July to November
Lion's mane
Hericium erinaceus
EdibilityGood edible mushroom
- Raw
- Do not eat raw
- Cooking
- Thorough cooking required, minimum time not established
- Review
- Cultivated or legally marketed traceable product only
A white mass attached to wood, without a conventional cap or stem, whose long spines hang from one compact, unbranched body.
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Guide contents
Guide contents
Season
From summer to autumn, with a July to November period documented in Great Britain and Ireland.
Habitat
On old living or dead broadleaf trees, especially beech and oak, at a trunk wound, stump, fallen trunk or large dead branch.
Method
Check several visible features before retaining a species name.
Three features to check on the specimen.
Compact, unbranched body
The rounded fruiting body forms a white to cream cushion without coral-like branching, a cap or a conventional stem.
Long hanging spines
Numerous soft, pointed and crowded spines hang from the same body. They are generally longer than one centimetre on a mature specimen.
Direct attachment to broadleaf wood
A short, broad attachment connects the body to a wound, stump, trunk or large piece of dead wood from an old broadleaf tree.
Examine the specimen in this order.
- Confirm the complete absence of a cap, conventional stem, gills, pores or folds.
- Confirm that the long spines emerge from one compact body rather than coral-like branches.
- Before any handling, check local legal status and prioritise observation in place.
Features incompatible with this species.
- Hericium coralloides forms a branched coral-like body bearing spines on its branches.
- Hericium cirrhatum forms more tiered or plate-like bodies with shorter spines.
- Hydnum repandum and Hydnum rufescens have a cap and central stem, with spines beneath the cap.
From an inspected basket to the kitchen
From an inspected basket to the kitchenDrying, storage and two recipes for Lion's mane.
These recipes use cultivated or legally marketed Lion's mane only and do not encourage collection from a wild population.
Cultivated Lion's mane with lemon butter
Thick slices of cultivated product, seared and then gently cooked with butter, lemon and parsley.
- Preparation
- 15 min
- Cooking
- 20 min
- Serves
- 4
View the complete recipe
Ingredients
- 500 gCultivated or legally marketed Lion's mane
- 1 c. à soupeNeutral oil
- 25 gButter
- 1Garlic clove, chopped
- 1 c. à soupeLemon juice
- 2 c. à soupeFlat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 1 pincéeSalt and pepper
Method
- Prepare the cultivated productKeep the traceability label, remove the cultivation base and cut the mushroom into thick slices.
- SearHeat the oil and brown the slices for 5 minutes on each side.
- Finish cookingAdd the butter and garlic, reduce the heat and continue cooking for 10 minutes, basting regularly.
- SeasonAdd the lemon and parsley off the heat and serve immediately.
This recipe is for cultivated or legally marketed Lion's mane only. Do not substitute a wild collection and cook it for 20 minutes.
Pulled cultivated Lion's mane sandwich
A hot pulled filling cooked with paprika and tomato before serving in toasted rolls.
- Preparation
- 20 min
- Cooking
- 30 min
- Serves
- 4
View the complete recipe
Ingredients
- 500 gCultivated or legally marketed Lion's mane
- 4Individual bread rolls
- 1Onion, sliced
- 2 c. à soupeOlive oil
- 150 gChopped tomatoes
- 1 c. à caféSmoked paprika
- 1 c. à caféCider vinegar
- 1 pincéeSalt and pepper
Method
- Pull apartKeep the product label, remove the cultivation base and pull the body into fibres with clean fingers.
- SautéCook the onion and mushroom in the oil for 15 minutes, stirring regularly.
- SimmerAdd the tomato and paprika and simmer for 15 minutes until reduced. Add the vinegar at the end.
- Fill the rollsToast the rolls, divide the piping-hot filling between them and serve immediately.
Use only traceable cultivated or legally marketed Lion's mane. Wild collection is neither needed nor recommended for this recipe.
Documented limit
Drying Lion's mane: no retained protocol
This guide validates no species-specific drying time.This guide does not apply a generic drying time to Lion's mane. It recommends refrigeration of the cultivated product so that the method remains documented and appropriate for the species.
- Keep the batch whole, identifiable and separate until the inspection required by the guide.
- Do not automatically apply the temperature or duration intended for another species.
- Use the “Refrigeration of the cultivated product” method detailed in the Storage section instead.
- Read the general drying guide to understand equipment, checks and safety limits without inferring a protocol for this batch.
Recommended storage
Refrigeration of the cultivated product
Up to 2 days at 4 °C or below after opening, or the manufacturer's date if shorter.Keeping the label and breathable packaging preserves traceability until the cultivated product is cooked.
- Keep the producer, batch, date and label of the cultivated or legally marketed product.
- Keep the mushroom unwashed in its ventilated packaging or a clean paper bag.
- Refrigerate immediately at 4 °C or below and avoid contact with contaminating raw foods.
- Cook within two days of opening and respect any shorter manufacturer date.
- Discard any slimy, discoloured or abnormal-smelling product. Never add a wild collection to the batch.
