Lion’s Mane Pulled “Pork”

Given time and heat, shredded Lion’s Mane takes on the tangle and chew of pulled pork. Build a smoky, sweet-sharp glaze around it and pile it into soft buns. This is comfort food that happens to be a mushroom.

Ingredients

• 400 g Lion’s Mane, shredded by hand

• 2 tbsp oil

• 1 tsp smoked paprika

• 0.5 tsp garlic powder

• 0.5 tsp onion powder

• 100 ml barbecue sauce, plus extra to serve

• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

• 1 tsp maple syrup or brown sugar

• 4 soft buns and slaw, to serve

Method

1. Toss the shredded Lion’s Mane with the smoked paprika, garlic and onion powder.

2. Heat the oil in a large pan over medium. Add the mushroom in an even layer and cook, turning occasionally, for 12–15 minutes until deeply browned and the strands are chewy and crisp at the edges. Patience here is everything.

3. Whisk together the barbecue sauce, vinegar and maple syrup. Pour over the mushroom and toss, cooking for 3–4 minutes until sticky and glazed.

4. Taste and adjust — a little more vinegar for sharpness, a little more sauce for gloss.

5. Pile onto soft buns with slaw and an extra spoon of sauce.

Chef’s note

Don’t crowd the pan. Cook in two batches if you need to — steamed mushroom stays soft, while a dry pan gives you the chew that makes this convincing.