




Yellow Oyster Mushrooms
Inventory, lb : 0
This item was last sold on : 12/15/21
Food Buzz: History of Mushrooms |
Description/Taste
Yellow oyster mushrooms are small to medium in size with caps averaging 2-6 centimeters in diameter and are attached to a short or nonexistent stem. The thin, dry, smooth caps are daffodil yellow, semi-circular, and look like small petals clustered and layered into a small bouquet. When young, the caps are flat, and with age, they begin to curl and become convex with wavy edges. Underneath the caps, there are many soft, short, white gills that connect to an ivory white, small stem. Yellow oyster mushrooms have a fruity aroma reminiscent of an aged red wine and are velvety, crisp, and chewy. When raw, Yellow oyster mushrooms can be somewhat bitter, but when cooked, they developed a balanced, nutty flavor similar to the flavor of cashews.
Seasons/Availability
Wild Yellow oyster mushrooms are available in the fall through winter, while the cultivated versions are available year-round.
Current Facts
Yellow oyster mushrooms, botanically classified as Pleurotus citrinopileatus, are a fragile, edible variety that is both cultivated and found growing in the wild and is a member of the Pleurotaceae family. Also known as Golden oyster mushrooms, Il’mak in Russian, and Tamgitake in Japanese, Yellow oyster mushrooms grow in tightly layered, non-uniformed clumps on hardwood trees such as beech, oak, and elm in warm climates. Native to Asia, these mushrooms cannot be commercially cultivated on a large scale due to their short shelf life and fragile nature, but they are a favorite among home cultivators for their unusual color and nutty flavor. Yellow oyster mushrooms are prolific growers and can thrive on sawdust, coffee grounds, paper, compost, corn grounds, or straw. They can be used in a wide variety of culinary applications and are commonly used in stir-fries to add a chewy, tender texture.
Nutritional Value
Yellow oysters contain copper, zinc, and essential amino acids in varying amounts including folic acid, lovastatin, and carotenoids, which also gives the mushroom its vivid yellow color.
Applications
Yellow oyster mushrooms are best suited for cooked applications such as stir-frying, braising, boiling, or sautéing. Before cooking, the mushrooms should be gently cleaned with a brush or damp towel, and the stems may be quite bitter to some individuals, in which case they should be removed and discarded. It is also important to remember that the mushrooms should be cooked for a longer period of time as they retain water and the water needs time to be cooked off. Yellow oyster mushrooms can be sliced and cooked in soups, mixed into sauces, sautéed and served over steak, cooked into omelets, sprinkled over pizza, or cooked and served on toast. They can also be stir-fried with other vegetables, baked in a tart, or sautéed until crispy and then crumbled to create a mock buttery, bacon bits. These mushrooms are extremely versatile and can act as a substitute for button or other oyster mushrooms in many different recipes. Yellow oyster mushrooms pair well with poultry, seafood, steak, cilantro, thyme, parsley, rosemary, tarragon, garlic, garlic scapes, onion, leeks, fennel, arugula, white turnip, asparagus, bok choy, potatoes, lemon, brie, pine nuts, coconut milk, rice, noodles, quinoa, or barley. They have a very short shelf life and should be used immediately. If it is not possible to use the mushrooms immediately, they should be stored in a paper bag or between paper towels.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Oyster mushrooms are being researched for and have been used in several successful mycoremediations, which is the process of growing mushrooms to clean regions of the earth that may be overrun with toxins. Oyster mushrooms have been shown to clean soil of crude oil after oil spills, PCP (a wood preservative), wastewater, and pesticide-contaminated wastes. The mushrooms not only degrade the pollutants in the soil or water, but they also mineralize the pollutant so that it will return to the air as ammonia, carbon dioxide, chlorine, and water. While further research needs to be done before conclusions can be made, scientists are hopeful that the mushrooms can become a natural way to help clean the environment.
Geography/History
Yellow oyster mushrooms are native to eastern Russia, northern China, and Japan, and have become a wide-spread variety that has naturalized in many different western and northern hemisphere regions including North America. Today Yellow oyster mushrooms can be cultivated at home or found at local markets in Asia, Southeast Asia, Europe, and North America.
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Yellow Oyster Mushrooms. One

Recently Shared
People have shared Yellow Oyster Mushrooms using the Specialty Produce app for iPhone and Android.
Produce Sharing allows you to share your produce discoveries with your neighbors and the world! Is your market carrying green dragon apples? Is a chef doing things with shaved fennel that are out of this world? Pinpoint your location annonymously through the Specialty Produce App and let others know about unique flavors that are around them.
![]() About 27 days ago, 2/26/23 Sharer's comments : At Mountain Meadow Mushroom ![]() ![]()
Mountain Meadow Mushrooms
Near Fairbanks Ranch, California, United StatesEscondido, CA About 168 days ago, 10/09/22 ![]() ![]()
Mindful Mushrooms
Near San Diego, California, United StatesSan Diego, CA About 238 days ago, 7/30/22 ![]() ![]()
Mountain Meadow Mushrooms
Near Fairbanks Ranch, California, United StatesEscondido, CA About 328 days ago, 5/01/22 ![]() About 376 days ago, 3/15/22 ![]() ![]() About 461 days ago, 12/19/21 ![]() ![]()
Yellow Green Farmers Market
Near Hollywood, Florida, United States1940 N 30th Rd Hollywood FL 33021 877-523-8665 About 490 days ago, 11/20/21 ![]() ![]()
Golden Mushroom Co.
Near Coronado, California, United StatesOcean Beach, CA About 500 days ago, 11/10/21 ![]() ![]()
Mindful Mushrooms
Near San Diego, California, United StatesSan Diego, CA About 539 days ago, 10/02/21 |