Your issue seems to be the texture, but do you like the taste?
The stems are indeed a bit rubbery, the caps are prized but it’s not common to hear someone eats only the caps of king oyster/trumpet mushrooms. Try both separately for the texture test.
I like these mushrooms a lot and eat them all the time as I eat meat sparingly. They are versatile and suitable in all kinds of preps.
Fried. Roasted with shoyu and sesame oil. Steamed with fresh roe with eggs.
