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Baby goat mushrooms, or dry boletus mushrooms, are found almost everywhere in coniferous forests of temperate climates. It happens that inexperienced mushroom pickers confuse them with other edible mushrooms (common boletus, boletus or flywheel), or are even afraid to put them in a basket because they know nothing about them.In fact, fears about kids are unfounded: they are completely edible and do not have false poisonous counterparts. The taste of dry butter mushrooms may be less expressive than their famous ordinary “brothers,” but if you choose a good recipe and cook them correctly, the result will undoubtedly please lovers of mushroom dishes.
What do baby goat mushrooms look like?
A photo will help you understand what goat mushrooms are:
Dry oiler is a tubular mushroom. His hat is smooth, slightly flattened, yellow-brown, reddish-ocher or light beige in color. In young mushrooms, its edge is white, soft and slightly curved upward. The size of the cap is average, the diameter is from 3 to 9 cm. During the rainy season, its surface is slippery, slimy and a little sticky, but if the humidity is not increased, it is matte and dry.
The pores on the underside of the cap are yellow, olive-brown or grayish in color and look like small honeycombs. The spores are usually brown or brown.
The legs of kids are pale yellow, beige or brown. They are hollow, slightly curved, cylindrical. Their length varies from 3 to 11 cm.
What dry boletus (goat) looks like, where it is found and what distinctive features it has is shown in detail in the video:
What is another name for the goat mushroom?
Another popular name for dry oiler is goat, or kid. According to one version, it is called that because it is often found in meadows where goats are grazed.The second version of the origin of the name connects it with the fact that these mushrooms usually grow in groups, “like a goat with kids.”
When describing the dry oiler, its other popular nicknames are often used: reshetnik (because the lower part of the cap resembles a sieve), bogwort (since it often grows in swamps), sub-walnut grass, sheep grass, cow grass, fireweed, horned grass, devil.
Where do dry boletus grow?
Dry oiler is a mushroom that usually grows in dry coniferous forests, on acidic, sandy soils, in swampy areas or along roads. The geographical region of distribution of goat kids is the European and southern parts of Russia, the North Caucasus, the Far East, Siberia, and the Urals.
Are there false goat mushrooms in nature?
It is known that the false goat fungus does not occur in nature. However, below is a photo and description of peppercorn, a mushroom that is often confused with dry butterfly.
Pepper goats (pepper butter beetles) can be found in the same places as baby goats. They are united by the same season. This name is given to these mushrooms because of the peppery taste of their pulp.
The pepper cap can be 2-8 cm in diameter, its shape is convex-rounded. The surface color varies from copper-red to light brown or "rusty". It is dry, slightly velvety, glistening in the sun, but in rainy weather it becomes slimy, like that of a goat. The pulp is sulfur-yellow, loose, and breaks easily. The leg is 3-8 cm long, smooth, colored to match the cap, has a cylindrical shape, and can bend.
There is information that this mushroom is conditionally edible, it is mentioned as an appetizer for vodka, and there is also a spicy seasoning made from peppercorns that have been boiled for a long time. There is an opinion that peppercorn pulp is toxic due to the fact that it contains rare chemical compounds that are not destroyed by heat treatment and provoke cancer, as well as cirrhosis of the liver. But most sources still agree that it is inedible, although not poisonous: it is undesirable to collect it, however, if it accidentally ends up in a pan with goats, it will not spoil the dish.
The main differences between a dry oiler and a pepper grinder:
Sign | Dry butter (goats) | Pepperpots |
Leg color | Yellowish, beige, brown | Matches the cap, always yellow at the base |
Cap flesh color | Pinkish, creamy | Yellowish |
Taste of pulp | Soft | Sharp, sharp |
Tubular Layer Color | Yellow, olive brown, grayish | Same color as the cap, turns reddish-brown when pressed |
How they grow | More often in large groups | Infrequently and little by little |
Is baby goat mushroom edible or not?
Goat mushrooms are edible mushrooms, however, unlike common butter mushrooms, they do not have an expressive taste and aroma. At the same time, their chemical composition is quite rich (amino acids, sugars, carotene, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, vitamins A, B, D, PP), and they are easily absorbed by the human body. It is even believed that dry boletus has medicinal properties, since their pulp contains an antimicrobial substance - nebularin.
What is the difference between boletus and goat kids?
Butterfly and goat's milk are mushrooms that are quite easy to confuse. Both types can be safely eaten. However, the taste and aroma of dry butter is noticeably poorer than that of ordinary butter.
Characteristic signs of goat and butter mushrooms, which show their differences from each other:
Sign | Dry butter (goats) | Common boletus |
Ring (“skirt”) around the leg | Absent | Eat |
Cap shape | In young mushrooms it is neat, convex, reminiscent of a pillow; in older ones it becomes flatter and cracks | In young mushrooms - closer to the shape of a hemisphere; in older people it changes to more prostrate. Solid surface throughout the entire life cycle |
Cap color | Yellow-brown, ocher, beige | Yellow-brown, chocolate brown, gray-olive |
Pores of the tubular layer | Large, irregularly shaped | Small, round |
How to remove the skin from a cap | With difficulties | Relatively easy |
Where, when and how to collect kids
The goat harvest season can last from July to October depending on climate and weather conditions. Its peak usually occurs at the end of July or August. Most often, dry boletus grows in groups, but they can also be found alone. The best harvest can be harvested after heavy torrential rain.
It is recommended to cut young mushrooms that are strong and intact in appearance; for example, the dry butter dish in the photo:
In addition, kids are very often affected by worms without visible damage on the outside. To check whether a dry oiler is worm-free, the cap must be cut at the collection stage.
How to prepare baby goat mushrooms
Dry boletus mushrooms are universal-purpose mushrooms. They are fried, boiled, stewed, pickled, dried and frozen. Goat kids are used to prepare first and second courses, make seasonings, filling for pies, preserves for future use, and even make jam in syrup from fruit juice.
Before any type of culinary processing, dry boletus should be prepared: cleaned of dirt, trimmed off the tip of the stem, damaged or wormy areas, rinsed in cold water, and then soaked in warm water for 15-20 minutes. In most cases, they are pre-boiled and then the first broth is completely drained.
The following photos and descriptions of dishes that can be prepared from baby goat mushrooms will help you figure out how best to use the collected “booty.”
How to salt goats
To pickle dry butter mushrooms, you should select young mushrooms with the strongest, most beautiful caps.
The process of preparing salted goats is simple:
- it is necessary to rinse the dry oils, clean them of debris and dirt;
- pour mushrooms into boiling water, add 1 tsp. salt and cook for 20 minutes over low heat;
- drain the broth;
- Rinse the kids under running clean water, place in a colander and let drain;
- place the mushrooms in a prepared container for pickling, sprinkling with salt (60 g per 1 kg of kids);
- add spices to taste (chopped garlic cloves, horseradish root, tarragon, dill);
- Place a wooden circle on top and press down with pressure.
After 3 days the load should be removed.You can taste salted goats according to this recipe in a week.
How to dry goat mushrooms
The easiest way to prepare dry butter for future use is drying.
First, garbage is selected from the mass of mushrooms - twigs, leaves, moss remains. It is not recommended to wash goats that are planned to be dried; instead, it is advisable to thoroughly treat them with a brush or dry cloth, cleaning contaminated areas. The stems should be separated from the caps.
There are several ways to dry goat kids:
- Cut the mushrooms into small pieces. String on a strong thread and hang in the sun.
- Cut the goats into thin slices. Place in a single layer on a flat baking sheet or tray and place outside in a sunny place. Dry the mushrooms for 2-3 days, bring them indoors at night.
- The fastest option for drying baby goats: place mushrooms cut into slices on a baking sheet and place in an oven preheated to 80 °C. The door should be opened slightly. From time to time, the mushrooms need to be checked and “stirred” so that they dry evenly.
Goat kids fried with onions and sour cream
A simple and at the same time win-win version of a delicious second course of dry butter can be obtained by frying them with onions and adding sour cream.
This way it’s quite possible to cook baby goat mushrooms both on weekdays and for holidays. The photo below shows an option for serving the dish:
Preparation:
- Cut the prepared goats into 3-4 pieces (small ones can be left whole) and cook for 20 minutes in salted water;
- drain the broth, place the mushrooms in a colander;
- While the dry butter is draining, cut a large onion into cubes and lightly fry in vegetable oil;
- Place the mushrooms in the frying pan with the onions, stir and fry together for about 5 minutes;
- add sour cream and finely chopped dill, salt;
- mix thoroughly and turn off the heat.
Serve the fried dry boletus hot, garnished with herbs.
Goat salad with pickled onions
If you supplement boiled dry butter with pickled onions, you will get an interesting and piquant appetizer that will be an undoubted success even on the holiday table.
Preparation:
- Boil the kids, previously prepared, for half an hour in boiling salted water;
- place in a colander, let the water drain, and let the mushrooms cool;
- at this time, peel a large onion and cut into half rings, add 2-3 tbsp. l. apple cider vinegar, salt, spices to taste;
- after 30 minutes, mix the prepared pickled onions with mushrooms, add a little vegetable oil;
- taste and add salt if necessary.
Conclusion
Despite the fact that goat mushrooms are inferior in taste and aroma to common butter mushrooms, they are very useful, widespread in Russian forests and have no false similarities. They are easy to assemble and clean, and require minimal prep before cooking. In order to make a tasty and satisfying meal or preparation for the winter from dry butter, you just need to successfully decide on the recipe.
