King oyster mushroom
Pleurotus eryngii · Fungus
Top 10 pairings
The king oyster (Pleurotus eryngii) is the largest of the oyster-mushroom clan and the only one whose prize is its STEM rather than its cap — a thick, club-shaped, ivory-white stalk of dense, fibrous flesh topped by a comparatively small, flat tan cap. Mild and gently savoury raw, it transforms under heat into something with a rich, almost abalone-or-scallop bite, which is why it has become the chef's favourite vegetarian stand-in for seared scallops and shredded "pulled" meat.
Picking a good onedrag
Hard, chalk-white, drySlack, blotched, weeping
Shop firmEveryday bestThe all-rounder: roast, sear, braise, or shred along the grain.
The stemCream, a few faint bruise lines
Cap and gillsCap flattening, gills cream and dry
In the handFirm; the thumb barely marks it
SmellMild, clean, mushroomy
Keeping ittap a temperature
A domestic fridge holds it about 2× longer than the counter.
90-95%
Humidity
Paper bag, never sealed
Airflow