The Beefsteak Polypore
You’re walking along through the woods and see something dark red that looks like a steak attached to a tree. It probably seems quite unnatural, but it’s not. It’s a mushroom. The Fistulina hepatica, also known as Beefsteak Polypore, is a perfect example of the diversity found in mushrooms.
What Does Beefsteak Polypore Look Like?
Although you surely wouldn’t predict it based on the name, the Beefsteak Polypore looks like a juicy red steak. To aid in its disguise as a hunk of meat, it “bleeds” a red fluid that looks disturbingly similar to blood. When younger, it’s pink and resembles a tongue more than steak, earning its other nickname, the Ox Tongue fungus. The underside starts out a pale cream color, almost white, but reddens and darkens as the fungus ages. There are no known look-alikes for this mushroom, making it one of the safer ones to identify.
Taste Profile
Unfortunately for those budding vegetarians looking for the perfect meat replacement; although it has a meaty texture, it doesn’t taste anything like meat. In fact, while often sought throughout Europe, it’s known for having a sour or acidic taste that doesn’t appeal to some. It is, however, one of the few mushrooms that is fine to eat raw.
Where does it grow
The Beefsteak Polypore is commonly found in Europe, but also grows in the United States. Typically found on the lower trunks of hardwood trees; usually oaks or sweet Chestnuts, the Ox Tongue mushroom grows up to 12 inches wide.
Interesting Facts
Unlike the majority of polypores, the Beefsteak Polypore’s spore release tubes are completely disconnected from each other and easy to separate. The pores of the tube bruise a brownish red as the mushroom grows. The Fistulina hepatica is also one of the few brown rot mushrooms known to cause spalting in wood, making it valuable to woodworkers.
While it might look like a piece of meat attached to a tree, and is commonly used as a meat replacement due to its texture and looks, the Beefsteak Polypore is so much more. Aside from its looks, fake bleeding, and taste, just by growing it makes the wood of its host tree more valuable. In summary, the Beefsteak Polypore displays all the reasons we’re intrigued by mushrooms. There’s much left to discover.
One of my rarer finds, years of mushroom hunting in the PNW and only found one. Well, one spot. I did collect for three seasons until we moved this summer.
It was a large-for-tan-oak trunk on a mountain side nears the Smith River in northern Cali. Late fall after some rains and then a short warm period.
It’s a bit creepy at first, especially the ‘blood’ that follows a cut. We appreciated it sliced about a half inch
and dehydrated like jerky only adding salt and pepper.
My favorite mushroom ever was only found once, a very large Cauliflower mushroom that I thought I found on a fir stump but my Dad swears I picked it elsewhere that day. Years of returning never found another. It’s the only mushroom my teen ever approved.