaned, remove the stem and slice the morels in half lengthwise, then give them another rinse, according to Morel mushrooms should be cooked on high heat using butter or oil for sauteing.
— Contact reporter Corey Murray at cmurray@ or follow him on X, formerly Twitter: @cmurrayHDN.
This article originally appeared on Hillsdale Daily News: Morel foragers invited to Great Mushroom Hunt in Osseo on May 10
