The chestnut boletus (Xerocomus badius) is a tasty edible mushroom that is often found under spruce trees. It is often confused with the porcini mushroom, but you can tell the two species apart with a simple test: in contrast to the non-discolouring porcini mushroom, the flesh of the chestnut bolete turns blue when pressed or cut. It can also be confused with the non-poisonous but inedible gall boletus (Tylopilus felleus). In some regions, the chestnut boletus is also known as the brown cap.
Brown Caps are often infested with maggots
Be careful, maggots!
The chestnut mushroom prefers to grow on acidic soils near spruces, but is also often found under pines and beeches. A typical identification mark is the smooth, chestnut-brown hat. This is covered with a slightly greasy layer. Like other boletus, the brown cap is very popular with snails and maggots. While you can simply cut away the snails' feeding spots, the maggots are usually inside. You should therefore cut open the chestnut boletuses you have collected in the forest lengthwise and examine the mushrooms for possible infestation. As a rule, you can leave larger specimens - they are already too badly infested - and should only take the young ones with you. You can carry out a rough pre-cleaning at the collection point.
Cleaning the chestnut boletus - you have to pay attention to this
At home, the chestnut boletus is to be cleaned and processed immediately. Thoroughly cleaned, you can store the fresh mushrooms in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator for another three to four days. However, it is better to prepare them immediately and/or freeze them raw if necessary. The best way to prepare is as follows:
- Cut off the bottom, hard part of the stalk.
- Cut away gnawed and other damaged areas.
- The stalk quickly becomes woody and spoils the enjoyment of the mushroom.
- Peel off the hat skin.
- Remove the mushroom sponge.
- Clean the mushrooms with a knife and a damp cloth.
- Do not wash chestnut mushrooms as they absorb a lot of water.
Caution is also required in the event of an infestation of gold mold: this poisonous mold is often found on larger chestnut mushrooms. Affected specimens are no longer edible and should therefore be left where they are.
tips
The chestnut fungus is a mycorrhizal fungus and usually lives in symbiosis with spruce, but also with other tree species. For this reason, it cannot be grown in the home garden. Nonetheless, you can purchase brown cap mushroom growing kits. However, this is the red-brown giant sapling (Stropharia rugosoannulata).