On this website, you will find useful information and
delicious recipes for our famous 'King-Oh' mushrooms.

Oooooh... Sooooo... GOOD!

At King-Oh, our king oyster mushrooms, Pleurotus eryngii, are grown in sterile medium in a climatically controlled environment at our state-of-the-art facility making them available to you year round through our retail location, local specialty markets or mail order.

The name 'Oyster Mushroom' comes from the appearance and has nothing to do with the taste. Sometimes called 'Royal Trumpet' Mushrooms because of the shape they take on as they mature. They are also know as the 'Abalone' Mushroom as it's texture and consistency is similar and can be substituted for abalone in many Asian stir-fry recipes (see our recipe for 'Phony Abalone' under Recipes).

Oyster mushrooms have a white stem and a creamy cap. They are grown largely for their thick meaty edible stem which has a firm but tender texture and a sweet mild taste. This makes them easily adaptable to your favorite mushroom recipe.

Younger vs. Older:
Young oyster mushrooms have caps and are more tender & mild. As they mature, the cap turns into a trumpet shape which fans out from the stem. Mature oyster mushrooms are considerably larger and will be chewier but tend to be sweeter and have more flavor. Use either in your recipes as the advantage lies in your preference of texture and flavor and also in the fact that some recipes may be more suited for one over the other. We harvested them at all stages of growth so their shelf life will also be dependent upon when they were harvested and not just on how mature they are.

What to look for when buying oyster mushrooms:
Look for firm, plump, white stems (not soft, slimy, shriveled or browning). The cap should be as intact as possible, not too moist with no brown edges. Avoid very large tops with opened ribs. Oyster mushrooms should have a pleasant smell (no sour or strong odors).

Storage:
Oyster mushrooms can keep for up to 2 weeks in your refrigerator. We recommend one of the following ways:

• They may be left in their original plastic wrap or a plastic bag.
• You can store them in the sealed produce bin of your refrigerator.
• You can store them in a container covered with a moist towel (re-moisten as needed).
• You can store them in a paper bag with the end closed.

Which ever method you choose, adding a moistened paper towel under the mushrooms may also help to extend their storage life.

TIP: For maximum storage life, store them tops up on a moistened paper towel. Rotate them ocassionally to keep any mushroom edges from prolong contact with plastic wrap or container surfaces (re-moistened towel as needed).

Cooking & Preparation Tips:

• King-Oh Mushrooms are grown naturally in a sterile controlled environment so give them only a light rinse or wipe them with a moistened cloth, if desired.
• If not already done, cut the stems just above the base (discard base).
• Try splitting the oyster mushroom in half by hand lengthwise and then peel like string cheese into 1/4" to 1/2" strips. Use strips for stir-frying, sauteing, side dishes, or deep frying (see our recipe for French Fries Mushrooms).
• Try lightly micro-waving oyster mushrooms to sweat them prior to use in some recipes (do not overcook in the microwave). This method also 'pre-shrinks' them slightly and keeps them from robbing all the liquid or oils from the pan while sauteing.
• Because the stems are denser than the mushroom tops, in some recipes try giving the stems a little head start in cooking time over the tops. OR separate the stems from the tops and use them each individually in recipes that suit one over the other.

Suggestions for Use:

• Because of the oyster mushroom's firm meaty texture, use them as the entrees for lunch or dinner.
• Experiment with some recipes by substituting 'King-Oh Mushrooms' in place of red meat for restricted or vegetarian diets.

For questions or comments, please contact us at: info@kingoh.com