#meripilus

[mushroomgay]

London, UK, October 2023

Blackening polypore (Meripilus giganteus)

This large, common polypore can be distinguished from its (luckily entirely edible, or simple inedible rather than poisonous) potential confusions by its distinctive bruising - press hard on its surface (or simply handle it and wait a few moments) and it bruises a dark brownish black.

It's one of my favourite wild edibles. Some people complain of its somewhat sour taste, but I find boiling it in water and (vegan) butter and then draining it removes this entirely. It has a pleasant, fibrous texture, similar to meat or dried mango, and I like to use this to make a vegan pulled pork, here served in homemade bao buns. It was my first time making them - they were denser than they're meant to be, unclear if that was because they were gluten free or I over-proofed them. They're delicious as a vehicle for bbq sauce, though.

[mushrooms-switzerland]

Riesenporling, meripilus giganteus 05.09.22

[mushroomgay]

South Ormsby, Lincolnshire Wolds, UK, October 2022

Blackening polypore / giant polypore (Meripilus gianteus) 

This gorgeous mushroom is found in the late summer and autumn in huge clusters at the base of deciduous trees. It gets its common names from its enormous size, and the way in which it bruises black as it ages or when handled, even gently. 

It has a mild, slightly bitter taste, and an excellent stringy texture reminiscent of pulled pork, which made it excellent for use in these spiced BBQ rolls. It needs to be cooked thoroughly to avoid stomach upsets; I’ve found the best method is to boil it (with onions and any other aromatics you fancy), until the liquid reduces to almost nothing, then add oil and spices and fry it up. I then drenched it in BBQ sauce, heated it all through once more, and served on rolls with lettuce, tomato, avocado and ketchup.

[mushroomgay]

Barnet, London, UK, October 2019

Giant polypore / blackening polypore (Meripilus giganteus)

These photos hopefully show the scale of a fairly typical mature giant polypore - rosettes regularly grow to almost a meter in diameter, and they are frequently seen in several large clumps around the base of dying hardwood trees and on stumps. 

In the second photo you can also see where it gets its second common name - the pores bruise an inky black when roughly handled, and as they age.

Unfortunately, given its size and how common it is, though it is edible, this mushroom is tough and unpleasantly acidic, and I haven’t collected any for consumption since the first time I tried it.

[mushroomgay]

Barnet, London, UK, September 2019

Blackening polypore / giant polypore (Meripilus giganteus)

It’s a novelty to see blackening polypore growing like this. They’re usually found in huge clusters around the roots of beech and oak trees - this specimen has found a home in the air amongst the roots of a fallen tree. 

Blackening polypore is edible, and I tried it for the first time recently, but it was tough and had the taste of acidic cardboard, so I steered clear of harvesting this beautiful mushroom.

[mushroomgay]

Birmingham, UK, September 2019

Giant polypore / Blackening polypore (Meripilus sumstinei)

This polypore is edible when young, although it becomes tough and inedible fairly quickly, especially near the base. Unlike other polypores such as chicken of the woods, which are a choice find, blackening polypores are flavourless to mildly acidic and bitter. Even sauteed in a lot of butter and garlic, these were not particularly palatable atop the creamy mushroom pasta, and I probably won’t harvest them again, unless it’s to bulk out a mixed-mushroom dish. 

They are beautiful, though, undulating rosettes that crack into stretch marks with the speed of their growth, as individual caps can grow to up to 30cm across, and the entire growth may be a metre wide when fully grown. 

[stephenearp]

Meripilus Giganteus