Oyster Mushrooms
Estimated Inventory, 5 lbs : 48.55
This item was last sold on : 07/07/25
Description/Taste
Oyster mushrooms are medium to large in size with caps averaging 5-25 centimeters in diameter and a very short or non-existent stem. The caps are broad and fan-like, ranging in color from dark gray, brown, tan, pink, to yellow, and have curled edges that become wavy and lobed with maturity. White gills extend from beneath the cap, and the flesh is white, meaty, and firm. Oyster mushrooms have a slightly chewy texture and are soft with a bittersweet aroma reminiscent of anise. When cooked, they have a mild and nutty, seafood-like flavor.
Seasons/Availability
Oyster mushrooms are available year-round, with a peak season in the late summer through fall.
Current Facts
Oyster mushroom is a general descriptor used to refer to three different species of fungi including Pleurotus ostreatus, Pleurotus pulmonarius, and Pleurotus populinus, which all belong to the Pleurotaceae family. Oyster mushrooms get their name from an uncanny resemblance in appearance and taste to fresh-shucked oysters. Found growing on decaying wood, especially beech and aspen trees, Oyster mushrooms grow in stacked layers in a shelf-like formation and are found in many different temperate forests across the world. Oyster mushrooms are one of the most cultivated mushrooms in the world along with shiitake and button mushrooms and are extremely versatile in flavor melding with many different cuisines and culinary applications.
Nutritional Value
Oyster mushrooms contain vitamin B6 and D, fiber, potassium, and folate. They also contain an antioxidant called ergothioneine, which can help decrease inflammation in the body.
Applications
Oyster mushrooms are best suited for cooked applications such as frying, stir-fry, and braising, as up to ten percent of the population could have a slight allergic reaction to eating the fungus raw. They can be cooked and added to soups, chowders, sauces, egg dishes, tarts, pasta, lasagna, and pizza. They can also be fried for tempura, fried into vegan calamari, used as a substitute in mock-oyster Rockefeller, or stuffed into dumplings. Oyster mushrooms cook relatively quickly and are typically added at the end of the cooking process. They are popularly used in many Asian dishes in Japanese, Korean, and Chinese cuisine. They can also be dried for extended use and do not have to be rehydrated before using. Oyster mushrooms pair well with onions, shallots, green onions, garlic, ginger, potatoes, thyme, parsley, peas, green beans, eggplant, sherry, soy sauce, tofu, scallops, poultry, lemon, and spaghetti. They are extremely perishable and are recommended to be used immediately for optimum flavor and quality. They can also be stored in a paper bag in the refrigerator for a very short time.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Oyster mushrooms are one of the only few carnivorous mushrooms, feeding on bacteria and nematodes, which are small roundworms, to obtain nitrogen for growth. They also grow rapidly on decaying wood, contributing to a faster rate of decomposition which helps add additional minerals back into the ecosystem. With this ability, Oyster mushrooms are being studied as an alternative way to clean toxins from the environment. While further research needs to be completed before assessments can be made, scientists are hopeful these mushrooms can offer a safe and effective way to remove unwanted toxins from designated areas on a small scale.
Geography/History
Oyster mushrooms are native to Europe, North America, and Asia and have been growing wild since ancient times. They were first recorded and classified in 1775 by Dutch naturalist Nikolaus Joseph Freiherr Von Jacquin and were later reclassified in 1871 by German mycologist Paul Kummer to the classification we are currently familiar with. Oyster mushrooms were also commercially cultivated beginning in the 1940s, and today China is one of the largest exporters of cultivated Oyster mushrooms. Oyster mushrooms can be found at local markets and specialty grocers in Asia, Europe, Australia, and North America.
Featured Restaurants
Restaurants currently purchasing this product as an ingredient for their menu.
| The Guild Hotel | San Diego CA | 619-764-5108 |
| American Pizza Manufacturing | La Jolla CA | 858-246-6756 |
| Seneca | San Diego CA | 619-588-2411 |
| Hasta Manana Cantina | San Diego CA | 619-276-6700 |
| US Grant Hotel Main | San Diego CA | 619-232-3121 |
| Sepulveda Meats & Provisions | San Diego CA | 619-501-1878 |
| Catania La Jolla | La Jolla CA | 619-884-5350 |
| InterContinental Vistal Kitchen | San Diego CA | 619-501-9400 |
| Sandpiper Wood Fired Grill & Oysters | La Jolla CA | 858-228-5655 |
| Cellar Hand | San Diego CA | 334-689-2388 |
| Cocina de Barrio Point Loma | San Diego CA | 858-349-2313 |
| Kitchens for Good - Culinary Program | San Diego CA | 619-450-4040 |
| Georges at the Cove | San Diego CA | 858-454-4244 |
| The Bower | Coronado CA | 949-212-3192 |
| Top of the Market | San Diego CA | 619-234-4867 |
| The Glen at Scripps Ranch | San Diego CA | 858-444-8500 |
| Boujiemana | San Diego CA | 415-710-0510 |
| Bernardo Heights Country Club | San Diego CA | 858-487-4022 |
| C 2 C | San Diego CA | 619-972-9345 |
| Fortunate Son | San Diego CA | 619-806-6121 |
| Dot Cafe | San Diego CA | 914-263-1424 |
| Bar Ella | San Diego CA | 858-808-2286 |
| Mille Fleurs | Rancho Santa Fe CA | 858-756-3085 |
| Choi's | San Diego CA | 858-900-1224 |
| Vulture / Dreamboat | San Diego CA | 858-342-3609 |
| Cocina de Barrio NP | San Diego CA | 858-349-2313 |
| Corbeaux Wine & Tea House | Temecula CA | 909-567-6109 |
| Pamplemousse Grill | Solana Beach CA | 858-792-9090 |
| Third Corner Encinitas | Encinitas CA | 760-942-2104 |
| Barbarella La Jolla | La Jolla CA | 858-454-7373 |
| Eddie V's La Jolla - EV# 8511 | La Jolla CA | 858-459-5500 |
| Cocina De Barrio | San Diego CA | 760-840-1129 |
| LANA | Solana Beach CA | 602-758-2596 |
| Happy Medium SD | San Diego CA | 509-869-2279 |
| Fish Guts | San Diego CA | 619-888-0081 |
| US Grant Hotel Grill | San Diego CA | 619-232-3121 |
| Carbon | San Diego CA | 702-423-3807 |
| Sycuan Casino | El Cajon CA | 619-445-6002 |
| Donna Jean | San Diego CA | 619-392-0052 |
| Valentina | Encinitas CA | 207-522-1937 |
| Duke's La Jolla | La Jolla CA | 858-454-1999 |
| Harvest Kitchen | Vista CA | 619-709-0938 |
| Hotel Republic San Diego | San Diego CA | 951-756-9357 |
| Marisi La Jolla | La Jolla CA | 951-852-6730 |
| Firefly Beach | San Diego CA | 619-222-6440 |
| Lucky Bolt | San Diego CA | 662-832-3638 |
| Sheraton Carlsbad (7 Mile) | Carlsbad CA | 760-827-2400 |
| Hotel Indigo | San Diego CA | 619-295-3172 |
| Juniper & Ivy | San Diego CA | 858-481-3666 |
| Cocina de Barrio Encinitas | Encinitas CA | 760-840-1129 |
| Louisiana Purchase | San Diego CA | 619-255-8278 |
| Word of Mouth Kitchen | San Diego CA | 858-705-3752 |
| Farm Fresh Meals | Vista CA | 760-707-2383 |
| Wolf In the Woods | San Diego CA | 619-851-7275 |
| Craft House Sky Deck | San Diego CA | 619-948-4458 |
| Communion | San Diego CA | 619-606-5568 |
| Prager Brothers Artisan Bread | Carlsbad CA | 760-445-9536 |
| Fishery | San Diego CA | 858-272-9985 |
| Armonia LLC | San Diego CA | 619-724-7210 |
| Parkhouse Eatery | San Diego CA | 619 295 7275 |
| Poseidon on the Beach | Del Mar CA | 858-755-9345 |
| The Wild Thyme Company | San Diego CA | 858-527-0226 |
| Nobu | San Diego CA | 619-814-4124 |
| Spirit of Adventure Sportfishing | San Diego CA | 619-454-9711 |
| Toast Catering | San Diego CA | 619-795-9135 |
| Grass Skirt | San Diego CA | 858-412-5237 |
| Campfire | Carlsbad CA | 760-637-5121 |
| Mister A's | San Diego CA | 619-239-1377 |
| Wayfarer Bread | La Jolla CA | 805-709-0964 |
| Polaris Supreme | San Diego CA | 619-390-7890 |
| Bali Hai Restaurant | San Diego CA | 619-222-1181 |
| Lodge at Torrey Pines Main | San Diego CA | 858-453-4420 |
| Ciccia Osteria | San Diego CA | 619-674-4069 |
| La Jolla Country Club | San Diego CA | 858-454-9601 |
| Herb & Wood | San Diego CA | 520-205-1288 |
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