When harvesting this delicious mushroom, make sure to pick only the youngest specimens, which are more tender. Mature caps tend to become brittle and inedible - because of the more elastic flesh. Always seek out the youngest, brightest caps. And, you don't have to take on the whole thing. Use a sharp knife to cut off the freshest, brightest, most unspoiled yellow parts of the plant. They're really good.
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How long can chicken of the forest be kept?
After harvesting, chicken of the woods mushrooms stay fresh for about a week. philippine country code number Store them in a paper bag or breathable container, not plastic. Keep them in the refrigerator to slow down decay. Make sure they stay dry and check them regularly for any signs of spoilage.
Chicken of the woods looks alike
The Chicken of the Woods does have some "false" or "sort of" similarities that you need to be aware of. The first is the Velvet Top Fungus (see photo). Young specimens of the Velvet Top Fungus are sometimes yellow or orange and bear some resemblance to the Chicken of the Woods. This mushroom is not poisonous, but it is also inedible and is said to taste terrible.
Another mushroom that could be confused with it is the Armillaria mellea. We list them for your reference because sometimes these are called "chicken of the woods" by foragers.
Honey fungi are the silent killers of forests, attacking and killing trees to the point where outbreaks of honey fungi need to be controlled. Honey fungi are edible and very different from forest mushrooms, but we list them to show you other common mushrooms that they could be mistaken for.
Another potentially similar mushroom includes the Jack-O'-Lantern mushroom. Their orange color and seasonal fruiting pattern are similar to many Chanterelle species, but unlike the latter fungi, Jack-O'-Lanterns are poisonous. Do not eat them.