A photo of a young boy hoisting a massive morel mushroom the size of his head has understandably gone viral. The image was posted by Jeremiah Wixson to the Facebook group Morel Mushroom Reports on May 1 and features a tailgate full of giant morels reportedly found along a fence line in Central Missouri.
“Good Lord,” one commenter wrote. “I thought that was a stack of firewood!”
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Morel mushrooms vary in size depending on location and growing conditions, ranging from thimble-sized to the size of a soda can. Few grow more than 4 inches, making the morels in Wixson’s photo true outliers. His haul on April 30 included several that appear close to a foot long and are bigger in diameter than the smiling boy’s arm. The post has garnered over 12,000 likes, 660 shares, and nearly 800 comments from interested foragers across the country. Wixson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Bigger isn’t always better, especially when it comes to morels. Several commenters noted that giant morels can be buggy or overripe, a concern echoed by foraging experts. But according to wild game chef and expert forager Rikki Folger, extra-large morels can be just as good as smaller ones. They may just require a little extra preparation before cooking.
“You always want to soak morels of any size in icy salt water for about 10 to 15 minutes to clean out all of the bugs, rocks, and everything little that can get stuck in the pores. Those things aren’t fun to eat,” Folger tells Outdoor Life. “But when the morels are that big, I also suggest slicing them in half to see what’s inside. Bugs and other creepy crawlies may be holding out in there.”
Folger also says that when morels grow to massive proportions, they can lose some of their naturally spongy texture. She suggests stuffing or frying larger morels.
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“You could also freeze-dry them and grind them up to make a morel powder for seasoning dishes,” Folger adds. “Risotto would be one delicious option for those morels.”
Whatever Wixson and his young helper plan to do with the monster morels they foraged, it’s a good thing they have photographic evidence.
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