Chicken of the Woods (Laetiporus sulphureus) is a bright orange mushroom with a yellow porous underside. You can find this variety growing on logs and stumps of fallen coniferous trees in western Canada. **Cultivation on logs is still experimental, with best results achieved through “pre-treating” freshly cut logs before inoculation, and partially burying the logs once well-colonized.**
“Pre-treat” the log by pressure cooking, steaming, or boiling the fresh fir, spruce or hemlock logs for 1-4h, then let cool.
Drill holes about 25mm (1″) deep into freshly harvested conifer log using 8mm (5/16″) drill bit and depth stop. If you are drilling holes many logs, consider our specialized high speed mushroom drill bit and angle grinder adapter to make the task faster and easier.
Tap plug spawn into holes with hammer, then cover with melted wax using a dauber. For detailed instructions on how to inoculate your log, click here.
Raise your mushroom log on bricks to avoid contact with soil, and store in a shady location where they will receive rain. For optimal growth, rehydrate your log during extended dry periods by submerging overnight in water. After 4-6 months, when you seen evidence of mycelium growing in the cut edge of the log, bury in a shady location leaving about 2 inches above the soil surface. Let nature do her thing.
Typically heavy rains in the late summer and early fall will stimulate your log to make mushrooms. Sometimes nature doesn’t provide enough rain and you can supplement with heavy watering. Patience is required as it can take a year or more for the first mushrooms to form, but after that your log will produce seasonally for many years.
100 plugs will plant ~2 logs* (~100g of wax will seal 100 plugs)
500 plugs will plant ~10 logs* (~454g of wax will seal 500 plugs)
*Based on an average log size of 40 inches long by 4 inches in diameter.
For peak viability we recommend using your mushroom products within weeks, and storing in a cool location until use. Refrigeration between 2-4C is ideal for the longest shelf-life. Even when refrigerated, the fungal mycelium continues to grow, and eventually mushrooms burst out one way or another.
After harvesting you should store the mushrooms in a paper bag, which allows them to breathe. Leave them in the main part of the refrigerator to get good airflow, not the produce drawer. They will keep up to a week when stored in a paper bag in the refrigerator. Chicken of the Woods mushrooms are also ideal for freezing once cooked, but when ready to use, do not thaw as it will cause the mushroom to become soggy.
When cooked, Chicken of the Woods mushrooms are juicy, succulent, and meaty with a mild, lemony flavor that many compare to the taste of chicken, lobster, or crab. Chicken of the Woods mushrooms are a popular variety for their meaty texture and chicken-like flavor and are often used as a meat substitute in vegetarian dishes.
Chicken of the Woods mushrooms are best suited for frying, baking, sautéing, and blanching. They are also a popular meat substitute for chicken or tofu and can be used interchangeably in recipes. Before cooking, the mushrooms should be cleaned with a damp paper towel or cloth to remove dirt and debris. It is not recommended to place the mushroom in water as the surface is porous and will absorb excess moisture. Oil should also be used sparingly when cooking as it will be easily absorbed. Chicken of the Woods mushrooms should be cut into bite-sized pieces or strips and sautéed with wine and herbs, butter, or oil. They can also be baked or deep fried and served with a dipping sauce or sliced and cooked into risottos, curries, casseroles, egg dishes, rice dishes, soups, and stews. Chicken of the Woods pair well with asparagus, fiddlehead ferns, English peas, ramp bulbs, spinach, chive blossoms cilantro, garlic, onions, ginger, potatoes, coconut milk, tomato sauce, polenta, wild rice, white wine, and Monterey Jack cheese.
Pickled Chicken of the Woods Mushrooms
Cream of Chicken of the Woods Mushroom Soup
Chicken of the Woods Mushroom Rice Pilaf
Chicken of the Woods, Spring Vegetables, Ramps, and Chive Blossoms
Chicken of the Woods mushrooms contain potassium, vitamin C, fiber, vitamin A, and are believed to have antifungal and antibiotic properties. In Russia, Chicken of the Woods mushrooms have a long-fabled use as a natural antibiotic to help boost immunity.
