Hydnum umbillicatum, a type of hedgehog mushroom. These are from Oregon.
Hedgehogs are a great all around mushroom. They’re cousins of chanterelles, and to me are a little under appreciated. They seem to get overshadowed by the more widely available golden chanterelles, since they fruit at around the same time. They’re really great though, even easier than chanterelles to identify and a breeze to cook.
The biggest difference between these and golden chanterelles is that underneath the cap, these have teeth, from Latin “dentium” (think teeth) sometimes used to describe them.
Close up of the “teeth” underneath the cap.
Habitat
Where I hunt in Midwest, these love to fruit around white oak trees starting around July , as well as in the pine forests of the north. I don’t really get up and say “today I’m going to hunt hedgehogs!”, it’s more likely that I’m going to see them in places where I hunt golden chanterelles. In other areas of the country they will fruit heavily though, large amounts are available for purchase through wholesalers throughout the Pacific Northwest mushroom season.
A species of hedgehog mushroom, Minnesota.
Cooking
Culinary wise, hedgehogs are similar to golden chanterelles. The flavor of hedgehogs compared to chanterelles is different though. Where golden chanterelles have a flowery-apricot scent, hedgehogs have a meaty, more traditional mushroom flavor. But It’s a subtle difference, and for most any preparation you would use a chanterelle you could use a hedgehog.
One of my favorite ways to cook them is simply, fried in butter, but they pair wonderfully with cream like most mushrooms. Just like golden chanterelles, if I can, I like to cook hedgehogs whole when they aren’t too large, since part of what makes them great is their shape.
Hedgehogs are brittle
The big difference between hedgehogs and chanterelles, besides hedgehogs having a more savory flavor, is in their texture. Hedgehogs are brittle mushrooms, and jostled around in a basket they can easily crumble away to nothing.
Fantastic in soup
Once hedgehogs are cooked, they won’t be brittle anymore, as cooking relaxes and softens the mushrooms. Just like golden chanterelles, small hedgehogs dropped into soup make a great addition, especially to brothy soups like the one below.
Hedgehog mushrooms are great in soup.
To preserve these, I like to pickle them. See a recipe for hedgehog mushroom conserve here, one of my favorite ways to preserve them. Drying them could be done if you want to turn them into powder, but I don’t suggest drying them since, like golden chanterelles their flavor changes and texture suffers after rehydrating they’re just not the same mushroom they were before in my opinion.
Meatloaf steaks with hedgehogs is a good way to show off their meaty texture.
Different Species
As far as I know, there are two basic species of hedgehogs, although I suspect there are other species hiding within these two families. The hedgehogs I see coming out of the Pacific Northwest are Hydum umbillicatum, which has a belly button indent to the cap. I’ve also noticed that the Pacific Northwest Hydnum umbillicatum also usually have a hollow stem, and tend to be a more orange-brown, (pictured below).
Hydnum umbillicatum, from the PNW are generally small, with an indentation in the top of the cap.
Hydnum repandum from Minnesota. Note the white stem.
Giant Hedghogs: Spreaders
There are also giant hedgehogs I see on occasion shipping from the Pacific Northwest, sometimes known as “spreaders” and white or albino hedgehogs as well, just like the chanterelles there’s a number of different species. I prefer Hydnum repandum for it’s firm texture, but all hedgehogs I’ve had have been good. See more on spreaders here.
A “spreader” the giant variant of Hydnum repandum harvested in Northern Minnesota.
Cleaning
The only real tricky thing about hedgehogs can be cleaning them. Their little teeth are pretty cool looking, but if you are picking after a recent rain, you may need to scrape off the teeth and dirt as well from the underside of their caps to make it so you don’t chew any gravel.
If your hedgehogs are reasonably clean, simply brush any visible grit, or give them a quick dip in a sink full of cool water, just make sure to do one at a time so they don’t absorb too much and become waterlogged, then leave them to dry on a paper towel until ready to cook.
If your hedgehogs are clean, all they should really need is a quick one-two with a mushroom or pastry brush to clean the teeth, it works like a charm.
A nice “double” Hydum repandum from MN
Recipes
Recipes I’ve developed specifically for hedgehogs, or where they can be substituted. Golden chanterelles and hedgehogs are similar and comparable in size so I often describe them as interchangeable, most of the time you should be able to substitute one for another.
- Wild Mushroom Conserve
- Meatloaf Steaks with hedgehogs
- Grilled Giant Hedgehog Mushrooms
- Wild Mushroom Duxelles
- Chanterelle Torte
- Mangalitsa Pork Chops With Chanterelle-Skyr Sauce
- Black Trumpet Bouchées With Chanterelle Mousse
- Chanterelle Custard, Hedgehog Mushrooms And Chives
- “Last Chance” Cream of Chanterelle Soup
- Whole Chanterelles Roasted With Thyme
- Wild Mushrooms With Garlic And Parsley
- Classic Chanterelle Omelet
Sautee hedgehogs in butter with salt and pepper to taste, along with onion powder and garlic powder over medium heat. Cook a good cut of beef or venison steak and pour warm butter and mushrooms from pan over your steak. I prefer beef ribeye or venison tenderloin.
I have read a lot about wild mushrooms and where and when which ones will grow. I have been picking wild mushrooms in the Pacific Northwest for 37 years, usually to pay the bills. Last year we had a weather event that was very uncharacteristic for our area. I live on the south end of the Willamette valley in Oregon. This is where the Cascade and Coast Range mountains dissipate as they merge together. The weather event is still referred to as snowmageddon. This snowstorm changed the whole look and feel of places I have been going to for a very long time. All of the mushrooms I pick are found in second growth Douglas Fir Forests owned by the Federal Government. I pick under a permit issued by the B.L.M. or the U.S. Forest Service. This permit is to legally transport the mushrooms, as they are owned by you and I, so they can’t legally sell them to us. Back to the point. This year[started getting channys in late September, and I am still getting many types in December] has produced the most and nicest wild mushrooms for the longest time that I have ever seen. I found a beautiful and rare Blue Cluster; it is a black chanterelle with black meat. I found pigs ears, hedgehogs, sweet tooth, giant hedgehogs, black trumpets, chicken of the woods, King and Queen Bolete, Porchini, Cauliflower, yellow feet, Matsutaki, angel wings, candy caps, white chanterelles, Ggolden chanterelles,lobsters, and fried chickens. There is an overabundance of every kind of mushroom. Some of these mushrooms I have tried to get a permit for are considered not present by the Government. Matsutaki, Pigs ears, black trumpets;they’re called horn of plenty by the Gov. I am currently picking about 10 pounds of trumpets per day. Can’t wait for logging and fire morels. We get a lot of mushrooms in late fall and early winter that are found in late summer in other places. Please reply thank you. You know anyone that wants to buy fresh wild mushrooms. I can get them anywhere in the U.S., and they will be fresh and beautiful. I have learned some tricks for preservation and basically slowing down time over all these years. I currently have these fresh; Golden Chanterelles, White Chanterelles, Hedgehogs, Giant Hedgehogs, Pigs ears, Black Trumpets, and yellow feet I won’t bother you any more by naming all the mushrooms I have dried. If you want to know, E-mail me and I will send the list to you. Thank you and good day.
Sarcodon imbricatus that I have found have been bitter and inedible.Northeast PA.