Pheasant Back

[Mid-Lake Rock]

Found this and think it is a pheasant back. The experts say it smells like watermelon and my nose says yes. I'd like input. Thanks.

[Tom Sawyer]

Yeah, go ahead and chow down, that's what it is.I think they're pretty tasty.

[snapcrackpop]

We are this one.

[DrJuice1980]

Found some yesterday, cooked them up and threw it in the garbage. It was like shoe leather. Is there a certain way to cook or did I get a couple of bad ones? I remember finding one last year and it not being so tough. I took the skin off, cut the stem off and the hard stuff around it.

[TigerBlood]

You have to take the small/young/fresh ones. The bigger/older they are - the tougher they are. Also, cut away anything that feels "tough" i.e. around the stem/core. You should be able to tell by how your knife passes through it when slicing.

I had one a couple days ago. It was smaller than my open hand and it was very tender. I sliced it into 1/4 inch strips and fried in butter with salt/pepper. It was pretty good - had the consistency of a portobello. Next time I'd add some garlic/shallot as well to enhance, but it was fine on it's own too.

[DrJuice1980]

I'll try it again. This one felt a little softer and less of a pancake.

[pikestabber]

Do these grow out of rotten wood or out of the ground? I know I've seen them before but can't remember...

[Deitz Dittrich]

Rotted wood usually. Wetter seems to be better.

[pushbutton]

Wood.....deader the better....so may look like ground sometimes, but just really rotten host then.

Edit ....Juice, those look pretty big. If you don't get them really young....you described them perfect as ....shoe leather. Mid lake rock's pic looks about the right size to pick. If not smaller.

[pushbutton]

Ha....beat me dietz...how's it going?

[DrJuice1980]

Actually the one pictured tasted great and not leathery at all. Felt like the knife went through cleaner too. I guess I'll keep getting these cause I'm striking out on the morels hard.

[Deitz Dittrich]

Pushbut- things are going well, kinda.. LOL I'm in the process of writing my capstone for my masters degree, which has eaten into a lot of my funtime. Other than that, things are well.

[pushbutton]

Well thats no fun! School schmool. Sometimes it's easier to be dumb

Glad that one worked out for ya Juice. Your not alone with the no go on the mo's. Things should start popping better by the end of the week.

[Stick in Mud]

I've put on about 30 miles the last three days, all to no avail. Not a single oyster or morel to be seen. I did find one chunk of pheasant back which I brought home for a consolation meal, but that's it.