Wood Ear Mushrooms

The wood ear (also known as the tree ear or Jew’s ear) is an edible mushroom that grows on the trunks of beech, elder, and walnut trees. Originally known as Judas’s ear, it owes that name to its flat, earlike shape and to the legend that the biblical Judas hanged himself from an elder tree.

The mushroom has a very short stalk. Its translucent brownish beige flesh is gelatinous but firm, and relatively tasteless. Wood ears are particularly popular in Asia.

Nutritional Information: Wood Ear Mushrooms

Nutrient		Raw (per 100 g)
Water		93%
Protein		0.5 g
Carbohydrates		7 g
Calories		25

Wood ears are rich in iron, potassium, and magnesium, and are a good source of riboflavin.

How to Buy Wood Ear Mushrooms

Wood ears are often sold fresh in Asian specialty food stores and are also available dried.

How to Store Wood Ear Mushrooms

Store fresh wood ears unwashed in the refrigerator—they can keep for up to a month. They can also be stored in the freezer for up to a year or so.

How to Prepare Wood Ear Mushrooms

Preparing fresh wood ears is simple:

Wash them: Rinse the fresh mushrooms quickly in cold tap water.
Inspect them: Once clean, check the wood ears’ flesh for sticky parts. Remove any sticky parts with a sharp knife.

If you plan to cook with dried wood ears, soak them in warm water for 10 minutes. Drain them, change the water, and let them soak for another 10–15 minutes. They will expand to up to five times their dried size.

How to Cook Wood Ear Mushrooms

Wood ears can be eaten raw, blanched (for 1 minute), or cooked. They add an unusual texture to foods, particularly soups, salads, vegetables, stews, and pasta dishes. They absorb the liquid in which they are cooked and take on the taste of the other ingredients. The best way to cook them is to sauté or heat them in the oven.

To sauté: Heat a few teaspoons of oil in a saucepan and sauté the wood ears over medium heat for 3–5 minutes.
To heat in the oven: Cook the wood ears in a tightly closed pan with a little liquid for 10–15 minutes at 375°F.