All plants /Mushroom /Giant Puffball
Giant Puffball
Calvatia gigantea, agaric family. Seasonal in East and Central Texas.
At a glance
- What
- The firm white interior, cooked
- How
- Sliced and fried
- When
- Fall
- Where
- Meadows, pastures, open ground
- Value
- A mild, tofu-like mushroom
Caution: CUT EVERY PUFFBALL IN HALF before eating. The inside must be pure, uniform white like a marshmallow, with NO gills, stem, or outline of a mushroom-in-egg (that would be a deadly Amanita) and no yellowing (over-ripe and upsetting). Mushrooms demand expert confirmation. Never eat a wild plant on this guide's word alone. Confirm identity against several sources and learn the look-alikes first.
Identification
A firm white ball, sometimes as big as a soccer ball, sitting in a field. The test is internal: slice it and the flesh must be solid, even, and marshmallow-white throughout.
In the kitchen
Slice the young white flesh and fry it; it soaks up butter and flavor like a mild mushroom steak. Discard any that show yellow or green inside.
Photo: Holger Krisp, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Forages well with
Forage safely. Never eat a wild plant on this site's word alone. Confirm identity with several sources, learn the look-alikes, and when in doubt, leave it in the ground.