Drink Pairing: Poulsard from Jura or red Burgundy

Ingredients:             (Per Sandwich)
Leftover Roasted Chicken (we used Truffle Honey Glazed Chicken)
Roll of your choice
Lettuce
Mayonnaise of your choice (we recommend homemade mayonnaise)
Fresh Truffles (whatever you’ve got on hand, we used a blend of Bianchetti Truffles and Oregon Black Truffles)

Directions:
1. Toast your roll.

2. Spread on a heavy layer of mayonnaise.

3. Add lettuce & the chicken.

4. Top the filling with a heavy layer of fresh truffles. Devour.

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Though they may look like clods of dirt, there’s little doubt that for those who enjoy fine cuisine one of the very best ingredients you can get your hands on, the peerless kings (or queens) of the kitchen, are fresh truffles.

There’s no denying they’re pricy however, and there are so many truffle terms and origins flying about that it’s easy to be overwhelmed.  The below guide should give you a good foundation from which to take the great leap into gastronomic ecstasy.

Buying the Right Truffle for You – Factors in Your Decision:

Season:

Check out our wild food season chart for a rough idea of when to expect each variety.  Preserved truffles and truffle products are available year round.

Black Truffles vs White Truffles (from a technique perspective):

In general the aroma and flavor of black truffles (and black truffle products) tend to be less heat sensitive, making them the preferred choice for lightly cooked applications.  White truffles (and white truffle products) are more intense, complex, and are usually added to cooked food at the very last second.

Price:

As all of the premier truffle varieties are harvested in relatively small quantities, the primary determination of their price is their desirability.  Comparing the price of truffles gives you a good idea of rarity and what gourmets and chefs prefer.  The general rule is that you get what you pay for flavor-wise.

The Truffle Chart – From Truffle Curious to Truffle Master:

Truffle Products = Perfect (and most affordable) way to start

If you want to get a sense of what the fuss is all about without spending much, check out truffle products.  They’re affordable, non-perishable, and easy to experiment with.  Our favorite places to start are All Natural Truffle Oils, Truffle Butters and Truffle Salt, but there are many other options.  Read How to Use Truffle Products for all the info you need to get started.

Jarred Truffles: Just for looks

There’s no denying Whole Jarred Truffles, Truffle Peelings and Truffle Breakings are convenient and far cheaper than fresh truffles…but they don’t have a lot of flavor either.  What most chefs use them for is adding the texture and appearance of truffles to a dish while simultaneously using truffle oils or salt too in order to introduce truffle flavor.  We’re not wild about them and would recommend any other truffle product instead, but they do have a place in the truffle lexicon. 

Fresh Oregon Truffles: Entry Level for Fresh Truffles

When you’re ready to try cooking with your first fresh truffle, stay close to home and go with a wild Oregon truffle!  It’s true that they’re not as strong as European truffles, but they’re not as expensive either. 

Oregon white truffles Tuber Oregonense & Tuber Gibbosum (usually Apr-Jun & Nov-Jan). Technically two different species that mature at different times of the year, these two varieties are similar enough that they are sold as the same product.  Their aroma is intense yet complex.  Like the famous White Alba truffle, they’re best enjoyed thinly sliced over hot food.

Oregon black truffles Leucangium Carthusianum (usually Dec-Mar) are rarer than Oregon white truffles.  They have a pungent aroma sometimes described as “earthy pineapple” and a strong flavor. 

If you’re outside the normal fresh seasons, you can still get frozen Oregon truffles year round.

Intermediate Level Fresh Truffles: Mid-Range European Black Truffles

Italian Black Summer Truffles Tuber Aestivum Vitt (usually May-Aug) are more subtle than the famous Perigords, which makes them both more affordable and a good choice for lighter spring and summer dishes.  Their flavor has been described as sweet, almost chocolaty.  These truffles are best used to finish cooked dishes.

Frozen black summer truffles are also available year round.

Burgundy Black Truffles Tuber Uncinatum (usually Nov-Feb) are a delicious truffle variety harvested in many different countries in Europe (“Burgundy” is the name of the variety, not necessarily the place of origin).  Not as strong as the more expensive (and famous) Perigords, they’re best used to finish cooked dishes.

Bianchetti White Truffles Tuber Borchii (usually Jan-Mar) are the smallest and least well known of the European truffle varieties.  Darker in color than Alba Truffles (brown to dark orange), and often no bigger than quail eggs, they’re nevertheless quite potent and offer a similar flavor.  They’re a lot more affordable than Albas, making them an excellent way to try real fresh Italian white truffles for the first time.  Bianchetti truffles are best used to finish cooked dishes, as their flavor is very heat sensitive.

Truffle Master: The Very Best European Truffles

French Perigord Black Winter Truffles Tuber Melanosporum (usually Dec-Mar) simply put, these are the finest (and most expensive) black truffles in the world.  Perigords can be distinguished from other European black truffle varieties by their interior appearance – white veins running through black flesh.  Wild-foraged and intensely aromatic with rich, deep flavor; they put all the other black truffles on this list to shame. 

Many modern American chefs prefer to not cook or only lightly cook fresh black truffles to preserve their flavor and aroma.  That said, Perigords are the variety best suited to classic French poultry or meat dishes where black truffle slices are buttered and slid under the skin or inserted into slits cut into meat prior to roasting.

If Perigord truffles are out of season and you don’t want to wait, frozen perigord truffles are also available.

Italian White Alba Truffles Tuber Magnatum Pico (usually Oct-Dec) If there is one truffle gourmands love more than the Perigord, (and not all of them do, to the French the Perigord is the pinnacle) it’s the peerless White Alba of northern Italy. 

Delicately shaved over hot white truffle risotto, polenta with pot roast, egg dishes and pasta dishes, this truffle carries the lucky few who get their hands on it each year to culinary nirvana.  Alba truffles match beautifully with butter, cheese (especially parmigiano reggiano), chicken, veal and lobster.  Try adding it to aioli for the world’s most exclusive sandwich.

Like the Perigord truffle, alba truffles can be used in roasted meat applications, though many truffle purists insist that they only be used raw, shaved over just cooked food.

Fresh alba truffles are the ultimate in white truffledom, but their season is fleeting.  Frozen alba truffles are available year round and very good indeed!

More Reading: Truffle Tips
How to Store Fresh Truffles – includes preservation tips to save your leftovers.
How to Use Fresh Truffles
Truffle Recipes – whether you’re cooking with truffle products or fresh truffles, you’ll find something delicious here.
How to Taste Truffle Products

As decadent as food gets, this risotto showcases the complex flavors of parmigiano reggiano cheese and incredible earthy white alba truffles (some of the finest truffles in the world). Whipped heavy cream adds richness while making the finished risotto luxuriously thick.  Let’s just say that when this came off the stove we took a break and ate in silence…as if praying to the food gods.

We already have a great post explaining the basic risotto method, but we thought that this warranted its own recipe since it literally made four experienced palates swoon. 

Wine Pairing: Aged White Burgundy Chardonnay

Ingredients: (makes 6 servings)
2 cups Carnaroli Rice
1 cup onion very finely chopped
1 ½ cups dry white wine (Italian Soave, Fiano di Avellino, or Falanghina)
2-3 cups lowest salt chicken stock (you could substitute vegetable stock)
¾ cup heavy cream
½ cup olive oil
3 ½ ounces of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
2 tbsp unsalted butter
3 tbsp fresh oregano, very finely chopped
Portuguese Sea Salt to taste
1/8th oz fresh white Alba truffles (though any fresh truffle will do)

1. Whip the cream to firm peaks and store it in the fridge, covered.

2. Heat a pan with the olive oil at medium to medium-low heat.

3. Add the onion and sweat, stirring occasionally until it is soft and translucent (see photo).  The heat in the pan should not be high enough to color the onion.

4. In a separate pot, heat the stock until hot but not simmering or boiling.

5. Add the carnaroli rice, and stir it frequently until it begins to shine and is slightly translucent. You should smell some nuttiness coming off the pan when it’s ready.

6. Deglaze the pan with the white wine and simmer to absorb it into the rice.

7. Slowly begin to add the hot stock (about 6oz at a time), letting each portion of stock be absorbed into the rice before adding more. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking and help draw the starch out of the rice.

8. Finely grate the parmigiano reggiano.

9. Continue to simmer the rice, adding stock and stirring, until the rice is tender.  Remove the risotto from the heat, and take the whipped cream out of your fridge so it can start coming to room temperature.

10. Stir in the butter, oregano and grated parmesan.  Taste for seasoning, and add additional salt as needed (you want it to be a little on the salty side, as the whipped cream will mellow out the salt).

11. Just before serving, very gently fold in the whipped cream, using cutting and light folding motions.  Taste for seasoning again, and add more salt if needed.

12. Shave white alba truffles as thinly as possible over the risotto.  Garnish with additional chopped oregano if desired. Serve immediately.

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Fresh wild truffles are best enjoyed as soon as you get your hands on them, but they can be stored for later use.  Given how precious fresh truffles are (particularly Perigord truffles and Italian white Alba truffles), storing them correctly is worth the effort.

There are several methods used by chefs, and some argument in the culinary community over which method is best.  Here’s an explanation of each and why you’d want to do it.

Best Short-Term Truffle Storage: Refrigerator

Truffles can be stored in the refrigerator as you would fresh mushrooms.  Because the fridge is an inherently moist environment, it is important to wrap them in unbleached paper towels to absorb moisture.  After receiving your truffles, remove them from their packaging.  For best shelf life, our foragers recommend using tongs or gloves rather than handling them with your hands.  Pat them dry if any condensation has formed during shipping.  Roll the truffles in a paper towel, then place them in a zip-top bag.

Store the bag in your fridge without closing it (the truffles need to be able to breathe). Check the paper towel periodically and replace it whenever you discover that it is moist.

Most Useful Truffle Storage: Rice or Oil

Store them in Rice: Storing truffles in rice helps preserve them from exposure to the air while imparting truffle flavor to the surrounding food.  It can also help them last a little longer in the fridge.  However, some people believe that this process, while producing delicious rice, leeches flavor and moisture from the truffles, reducing their quality.  The most common rice varieties used for this are Arborio and carnaroli rice, because the infused flavor lends itself so well to making risotto.  Not recommended for Oregon truffles or white alba truffles.

Store them in Oil: Fresh truffles can also be stored in neutral flavored olive oil (just enough to cover in a small container) in your refrigerator for up to two weeks.  The oil provides a barrier against air exposure while preventing the loss of moisture.  The truffles will slowly infuse a little of their flavor into the oil, producing a form of homemade truffle oil.  Great for white alba truffles, not recommended for Oregon truffles.

Best Long Term Truffle Storage: Freezing

Though the results will not be as good as commercially preserved truffles, you can freeze truffles at home for long term storage.

Freeze the Truffles Plain: Freezing truffles is the most reliable way for a home chef to preserve them for up to six months.  Vacuum packing before freezing is best, but if you don’t have a machine, place your truffles in a zip top bag with all the air pushed out or sucked out.  Freezing the truffles separately will make it easier for you to use them one at a time later.  Once frozen solid they can be consolidated into a single bag (with as little air as possible).

Once frozen, truffles are best cooked or grated from frozen rather than thawing first.  If finely grated, the warmth of your food should thaw them.

Freeze the Truffles with Butter: You can also pre-grate the truffles and mix them with butter to make truffle butter, then freeze the butter.

Drying & Canning Truffles

Dehydrator: While you can use a home dehydrator to dry truffles (ideally cut in half or sliced), home dehydrators apply heat as part of the dehydration process, and can be slow, so a lot of the truffle’s flavor will likely be lost.  We don’t recommend this method.

Canning: It’s true that truffles are frequently canned (usually jarred) by the truffle industry for use outside of truffle season.  You could theoretically use canning techniques to preserve your fresh truffles for later use.  However, because truffles are extremely heat sensitive, it could be very easy to diminish their flavor, so we don’t recommend using this technique at home either.

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Serve it as a decadent side dish, top it with braised meats or stew, or just sit down with a bowl and a spoon.

Ingredients:             Makes 4 Servings
2 cups Whole Milk
1/2 cup Raw Polenta        (not pre-cooked, quick-cooking or “instant”)
1/2 oz Fresh White Truffle (we used fresh White Alba Truffles)
2 tbsp Unsalted Butter
Salt & Pepper

Optional: Additional white truffle for garnish.

Directions:
1. Bring the milk to a simmer in a saucepan on the stove.

2. Turn the heat down to low and stir in the polenta, a 3-finger pinch of salt and a couple grinds of pepper.

3. Stir frequently and cook until the mixture has thickened and the polenta is tender.

4. Use a microplane grater to grate in the fresh truffle.  Stir in the truffle and butter.  If the polenta is thicker than you’d like, thin it with a little extra milk.  Taste & add additional salt & pepper if needed.

5. Garnish with sliced white truffle (if desired) & serve.

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Fresh truffles are one of the world’s finest gastronomic delights, but are rare enough that many people aren’t sure exactly how to prepare them. 

How to cook with fresh truffles:

Fresh truffles are heat sensitive.  While warmth unlocks the truffle’s aroma and flavor, high heat can minimize it, so truffles should be used as a finishing ingredient for best flavor and aroma. 

As ancient as humans’ love of truffles is, there is still ongoing debate as to the best way to use them.  Though there is a classic European tradition of roasting meats and poultry with black Perigord truffles and white Alba truffles (usually sliced and slid into slits cut into the meat or placed under poultry skin), many modern truffle lovers feel that fresh truffles should never be more than lightly cooked. 

These truffle fans feel that while black truffles can be shaved on to food near the very end of the cooking process, white truffles are more delicate and should not be shaved over food until after it has been completely cooked.

Incidentally, just before serving is also the best time to use truffle products like truffle oils, truffle salt, and truffle butter.

How to slice fresh truffles:

While you certainly can use a sharp knife to thinly slice your truffles, it will be easier (and significantly faster) to use a truffle slicer.  Truffle slicers are small hand-held mandolines that use a razor-sharp adjustable blade to cut ultra-thin truffle shavings at a consistent thickness. 

Using a truffle slicer is easy, simply turn the dial to your approximate desired thickness, and draw the truffle across the blade.  Check the shaving and adjust the dial again until you get exactly the thickness you’re looking for. 

Once you’ve found the right setting, go crazy shaving your fresh truffles over pasta, risotto (truffle risotto recipe), polenta, egg dishes and even poultry & meats. 

Looking for more ways to use your fresh truffles?  Check out our truffle recipes!

How to store fresh truffles:Read Storing Fresh Truffles for storage & preservation advice.

If you don’t have fresh truffles handy, you can instead substitute white truffle oil for a small quantity of the olive oil called for this recipe.

Ingredients:
2 Egg Yolks
Juice of 1/2 Lemon
Zest of 1 Lemon, finely grated
1/4 oz Fresh White Truffles (we used White Alba Truffles)
2 tsp Fresh Chives, finely minced
1 cup Olive Oil

Directions:
1. Whisk together the egg yolks. Add the lemon zest and juice to the yolks & whisk to combine.

2. Optional: place a towel over a large pot and use it as a resting spot for the bowl.

3. Start drizzling the oil into the yolks in small drops, whisking constantly.  As the mixture starts to come together, you can start adding the oil in larger quantities.

4. Continue until you reach your desired consistency (but don’t go over a cup of oil).  We used this aioli as a dip, so we left the emulsion a little softer than you would for a spreadable aioli.

5. Taste, then add salt & additional lemon juice as needed. If the aioli is too thick and you don’t want to add additional lemon flavor, you can also thin with a little water.

6. Using a microplane grater, grate the truffle into the aioli. Add the chives & stir to combine.

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Truffle Honey Glazed Poulet Rouge
with Vanilla Celeriac Puree, Glazed Micro Veggies & Shaved White Truffles

Poulet rouge is a great two-serving chicken breed that is tender with a more pronounced chicken flavor.  The truffle honey glaze gives it earthiness and sweetness. The vanilla celeriac puree is almost sweet, but doesn’t conflict with the savory elements on the plate, particularly given the honey on the bird.  You can skip shaving white truffles on top at the end if you want, but doing so really takes this dish to the next level.

Drink Pairings: German Riesling or Chenin Blanc 

Ingredients:         (Makes 2 Servings)
1 Poulet Rouge Chicken    (you could substitute other top quality chickens or modify this recipe for cornish game hens)
1 Large Celeriac (aka Celery Root), peeled & large diced
½ cup Heavy Cream
½ cup Crème Fraiche
1 Bourbon Vanilla Bean (could substitute a Tahitian Vanilla Bean)
3 sprigs Fresh Thyme
3 sprigs Fresh Marjoram
3 sprigs Fresh Parsley
1 cup Chicken Stock
Poppy Seeds for garnish
1 Tbsp Butter
3 tbsp Truffle Honey Glaze
12 Blanched Micro Vegetables of your choice
Butcher’s Twine
Optional: Fresh White Truffles (we used Bianchetti Truffles, but you could substitute White Alba Truffles or Oregon White Truffles)

Directions:

1. Wash the poulet rouge and thoroughly pat it dry.  Place it in a bowl on the bottom shelf of your refrigerator, uncovered, and let it sit overnight to dry the skin.

2. When you’re ready to prepare your chicken, preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

3. Add the celeriac to a pot along with the heavy cream and enough water to cover.  Simmer over medium low heat until tender.

4. Strain the celeriac out of the cream mixture, reserving both.  Puree the celeriac in a food processor with a couple tablespoons of the liquid (adding more as necessary during the pureeing process to reach a mashed potatoes-like consistency).  Stir in the creme fraiche.

5.  Stuff the bird’s cavity with the herbs on the stem.

6. Fold the chicken’s wings under it.  Tie the chicken by starting with a tight loop around the “tail”, then bringing the twine forward under the chicken, up around the wings, back to the sides of the legs, then around each leg and tie a knot to draw the two legs together.  Cut off any excess twine (see photo for reference).

7. Season the chicken with sea salt.

8. Use a spoon to put an even coat of honey glaze all over the surface of the chicken (except the bottom).  Move the chicken to a small baking dish and into the oven.

9. After 15-20 minutes, when the chicken’s skin has begun to caramelize nicely, reduce the oven’s temperature to 325 degrees & continue to roast until the chicken has cooked through (about an additional 25 minutes).

10. Remove the chicken from the oven and cut off the twine.  Sprinkle the poppy seeds on top, then brush on some more of the glaze.

11. Just before serving the chicken, put the puree in a frying pan to reheat.  Scrape in the seeds from the vanilla bean (how to use vanilla beans), add the crème fraiche & stir over low heat.  Taste for seasoning and add salt as needed.

12. In a separate frying pan, pour in the chicken stock and simmer it to reduce the volume down to ¼ cup.  Add the butter and the blanched veggies.  Toss to coat, then season with a little sea salt.

13. Carve the chicken into portions.

14. Put down a base of the celeriac puree on the plate, then a portion of the chicken on top.  Arrange the micro vegetables to the side.  Top with shaved white truffles if desired.  Serve.

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This emulsified butter sauce isn’t technically a true hollandaise in terms of technique, but the end result’s pretty similar and it’s a heck of a lot faster and easier.

Ingredients:
2 Egg Yolks
1 tbsp Champagne Vinegar
12 tbsp of Melted Unsalted Butter, hot
Pinch of Kosher Salt
1/3oz Fresh White Truffles (we used Fresh White Alba Truffles)

Directions:
1. Combine the egg yolks, vinegar and salt in a blender.

2. Blend the mixture on high briefly.

3. Skim the white whey off the top of the melted butter with a spoon.

4. Turn the blender back on, still set to high, and slowly drizzle in the melted butter until the hollandaise reaches the thickness you prefer (you may not need all of it).

5. Move the finished hollandaise to a bowl and use a microplane grater to grate in the white truffle.  Stir to combine.

6. Use the finished hollandaise to sauce your dish.

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Herby & herby with a bit of zing from the fresh horseradish, this gremolata is a luxurious addition to cooked meats, elevating them into the culinary stratosphere.

Awesome on steaks (we put it on Kobe Beef Tomahawk Ribeye Steaks) also would be great on other steak cuts, short ribs, prime rib and more.

Ingredients:      Makes Enough for 1 Tomahawk Steak or Two Smaller Steaks
1/2 bunch Fresh Flat Leaf Italian Parsley, rinsed & roughly chopped
1/3 oz Fresh White Truffle  (we used fresh White Alba Truffles)
1 tbsp Fresh Horseradish Root
3 tbsp Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper to Taste

Directions:
1. Grate the horseradish with a microplane grater, toss with the parsley, salt, pepper & olive oil.

2. Slice the fresh truffle 1/2 mm thick using a truffle slicer or mandoline.  Cut the truffle slices into fine julienne sticks.  Stir into the mixture.

3. Serve the finished gremolata atop cooked & rested steaks, braised meats, roasted meats, etc.

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Orange, Pine Nut, Chive Gremolata Recipe
Fresh Wasabi Gremolata Recipe
Truffle Recipes
Meat Recipes