Preserved gourmet truffles take about 60% of the total world’s market share of truffles, as they are the best way to obtain truffles while not in season. Look for premier cuisson or “first cooking” or “first boiling” truffles. Truffles are preserved in cans and jars, which provides the customer with a bigger window and more alternative for using truffles. Typically, First Choice (smaller, berry-size) truffles will be heated with a little water or boiled in brine (a salty solution) and hermetically sealed in a sterilized jar. Another popular preserving method for gourmet truffles is storing them in oil.
Although very rarely sold, you might stumble upon truffles preserved with the “second boiling”, which means that the juice is extracted –more often than not to be sold separately- by cooking or boiling the truffle twice. The flavor and aroma will be greatly diminished- but so will the price.
The truffles have the advantage of having a longer shelf life, typically from 1 to 2 years, and the flavor and aromas are well preserved, although perhaps not as pronounced as fresh truffles. They are many different varieties of preserved truffles: some are whole, cleaned (or not) or brushed, while others are already peeled, cleaned, brushed, and sliced (which means less work for you.
One of the many advantages of preserved truffles is that you can always enjoy this delicacy, even out of season, and you don’t have to rush to use them. They are very versatile, and you can get two products in one, as the juice or oil in which they are preserved can be utilized as well to flavor soups, broths and sauces. Yes, everybody would love to get fresh gourmet truffles, but this is your best bet, especially if you’re just delving into the world of truffles. If you must have fresh truffles, I would suggest taking several practice runs with preserved truffles.
Preserved Truffle Presentations
- Whole Truffles: This is the most popular form or presentation of truffles, especially since it adds a certain visual appeal. Others say the flavor and aroma is preserved better inside the whole truffle. They can be peeled, brushed and/or cleaned, in which case they are ready to use, or unpeeled, and dirty
- Chopped/ Sliced Truffles: The work has already been done for you. These gourmet truffles come brushed, cleaned, and sliced or chopped. If you can afford it, it will save you some dirty work.
- Peeled Truffles: Depending on the truffle, and the recipe, you might want to use a whole, unpeeled gourmet truffle, although most likely they will come already peeled. If you don’t wish to use the peelings, save them, and use them to garnish or flavor oils, soups, broths, or sauces.
- Brushed Truffles: Preserved truffles categorized as “brushed” have been gently brushed and cleaned to remove the dirt.
- Flash Frozen: The truffles are frozen extremely quickly to preserve flavor and aroma.
Storage and Preparation
- Preserved truffles can be stored at room temperature, and have a shelf life between one to two years.
- After opening, store in the refrigerator and use within one to two weeks.
- For best taste, premier cuisson truffles should be used immediately after opening.
- Truffles can also be frozen in a freezer-proof jar for about two weeks (although I wouldn't recommend this option).
Cooking with Preserved Truffles
If you have eaten or cooked with Fresh Truffles before, don’t expect to get the same flavor out of Preserved Truffles right out of the jar. Although aromatically exceptional in their own right, the preserving process masks their original Fresh flavor, so a couple of quick steps need to be taken to uncover their flavor again.
- First, never simply take a preserved truffle out of the jar, slice it, and eat it. It will taste something like cardboard. Remember, they are preserved in and have been sitting in brine, great for preserving the shelf life, but not so great for preserving taste.
- Remove the truffle from the brine and let it sit on a towel. Try to gently pat dry any brine liquid still on the truffle.
- Thinly slice the truffle with a truffle slicer.
- Then lightly sautee the truffle slivers on either side preferably in a truffle oil or a truffle butter.
- Then add to a dish at the end of the dishes cooking process. You may still want to further invigorate your dish with that truffle flavor by also adding additional truffle oil or butter to the dish.
FAQs
D'Artagnan shelf-stable truffles are beautifully preserved and the next best thing to fresh. They're great to have on-hand year round, especially after the short truffle season has ended.
How long do preserved truffles last? ›
Preserved truffles can be stored at room temperature, and have a shelf life between one to two years. After opening, store in the refrigerator and use within one to two weeks.
Can truffles be preserved? ›
Freezing is one of the most common methods for preserving truffles.
How do you eat preserved truffles? ›
We recommend grating it or slicing it on top of those dishes where we want to enhance the aroma and flavour, and give a much more special final touch. The whole preserved black truffle combines very well in both hot and cold dishes, and can even be used in many sweet dishes.
How to cook with preserved truffles? ›
Soups, Stocks, Sauces … In places where you would never consider using a fresh truffle, the preserved peelings work well. They will flavor creamy soups, infuse stocks and amp up sauces. Use them for texture and appearance, and finish the dish with a drizzle of black truffle-flavored oil.
Why are truffles worth money? ›
The reason behind such high costs is the scarcity of the produce, truffles are seasonal, extremely difficult to grow, and take many years to cultivate. They also have a short shelf life. Truffles require a very specific climate to grow and require lots of oak trees, that's why they're often found in woodland.
How to tell if truffles have gone bad? ›
Fresh truffles should be firm, not spongey. Over time, they will gradually soften a little and there is nothing wrong with them at this point. But the carbohydrate within the truffle is breaking down, releasing moisture, and therefore, the precious aroma. If they become squidgy and wet – they have perished.
Can you eat a whole truffle? ›
While it is technically possible to eat truffles by themselves, most people do not choose to do so. Truffles are highly flavorful and aromatic, but their taste can be overpowering and intense when eaten alone.
Do you refrigerate truffles in oil? ›
Make sure the truffles are always covered by oil/liquid. Store in the refrigerator.
Why don't you cook truffles? ›
Truffles are extremely pungent, and for this reason should never be cooked as your main ingredient, but rather as a powerful accent. A modest handful of grated or shaved truffle can pack a surprisingly strong punch.
Prices for fresh truffles can range anywhere from US$5 to US$300 per ounce throughout the year, depending on the type and availability. Truffles are costly because they are highly seasonal and notoriously difficult to grow, requiring very specific habitat – habitats that are currently being affected by climate change.
Can you preserve truffles in olive oil? ›
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.
Are jarred truffles any good? ›
Whereas the aroma of fresh truffles is more powerful but also very volatile, the aroma of preserved truffles is more complex but also more stable, as they have undergone a first cooking. When properly cooked, canned truffles give just as good results as fresh truffles with the right techniques and recipes .
Who has the best truffles in the world? ›
Iain Burnett has repeatedly been awarded the World's Best Truffle from thousands of chocolates from over 60 countries, judged by world class chefs, sommeliers and food experts at the International Chocolate Awards.
What is the difference between truffles and desert truffles? ›
Desert truffles do not have the same flavor as European truffles, but tend to be more common and thus more affordable.
Are dried truffles good? ›
Fresh truffles have more flavor and aroma than dried truffles. You will pay the extra money for that though. The flavor and aroma come mostly from the sulfur compounds that are present in the truffle when they are growing underground.
Are frozen truffles any good? ›
It is possible to freeze truffles, but be aware that the taste, aroma and texture of frozen truffle does not quite match fresh ones. When a frozen truffle is defrosted it is soft, so, if you have to freeze them, they are best used from frozen.
How long will vacuum sealed truffles last? ›
BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE – remove fresh Truffles from the vacuum sealed packaging. They need to breathe, and the poor things will suffocate if kept in this sealed packaging for more than two days.
How can you tell if a truffle is good? ›
Indeed, a quality truffle should not have gummy or too soft parts, but neither should it be too hard. In fact, such a truffle is said to be “woody” when it has a leathery consistency, making it difficult to grate onto dishes.
