Chicken of the Woods mushrooms definitely do n’t look anything like the characteristic mushrooms you might find on grocery store shelves or sprinkle in your salad . But these bright , funky fungiarea perfect discovery for amateur mushroom forager ; these pop mushrooms do n’t have a lethal doppelganger , and they really do savor like poulet .
By taking a morsel of fourth dimension to name the server tree , contain the species and then fix them up decent , Chicken of the Woods(Laetiporus sulphureus ) are a safe and yummy way to get a hefty loony toons of protein andvitaminswithout sacrificing the taste of meat .
How to Recognize Chicken of the Woods
Out in the state of nature , a large cluster of this fascinating fungi attend a bit like a grownup yellowish - orange gelt . Chicken of the Woods mushrooms have a bracket - like shape with a wavy cut edge that ’s typically lighter in color . The mushrooms shape in layer , and their bottom has its own style too — lacking the characteristic slender communication channel on the undersurface of many mushroom , bonk as lamella , they have tiny , round pores alternatively .
Their massive sizing helps make them gentle to spot . The brackets can evaluate 2 to 20 in ( 0.05 meters to 0.5 meters ) across , and the clusters can weigh up to 100 British pound sterling ( 45 kilograms ) .
Chicken of the Woods mushrooms grow inNorth America , Europe and parts of Asia and give on trees — dead or sustenance . oak tree trees be given to be their preferred option of eats , but they also make other hardwoods their household .
It is important to note that these popular mushroom are n’t 100 pct innocent . They can cause brownish rot on a living tree diagram , a form of damaging decay . And while the make-up of the mushroom-shaped cloud itself is n’t vicious , it ’s necessary to discover the tree they ’re attached to ; when growing on cedar , true pine or otherconifersthey may draw some of the oils from the tree , which , when eaten , will cause some unpleasant reactions such as swelling of the lips and possible gastrointestinal symptom . There are even different mintage of Chicken of the Woods , some of which may also cause those same unpleasant symptoms .
Cooking Chicken of the Woods
There ’s one must - do when it number to eat Chicken of the Woods mushroom cloud : you ’ve got to prepare them . Eating them naked as a jaybird , while not virulent , will belike tump over your stomach and add some uncomfortable aftermath .
Most multitude find it not only tastes like chicken , it also has the same diffuse , juicy texture . But for others , it reminds them of eating a lobster or even a crab .
There ’s no doubt Chicken of the Woods are one of nature ’s unique surprise . With a niggling tending , you’re able to turn your next hike into a good for you , meat - alike meal — without spending a dime .
NOTE : amateurish mycology can be dangerous , so it ’s imperative to learn how to expertly discover mushrooms before harvesting and eating them .
