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    Home » Wild Mushroom Recipes

    Puffball Mushroom Jerky

    Published: Mar 5, 2022 Modified: Feb 2, 2023 by Alan Bergo This post may contain affiliate links 4 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Cooked puffball mushrooms have a soft texture that some people don't like, but there's a lot more that you can do with those giant white orbs than toss them in a pan or bread and fry them.

    This wild puffball mushroom jerky recipe is one of the best things I've made with puffballs for people that don't care for the mushrooms cooked fresh. Since it's a meat-free jerky, it's also a good vegan mushroom recipe.

    Puffball Mushroom Jerky in a cup

    The method is similar to other mushroom jerky's I've made: cook some mushrooms, soak them in a marinade, then dehydrate, but, because puffballs are white, they take a little longer to soak up the marinade and become evenly colored, and they need to be stirred here and there over the course of a few days to ensure a nice, evenly colored jerky.

    The finished jerky has a great texture that is honestly better than most of the mushroom jerkys I've tried. Puffball's puffy, airy texture, especially after cooking and being pressed down with a palm of your hand or a rolling pin make for a mushroom jerky that's much more tender and pliable than one made from, say, hen of the woods, which are arguably the most popular mushroom jerky I've seen. 

    Works with fresh or cooked frozen mushrooms

    Just like other mushroom jerkys, you can make these with fresh mushrooms straight from the field, or cooked, frozen puffballs, so it's a good way to free up some space if you got a little happy during mushroom season, as I often do. 

    Puffball Mushroom Jerky in a cup

    More

    Puffball Mushrooms

    Vegetarian and Vegan Mushroom Recipes

    Puffball Mushroom Jerky Recipe
    Print Recipe
    4.84 from 6 votes

    Puffball Mushroom Jerky

    Mushroom jerky made from puffball mushrooms.
    Prep Time15 mins
    Cook Time30 mins
    Drying time5 hrs
    Total Time5 hrs 45 mins
    Course: Appetizer, Snack
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: Jerky, Mushroom Jerky, Puffball Mushrooms
    Servings: 6 Servings
    Calories: 131kcal
    Author: Alan Bergo

    Equipment

    • Dehydrator

    Ingredients

    • 1-2 lbs Fresh, firm, perfectly white puffball mushrooms You can also use cooked frozen puffballs

    Jerky Marinade

    • 1 ½ cups soy sauce
    • 1 ½ cups worchesterchire
    • ½ cup water
    • ½ cup maple syrup
    • 1 Tablespoon hot sauce or more to taste
    • 2 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh garlic
    • 1 Tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger
    • 1 Tablespoon onion powder
    • 1 Tablespoon smoked paprika

    Instructions

    • Combine the jerky marinade ingredients and puree in a blender, then strain and reserve.
    • Cut the puffballs into slices as thin as you can (it's ok if they're not perfect). Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add the puffball slices, working in batches if needed and cook for a minute or so, or until just wilted and pliable. Remove the mushrooms to a colander to drain and cool until you can handle them.
    • Press the puffballs with your palm to flatten them out and release excess water. Cut the cooked puffball slices into 1 inch long strips, then combine with the marinade and refrigerate for at least 3-4 days, and up to a week, stirring the puffballs at least once a day to ensure they absorb the marinade and are evenly colored.
    • Dry the mushrooms at 100 F, or until completely dried, but still pliable-about 5-6 hours. If the mushrooms become brittle, you dried them at too hot of a temperature. Use your instincts here.
    • Store the finished jerky in a zip-top bag in the fridge for the longest shelf life.

    Notes

    This recipe will cure about 2 lbs of mushrooms at a time, and can be re-used for multiple batches. It’s very important not to dry the mushrooms at too high of a temperature, which can make them brittle, blood-drawing splinters, as opposed to pliable, chewy jerky.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 0.5oz | Calories: 131kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 0.5g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.03g | Sodium: 400mg | Potassium: 462mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 575IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 2mg
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Charlie DeSando

      March 06, 2022 at 12:38 pm

      5 stars
      Very interesting recipe 👌

      Reply
    2. Jan

      June 12, 2022 at 4:35 pm

      5 stars
      looks really tasty! i used pheasant back mushrooms instead, and they’re marinading right now! can’t wait to try the jerky 😊

      Reply
    3. James

      September 24, 2022 at 4:02 pm

      How long do they last?

      Reply
      • Alan Bergo

        September 25, 2022 at 1:13 pm

        A long time.

        Reply

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    Chef Alan Bergo

    HI, I'm Alan: James Beard Award-winning Chef, Author, Show Host and Forager. I've been writing about cooking wild food here for over a decade. Let me show you why foraging is the most delicious thing you'll ever do.

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