Edibility: Tasty. Remarkably like beef, with a noticeable tart character.
Defining characteristics: Looks like a slab of raw beef growing at the base of a dead or dying tree. Not much you can confuse this one with! It has a bright red color, is a polypore (i.e. it has pores not gills on its underside), and exudes a reddish juice when cut.
Sometimes confused with: Hunks of raw meat hanging out in the woods. Not much else.
Recommend cooking method: Sautéed in a little butter with a dash of salt. Just like a high quality steak.
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| Beefsteak polypore |
The beefsteak polypore is a pretty unique mushroom. I was rather grossed out by it the first time I ran across it in the woods (seeing as it looks and feels rather like a bloody steak), but now that I have enjoyed it's culinary qualities it is much more attractive. This year (2011) is the first season I have seen this mushroom in Rhode Island, and sources suggest that is a fairly uncommon mushroom in the Northeast. Time will tell, but I certainly would be happy to see it around more.
All the specimens I have seen have been at the base of dying oak trees growing solitarily or in a very small clump. You probably are never going to find enough of these to reliably make a meal, but I would certainly recommend trying them out if you get the chance.
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| (Note location at base of tree, and honey mushrooms sprouting on the right hand edge of photo) |
Flavor wise, it is pretty remarkably like beef. There is a definite sour/tart note to it (just imagine a steak with a lemon marinade), but it is a pretty awesome meat substitute.
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| Sliced beefsteak polypore |
If you find any, please post a comment as to what are you live in, when you found them, and what you thought of them- I am interested to see how often people encounter these curiosities!
To read more from qualified sources check out: Wildman or Wikipedia.
8 comments:
I found 3 this week around Asheville North Carolina. 2 on dead oak stumps and one on a heavily coppiced chinese chestnut in my yard. I've tried some raw, and they are an interesting flavor, but i think they're very tasty cooked.
I found 6 on a dead tree last year, end of Aug,beginning of Sep. My kids and I actually loved these mushrooms, and I would put them in my top 5 list. I went to back to that tree e few days ago hopeing to find more, now the tree fell over and no mushrooms yet, I sure hope they will grow a few more years. I have been picking wild mushrooms for over 30 years and would have to say that I never found these until last year. I pick in Indiana county,Pa.
I just found one on a dead stump (maybe oak? some sort of hardwood) in central Virginia on July 4 2013. Photos at:
http://yearinthewoods.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=3963&action=edit&message=6&postpost=v2
actually, this is a better link:
http://yearinthewoods.wordpress.com/2013/07/05/july-4-summer-returns/
I found 2 in their prime on a stump in Roger Williams Park last October, found an old one on a living oak on the East Side of Providence 2 weeks ago.
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