What are you looking for?
Read time: 3 minutes
| Cooking |

Foraging chaga

Winter is the ideal time to harvest this helpful birch tree fungus, chaga (Inonotus obliquus). Grandma said it’ll cure what ails you.

I love taking rabbits. The main purpose of my winter hunts is to bring home fresh meat for the table. Finding what grandma called “Indian medicine mushrooms,” or chaga, at the same time, is a bonus. Today, I know these irregular-shaped fungi that thrive on birch trees, by their rightful name, chaga (Inonotus obliquus). Grandma said it was good for anything that ails you, from arthritis to gout. In recent years, it has gained recognition as a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, backing her claims that chaga tea did the body a world of good. Chaga resembles a lump of coal on the outside and golden sponge toffee on the inside. It is also considered an alternative remedy for high blood pressure, lowering blood sugar, boosting the immune system and helping to slow the growth of cancer cells. Use chaga from birch Indigenous people have various uses for chaga, including burning it as a “moxibustion” (a special type of spiritual therapy) and using the smoke as insect repellent. Dubbed “tinder fungus,” dried chaga is very flammable, something to remember in a time of need. Even this fungus can grow on oak, poplar, and other host trees, only that which thrives on birch is approved by Health Canada for use as a natural health product. So, if you’re chaga hunting in the birch woods and have no luck, the next best thing is to buy some at a health food store. While it can can be harvested year-round, I find winter, after the leaves have dropped, is the best time because it’s easier to spot the black bumps against the white backdrop of the bark and snow. The pursuit also pairs perfectly with rabbit hunting. To sever chaga, I use a folding saw knife which can be taped or wired to a long pole if the mushroom is growing too high up and out of reach, an old trick I learned from grandpa. Drying chaga Rinse freshly harvested chaga under cold-running water to remove dirt. Using a mallet, break the mushroom up into little chunks which will speed drying. Spread the pieces on a board and set in a warm place to dry for three to four weeks, or until all moisture is gone. Grind as you would coffee beans. Store it in a tea tin and it will keep indefinitely. Grandma’s tea Put two to three teaspoons of the dried, ground

Want to continue reading?

Log in, subscribe, or become an OFAH member today.

Login or Subscribe

Tags

Related Stories

Three surefire shore lunch recipes

Three surefire shore lunch recipes

Three Ontario lodges share their favorite shore lunch fish recipes, all cooked over the fire with their own signature flavors and style.

Read More
Walleye with wild ramp & morel cream sauce

Walleye with wild ramp and morel cream sauce

Morel cream sauce brings a favorite spring flavor to a luxurious dish of fish and wild ramps, perfect for seasonal dining.

Read More
get hooked
Fishing
Meghan

Getting hooked

Get Hooked is a six-part documentary series following four queer millennial women on fishing excursions across Ontario.

Read More »
Poop baits stick
Bass
Colin Friel

Poop baits stick

Poop baits are so realistic, it’s nearly impossible to fish them wrong—no matter your technique, fish can’t help but strike.

Read More »

Sign In

Register

Reset Password

Please enter your username or email address, you will receive a link to create a new password via email.