Monday 22 September 2014

ID: Beefsteak Fungus

No written identification information in this post - for that you must check your guidebooks or the web. This is simply a collection of photographs for you to cross-reference what you have found.

ID information: www.first-nature.com/fungi/fistulina-hepatica

The Beefsteak Fungus (Fistulina hepatica) is extremely easy to identify, a great beginners mushroom. Its name comes from the appearance of it's inner flesh, which resembles that of a marbled piece of steak. Unfortunately, the taste isn't anything like it's meaty lookalike; it's gelatinous (becoming more so once cooked) and quite acidic. I've found the best way to use this mushroom is to either slice it very thinly on a mandolin and eat raw (see my next blog post), or to butter-boil it, which makes a great gravy - see my blog post here.


Young Specimens:

Very young specimens can appear white with red 'freckles'. Photo taken 17/10/13

Photo taken 17/10/13

Photo taken 16/08/13

Photo taken 17/10/13

Photo taken 17/10/13

Mature specimens:


Beefsteak growing on chestnut. Photo taken 09/09/13

These specimens had dropped their spores and were too old to eat. Photo taken 17/10/13

Photo taken 17/10/13

Photo taken 17/10/13

Photo taken 17/10/13

Perfectly fresh specimen with firm flesh and a red/white underside. Photo taken 17/10/13

Photo taken 17/10/13

Photo taken 09/09/13

Blood-like 'goo' that often exudes from the Beefsteak Fungus. Photo taken 09/09/13

Beef-like appearance of the flesh, cut with and against the grain (R-L). Photo taken 17/10/13

Thin slices in the dehydrator. Photo taken 17/10/13


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