Create a Flavorful Recipe with Blue Oyster Mushroom: Taste, Nutrition, Benefits, Growing, & Effects

Have you heard of the succulent blue oyster mushroom? Yup? Would you like to grow it at home? Yeah yeah?? But do you know how to do it the easy way? Number? Do not worry.

We’re here to inspire you to take those giant and delicious looking gray blue oysters right where you’re comfortable.

We mentioned its uses, nutritional value, health benefits, and some mouth-watering divine recipes as a bonus.

Here you go:

Blue Oyster Mushroom

What is blue oyster mushroom?

Blue oyster mushrooms or Pleurotus ostreatus, native to Germany (Western Europe), are among the most cultivated mushrooms worldwide.

It is a species of the Pleurotaceae family. The blue color of the bark-like cap matures to gray, contrasting nicely with the pale body.

Why is it called a blue oyster? Their caps look like an oyster in color and shape, hence the name blue oyster mushroom.

They were first bred in Germany during World War I and can be widely found in North America and all over the world.

They grow well in cold weather but can also be grown in a temperate environment with proper care and humidity. In fact, blue oysters are known as one of the easiest to grow edible mushrooms at home.

But isn’t it a fungus? Can you eat blue mushrooms?

Yes, they definitely belong to kingdom mushrooms, but they are not poisonous like yellow mushrooms. They are also used in Asian cuisine and a variety of dishes that call for a meaty and rich broth consistency.

We’ll get into that later, but first, let’s have a taste as many of us want to grow them on our own.

Blue Oyster Mushroom Taste

So, how do blue oyster mushrooms taste?

They have a delicious, meaty texture that can add a subtle woody and earthy hint to the dish if cooked properly. They’re not overpowering and are perfect for adding richness to stews, soups, steak or cream of pasta recipes.

Cooked oyster mushrooms are chewy and nutty in taste, similar to anise instead of caraway seeds.

Uncooked blue oysters, like other mushrooms, can have a sticky texture with a peculiar seafood odor. However, it is not sharp or foul.

If your oyster blue smells fishy or smells like ammonia, it’s time to ditch those succulent caps.

Their taste is often compared to pearl oyster mushrooms. Also, both have a similar mild flavor and meat-like texture during cooking.

Blue Oyster Mushrooms Nutrition

These blue mushrooms are often replaced with meat and fish in vegetarian dishes because of their similar taste and smell. Edible mushrooms also add good nutritional value to the recipe.

It is a great source of vitamins like riboflavin, niacin and pantothenic. You may also benefit from small amounts of thiamine, folate or B6.

Hot blue oysters are the best mushrooms that contain high amounts of vitamins (B, D), amino acids, minerals (potassium and iron), proteins and antioxidants.

You can consume 38 calories by eating 1 cup (86 grams) of blue oysters, which is 10 calories more than regular oyster mushrooms (28 calories per 86 grams).

All this nutrition has several benefits for the human body:

Blue Oyster Mushroom Health Benefits

The lower calorie consumption of the blue oyster makes it an ideal food choice for better heart health. It contains beneficial amounts of polysaccharides and dietary fiber that can support immunity.

Oyster mushrooms may also reduce cholesterol, inflammation, and the likelihood of breast cancer (fewer scientific studies support the claim).

Moderate consumption of oyster blue can also control blood pressure.

So, is eating blue oyster mushrooms good for health?

Yeah! It’s packed with nutrients, gluten-free, and has low sodium levels. Eating blue mushrooms can help ward off chronic diseases.

Uses of Blue Oyster Mushrooms

There are different ways to use blue oyster mushrooms for cooking, snacking or just to savor this delicious vegetable. They are also added dried or raw. However, the stem is often removed due to chewing tissue.

You can use them in many casseroles, soups, pasta and other dishes.

How can you use blue oyster mushrooms?

You can eat them individually as dinner or use them to decorate.

• Junk food:

Add your favorite seasonings, herbs and some oil to a pan filled with sliced blue clams. Put in the preheated oven for 20 minutes for delicious mushroom chips.

• Garniture:

Use the dried form to garnish your rice risotto or make mushroom toast with it. You can also throw it into your lasagna, pizza or other recipes.

You can also use it to modify or create unique dishes:

Blue Oyster Mushroom Recipe

Blue oyster recipes can be as simple as sautéing mushrooms or oiling a pan to make an entirely new dish with it.

It all depends on your taste, flavor and preference on how you want to consume them. Here are a few ways to use them in your recipes:

• Sauteed Mushrooms with Green Onion

It’s as simple as it sounds but can be changed in many dishes. First, you need to lightly fry in butter, blue oyster mushrooms (sliced or chopped), salt, purple garlic (or green), pepper and a little oil.

Then garnish with green onions to complete the versatile dish.

Note: You can also make it with any green onion substitute.

You can use it as a garnish for beef steaks to make it succulent, or put it in your favorite pasta recipe.

• Blue Oyster Mushroom Pasta

Umami blue oyster mushroom flavor can add a rich meaty flavor to any pasta. It is the perfect homemade dish for meat lovers and vegetarians.

Toast mushrooms with butter, garlic, onions, salt, milk (2 tbsp), olive oil, black pepper, meat (skip in veg version), and cayenne pepper.

Finally, add the boiled macaroni and mix it with the grated cheese. Top it with scallions and thyme to maximize flavor.

Bonus: Click through to find 15 types of cheese you can use to modify your pasta recipe.

Growing Blue Oyster Mushrooms

Growing blue oyster mushrooms is one of the easiest to do at home. Moreover, the freshness of home-grown blue oysters is truly unrivaled.

You produce several clusters of blue oysters, which you usually buy in the price range of $6 to $20. The better the quality, the higher the price.

They naturally grow on dead and rotting wood. However, to DIY the growing process, some prefer to use a commercial mushroom grow kit, while others prefer to do something on their own with:

• Spawn
• Hay
• Aspen Wood Chips
• Pickling Lime
• Bucket (with holes)
• Plastic Bag

Blue oysters are sensitive to CO2, humidity, light and air change. Whether you’re growing indoors or outdoors, be sure to provide the right oyster mushroom growing conditions to see them grow in clumps.

With proper growth, they will fill the bucket with thick fungal spores. So, how is it done? Let’s find out:

1. Take a dark 5 gallon bucket (to reflect the light) and drill ¼ holes every few inches (blue cap corks will come out of these holes). Also drill a 1/8 hole in the bottom for water drainage
2. Soak straw or poplar chips in hot water overnight (mix with optional pickling lime), then remove the water.
3. Put the chips and oyster mushroom spawn (5 spawns) in the bucket. Repeat layering and be sure to keep the chips or straw as the top layer.
4. Leave the prepared kit in a dark place and allow the fungi to colonize. You can also cover it with a black plastic bag or have a humidifier next to it to ensure adequate humidity (more than 70%).
5. Also, keep the growing temperature between 15°C (59°F) and 21°C (70°F).

Note: If you are using old mushroom spawn, be sure to remove the molds.

A video demonstration of growing blue oyster mushrooms:

After 2 to 3 weeks you may start to notice baby oyster mushrooms growing out of the holes. So how do you know when to harvest oyster mushrooms?

The simple tip is when you notice the blue mushrooms starting to curl. This means they are about to quit or quit sports. It’s the perfect time to harvest oyster mushrooms.

But how to cut oyster mushrooms?

Simply choose a sharp knife and cut the clump (take the mushrooms as a whole).

After harvesting the blue oyster mushroom, take the material inside the bucket and place it on a wicker bed to get second growth.

Now that you’ve finished harvesting the blue oyster mushrooms, here comes the warehouse. So how can you store oyster mushrooms?

Well, there are two ways to do this:

• Put the blue oysters in a plastic bag and store in the refrigerator. They will have a fresh taste for 6-7 days.
• Put the blue mushrooms (without washing) in a brown bag without cutting and cover. Put this in the refrigerator for longevity of freshness.

Blue Oyster Mushroom Effects

Since these are an edible mushroom variety, eating blue oyster mushrooms has no particular effect.

However, it is not recommended to be consumed raw as it may cause digestive problems or some allergic reactions.

Also, eat enough, otherwise you may get stomach ache. Before using mushrooms, always wash them with clean water and cook them properly to remove toxins.

Are blue oyster mushrooms psychedelic?

Psychedelic mushrooms are mushrooms containing Psilocybin, which is converted into psilocin after digestion. They are among the magic mushrooms, also called hallucinogenic mushrooms.

Since the blue oyster is not a member of the magic mushroom family, it is difficult to say whether it is hallucinatory or not.

Honestly, it really depends on the person consuming it. Some may experience the blue mushroom journey, some may not.

Final Thoughts

That’s it for us, gourmets!

You have a complete guide to learn all about the taste, uses, recipes, benefits, cultivation and effects of the succulent blue oyster mushroom.

Did we miss something? Have a specific question you want to ask? Let us know in the comments below.

Finally, before you leave, check out our other blogs for more such in-depth guides.