A Chef’s Recipe for Pickled Chanterelle Mushrooms

This chef’s recipe uses season chanterelles to make the best pickled mushrooms in minutes.

There’s a story behind these pickled chanterelle mushrooms.

Don’t worry I won’t get into it because I know people hate scrolling through personal stories to get to a recipe.

I love this recipe so much that when I ended a chaotic relationship with a chef I felt that I deserved it as a parting gift. Believe me it was the least he could do.

And I feel like in every relationship there’s something to learn, something to take away. I learned a lot about pickling and quickly became addicted as it makes every meal better.

My favourite pickle recipes

• Pickled Ramps
• Pickled Blueberries are a game changer
• Pickled Green Strawberries
• Sweet and Spicy Pickled Rhubarb

It’s so easy. So simple. And pickling mushrooms is a chef trick that every home cook can easily recipe.

Where to Find Chanterelle Mushrooms

The first time I tried them it was foraging wild mushrooms in Spain. They are common there and locals took me to their special spot.

I can’t tell you where it was but a good forager never reveals their secret.

In the US you can find chanterelles (Cantharellus species) all year round. But in Canada they arrive in time for autumn foraging along with morels.

   

Foraging is one of my favorite things in the world and probably what I miss most about not living in Canada. You go out in nature and you’re rewarded with free things!

But if you’ve never gone before I recommend read this post on foraging wild food.

And go with someone or a group because lots of wild food can make you sick.

There are a number of different kinds of chanterelle mushrooms. They do not all look the same. And there are “false” chanterelles you do not want to eat and Jack O Lanterns are toxic.

This is a great video about the difference.

If you want to make it simple and safe, go support local foragers at your weekly farmer’s market. It isn’t free but you can eat mushrooms worry free.

How to Clean Chanterelle Mushrooms

1. To clean chanterelle mushrooms, gently brush off any loose dirt. Use a soft brush or cloth.
2. Rinse the mushrooms briefly under cool running water to remove remaining dirt. Avoid soaking them.
3. Trim the tough ends of the stems with a sharp knife. Remove any damaged or bruised parts.
4. Check for any small insects or debris hidden in the folds. Rinse again if needed.
5. Once cleaned, they are ready to be pickled.

Quick Pickled Chanterelles vs Canned Mushrooms

This depends on how many chanterelles you have and when you want to use them.

Personally I always prefer a quick pickle because they hold their texture better.

Also if you’ve never pressure canned food before, find it intimidating, or don’t have space for bottles I think it’s a great introduction to pickles as it’s 10 minutes of work.

But quick pickles only last a week. So if you want to eat pickled chanterelles all year round you need to can them. But they must be pressure canned not water bath.

A great compromise is doing a bit of both because chanterelles all year round is such a delight.