Judas Ear

In short: Judas ear (Auricularia auricula-judae) is an edible jelly fungus that grows on elder and other hardwoods and can be cultivated at home. Spawned substrate bags are colonised in about three weeks at 25 °C and fruit best at 25–30 °C with high humidity and indirect light. Inoculated elder logs keep fruiting for 3–6 years.

Judas's Ear Mushroom

This is a mushroom that is now coming to the forefront. It is very popular and interesting. Thanks to its exotic appearance, it enhances every dish and will soon restore its use in Czech cuisine as well. However, it is still typical for Chinese cuisine. Judas's Ear is properly called Jew's Ear or Wood Ear (lat. Auricularia auricula-judae; syn.: Hirneola auricula-judae) - in the wild, it is a very widespread mushroom. It is edible. It belongs to the jelly fungi group. It grows mainly on elder branches. Its fruiting bodies can be found until winter on dead twigs of black elder or other deciduous trees. In nature, Judas's Ear occurs from March to November after heavy rains. The mushroom grows very abundantly in our region. If the winter is mild, it also grows in winter. A wet autumn and mild winter create good conditions for the growth of these mushrooms. Mushrooms collected in the wild in winter are healthier, without worms. Those who are not good mushroom foragers and are worried about bringing home the wrong mushroom can grow edible and tasty mushrooms themselves, not just Judas's Ear.

Mushrooms are an integral part of our living nature. Their cultivation has also been one of the important branches of agricultural production in recent decades. Growing oyster mushrooms, for example, is quite common even for home use. Fruiting bodies that we grow ourselves are usually about 3 times larger than those growing in the wild. A typical Judas's Ear fruiting body is 2-12 cm large and its thickness is 0.1-0.3 cm. The shape is cup-like (younger mushrooms), then variously contorted, ear-shaped and ultimately similar to an ear. Judas's Ear is attached sideways to the substrate (branch, growing medium). Fruiting bodies usually grow in groups next to and above each other. In wet weather, the mushroom is elastic to gelatinous, in dry conditions hard to horn-like hard. Moisture always restores its natural form. The inner side of the mushroom is smooth, shiny, veined. It is covered with a spore-bearing layer. The color of the mushroom is cinnamon to reddish-brown. In old age, it becomes dusted white from spore powder. The outer side of the mushroom is finely velvety-felty to granularly rough. The color is yellowish-brown to grayish. The flesh of the mushroom is jelly-like, cartilaginous. It has a mild taste and aroma.

Since prehistoric times, mushrooms have been an integral part of the diet. The 5000-year-old mummy of the Ice Man Ötzi had dried mushrooms with him. Mushrooms were also known in ancient Egypt, where Egyptians believed in their sacred power. The oldest written mentions of mushrooms come from ancient India. Mushrooms have accompanied humans throughout their entire existence on Earth.

Growing Judas's Ear - Instructions

What do we need for cultivation?

• crushed straw
• sawdust from deciduous trees
• or corn cobs
• Judas ear spawn
• cooking bags, e.g. for preparing brawn

Soak the finely crushed straw, sawdust or corn cobs in water for 24 hours and lightly moisten. To ensure the straw or other material you choose for cultivation is thoroughly soaked, you can initially pour hot water over it. The next day, let the straw drain and fill it into the bags and tie them up. Fill the bags about 2/3 full so there is room left for the spawn. Place the closed bags in a larger pot with water and boil for approximately 1 hour. If you boil the filled bags in a preserving pot (i.e. in steam), leave them there for approximately 1.5 hours. During boiling, the bags should not touch each other too much. Then let the bags cool down. Prepare the spawn.

Shake the selected Judas ear spawn in the bag. Work in a clean environment. Before spawning, inspect the prepared bags to ensure they contain no mould. If the bag is clean, add the spawn to it. Do not close the bag tightly. It is best to prepare a cotton wool roll and tie the bag over it with string. The cotton wool roll allows the spawn to breathe. Store the filled bags in a place with a temperature of 25°C, which can be either a dark or light room. The mycelium will fully develop in the bag after approximately three weeks. It will grow through the entire substrate. Either remove the bags completely - the substrate will bond into a solid block after the mycelium forms - or just cut open the bags. Place the substrate in a warm location. It fruits best at temperatures of 25-30°C. If you have a greenhouse, polytunnel or cold frame, you can place the mycelium there. If you are growing the mushroom at home, you can use a larger preserving jar, old aquarium, or a dish placed on a tray with water and covered with foil. For the mushroom to fruit, it must have sufficient light, but not direct radiation.

Do not harvest green mushrooms overgrown with algae. Exceptionally, it may appear in white form.

Harvest healthy, well-shaped mushroom fruiting bodies. Before drying, remove any bark and substrate residues and hardened parts from the mushrooms. After drying, the mushroom is black in colour.

You can also grow Judas's ear in natural conditions. It's more suitable if you have a greenhouse or polytunnel, considering the need to maintain the required temperature for fruiting body growth. Cut black elder trunks and branches to a length of 1 m. In these prepared logs, drill holes with a diameter of 15 mm and depth of 20 mm, spaced about 10 cm apart on two opposite sides of the log. Fill these holes with spawn and seal with melted paraffin. Place the logs in a greenhouse or polytunnel for mycelium colonization (optimal temperature is 28 °C) and ensure adequate moisture. The mycelium colonization period is 30 to 40 days. The logs must be protected from drying out by moistening and, in our conditions, from severe frosts. The logs will fruit for 3-6 years depending on wood quality. Fruiting bodies need light and high air humidity for their growth. If the fruiting bodies don't open, it means the culture has insufficient light or poor ventilation.

Medicinal Effects

Judas's ear was first used for compresses, for throat or eye inflammations. Later, creams against wrinkles began to be made from this mushroom. Consume the mushroom for digestive problems, abdominal and stomach pains. Substances contained in this mushroom help regulate blood pressure - they act preventively against arteriosclerosis, thrombosis, and thus heart attacks, and purify the blood. It helps in treating hemorrhoids. Judas's ear is used to support immunity, during convalescence and after childbirth.

Judas's ear also contains numerous minerals - calcium, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium. These substances not only support the body's defense capabilities but also improve the quality of hair, nails and skin, and positively influence the function of internal organs. Judas's ear also contains antioxidants - substances that absorb free radicals - which help with overall body cleansing. The mushroom also contains many bioactive substances, especially various polysaccharides, for example beta-D-glucans. These polysaccharides reduce cholesterol, triglyceride and lipid levels in the blood.

From Judas's ear we can prepare a decoction - a drink against arteriosclerosis and high blood pressure - soak 3 g of dried mushroom overnight in 0.5 l of water. The next day, heat everything on low heat for 1 to 2 hours, then drink 1 to 2 cups of the decoction every evening. For hemorrhoid bleeding and blood in urine, it's recommended to stew 7 to 8 g of dried mushroom with 15 g of sugar in 0.5 l of water for 1 to 2 hours and drink the resulting decoction in two daily doses.

Judas's Ear in the Kitchen

We most often encounter Judas's ear in Chinese cuisine. Before adding Judas's ear to dishes, clean it and briefly boil it (10-20 minutes) in water. Only then add it to the food. The decoction from this mushroom can be further used in sauces or soups or drunk as tea. If you dry the mushroom beforehand - before adding it to dishes, let it swell in water for 1-2 hours before further processing. Again, boil for 20 minutes. We can cut it into smaller pieces. This mushroom doesn't color dishes, which is its advantage.

Recipe with Wood Ear Mushrooms! - A classic from Chinese restaurants that almost everyone loves. Cut the chicken meat and fry it in a pan. Add soy sauce and spices. Pre-boiled or soaked Wood Ear mushrooms, squeeze out excess water and add to the meat with onion and bamboo shoots (available in jars or cans, commonly available). Pour stock or water with bouillon over everything and bring to a boil. Thicken slightly with cornstarch and cook briefly. Serve with rice. Delicious, quick meal made with home-grown and harvested mushrooms.

You can also preserve Wood Ear mushrooms in vinegar brine.

Author: Hana Michalíková