Fungi

Beefsteak Fungus

(Fistulina hepatica)

This fungus is just plain weird, it is basically a steak stuck to a tree, not only does it have the texture of raw meat but when you cut it it looks like meat and it even bleeds a red liquid!!

It is found on Oak (Quercus) and sometimes Sweet Chestnut, in both instances as the mycelium of the fungus travels through the tree it dyes it a lovely rich brown colour which can be more valuable to some people. 

Beefsteak Fungus

Cooking it can be a tricky process, you can just cut it up and cook it in the same way that you can a steak, but it is quite an acidic fungus and many books recommend you marinate it in milk overnight to take the edge of it. I usually put it in a stew and it is lovely.

This is a fungus better fresh and young, it soon becomes quite woody and at that point it is really not worth picking. They can grow quite big, I have picked specimen which was over 14 inches in diameter. 

APPEARANCE: Liver shaped bracket fungus which grows out of trees. It is darker red on top and paler pinky-red underneath, fresh it has the texture and look of a raw steak and oozes a red liquid.

Close up showing the 'blod-like' liquid it oozes

SIMILAR SPECIES: There is no other species that looks like Beefsteak Fungus. The fact it grows on a tree, oozes a red liquid, has the texture of raw flesh (when fresh) and when cut looks like meat should be enough to confirm its identity. 

ASSOCIATED TREES: Most frequently with Oak (Quercus) but also with Sweet Chestnut.

EDIBILITY RATING: An interesting culinary experience but is not as good as some of the other mushrooms around in the season. 3/5

SEASON: In our experience it is really strictly a September to October species, 99% of our records are confined to these months, the only 2 records which are not are the 30th August and the 1st November!

STATUS: Widespread, by no means common anywhere but an old woodland with dead/dying oaks should have some Beefsteak Fungus in during the autumn. 

Interesting facts: The Beefsteak Fungus oozes a red liquid which looks like blood. The word 'heptica' in the scientific name is latin for 'liver-like'. As the mycellium of the fungus travels through the wood it dyes it a reddish brown colour, desirable to carpenters.