How to Store Truffles

Refrigerating Truffles

Pat the truffles dry with a clean paper towel to remove any moisture. If you aren’t going to use your truffles the same day you get them, it’s important to get them into the fridge as soon as possible. Gently pat each truffle; don’t run them under water to rinse them off first. You could use tongs or wear gloves while handling the truffles. Your fingers can add unwanted moisture, though the truffles should still be okay even if you do touch them.

Roll each truffle in a new, dry, paper towel. Truffles give off a lot of moisture, even within 24 hours. You must keep them as dry as possible for the best quality. Wrap each truffle individually in its own paper towel. If you’re worried about the paper towel coming undone, use a small piece of tape to keep it closed.Tip: Some truffle aficionados recommend storing fresh truffles in rice or pasta, like arborio or risotto. The rice absorbs any excess moisture from the truffles, and it also infuses the rice with the truffle flavor. Just put the truffle into 1 cup (175 grams) of rice and store it in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Place the rolled-up truffles into a plastic bag or glass container. You can put more than one truffle into the bag or container; just avoid putting so many that they would get smashed together. Culinary experts are split between keeping the container open versus sealing it while it’s in the fridge. An open container can help keep the truffle dry, but it can also let out a lot of the pungent truffle fragrance, which could be absorbed into other foods in your fridge. Use your best judgment to decide which method you’d prefer.

Replace the paper towel every two days to keep the truffles dry. If you plan on storing your truffles in the fridge for more than a few days, set a reminder on your phone or write yourself a note to regularly change the paper towels. This will help keep the truffles as dry as possible and will prolong their freshness. Always use clean, dry, paper towels to wrap the truffles.

Keep the truffles in the fridge for up to two weeks. With the proper storage, your truffles can last for a while. If you get to the end of the two weeks and still have some leftover, go ahead and freeze them. If you notice the truffles have gotten mushy, discolored, or smell differently than they did at the beginning, it’s probably safe to assume that they’ve gone bad and you should discard them.

Freezing Truffles

Pat each truffle dry with a clean paper towel to remove excess moisture. When you have a surplus of truffles and know you won’t be able to use them quickly, you can freeze them—just make sure to dry them off as best as possible beforehand. Moisture of any kind speeds up the decay process. Don’t rinse off the truffles before freezing them. If there is visible dirt, just brush it away with the paper towel.

Place each truffle into its own individual resealable plastic bag. If you freeze multiple truffles in the same bag, they’ll freeze together into one mass and will be much harder to use one-at-a-time later on. Snack-sized or sandwich-sized bags work well for this task. After the truffles are frozen, you can combine them into one bag if you want to.

Compress the bag to expel as much air as possible and seal it. Too much air left in the bag could cause the truffle to get freezer burn, which would alter its taste. Squeeze out all the air you can before completely sealing the plastic bag. If you have a vacuum sealer, you could use that to get an air-tight seal.

Store the truffles in the freezer for up to six months. Try to keep the truffles in their own section so they don’t get smushed by other food items. After six months, the truffles will still be safe to eat, but their fragrance and taste will be different. The sooner you use a truffle, the better it will taste.Tip: Label the date on each plastic bag with a permanent marker so you’ll know how long they’ve been in the freezer for.

Grate frozen truffles into your next dish for the best results. Avoid thawing the truffle and then cooking with it. The moisture from the thawing process can change the taste and texture of the truffle. It’s best to grate it directly into the dish you’re preparing while it’s still frozen. The heat from the dish will cook the truffle. Pasta, risotto, chicken, pizza, creamy soup, sea bass, and omelets can all be lifted to another culinary level with the addition of truffle.