Inonotus obliquus, more commonly known as the chaga mushroom, is parasitic to its birch host but purportedly provides a variety of benefits to humans. Chaga is rich in antioxidants, high in fiber, and studies suggest it also lowers long-term inflammation.
Given that chaga retails for around 50 dollars per pound, it’s easy to justify an afternoon in the woods for some gathering. Traditionally, chaga is gathered from late fall to early spring, when nutrient and enzyme levels are believed to be at their peak.
As you walk through your woodlot, scan birch trees for charcoal-like conks growing on the trees’ trunks. Chaga conks may be conveniently located near the bases of trees, but if you have my luck, you’ll find that your conk is just out of reach, and you may have to return with a ladder.
To remove the conk, I use a sharp hatchet and cut vertically, parallel to the trunk. You will notice that the inside of the conk is orange, while the outside is a dark brown-to-black color.
Most chaga is consumed as tea (hot or cold), or as a tincture. Regardless of the final product, you’ll want to grind the chaga into a powder – or at least into small pieces – to increase surface exposure and potency. For small amounts, you can use a coffee grinder, but for a larger batch, I recommend the following method:
1. After you have detached it from any remaining wood, use a hatchet to chop up the conk. It should crumble relatively easily. Younger conks may contain wood that is not fully infected by chaga. This can be chopped out and discarded.
2. Wrap the chaga chunks in a cloth, and use a hammer or the poll of a hatchet to pound them into a coarse powder. A bag over the outside will help to contain smaller pieces.
3. If the chaga is going to be used in a tincture, it can be added directly to alcohol. I recommend the cheapest 100-proof grain alcohol you can find, mixed at a rate of three ounces of chaga per pint. A large Mason jar works well for this. Store the tincture in a cool, dark location for a minimum of two weeks before straining it.
4. If the chaga is going to be stored and used for tea, you’ll want to dry the powder for a few days by leaving it spread out on a cookie sheet. This will help to prevent mold. While some chaga tea drinkers use approximately a teaspoon of powder per cup, others keep the chaga in chunks between half an inch and an inch across and reuse them several times.
One caveat: relatively little clinical research has been performed on Inonotus obliquus. It’s high in oxalates, and may not be appropriate for people with some medical conditions. When in doubt, consult a medical professional.
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