Here's The Huge Sin You Are Committing When Cooking With Truffles

If you are cooking with actual truffles rather than truffle oil (be it genuine or faux), wow, you're pretty brave, making a high-level investment like that. That shows cooking commitment right there, being willing to drop the big bucks on the finest of ingredients. In such a case, however, you want to make absolutely sure you use that truffle mushroom to its fullest potential.

One thing you should be sure of before you buy is the provenance of that truffle — white truffles, in particular, are often not the genuine article, since these are so rare. This doesn't mean, however, that you need to get the name and the pedigree of the pig that nosed out your truffle, since according to Chef Ken Frank of Napa's Michelin-starred La Toque restaurant (via Luxe Beat Magazine), "There is absolutely zero flavor difference between wild or farm-raised truffles and if anyone says otherwise, they are full of [crap]!"

Once you've established that your truffle is real, though, be it feral or domestic, don't make the enormous mistake of saving it for a special occasion.

When you select your truffle, Chef Frank says both freshness and fragrance are key, advising that truffles should feel firm and not too spongy. If your truffle's on the softer side, you should plan on using it that same day. Even if a truffle is nice and firm, though, you'll need to use it before you lose it. As Frank told attendees at the 4th Annual Napa Truffle Festival (including a correspondent for Luxe Beat), "Truffles are best eaten ASAP since they lose half their flavor after the first week." In fact, USA Today suggests that some truffles start to spoil after just five days.

If things don't work out for you, schedule-wise, and you absolutely have to save that truffle for later, Chef Frank offers some emphatic advice: "No matter what, don't do something stupid like storing a truffle in raw rice. All it does is dry out the truffle" (via Luxe Beat). Instead, his favorite way to preserve truffles is with the help of its BFF, butter. According to Frank, "Butter is really good with truffles. Too much butter is never enough."

Simply mince or shave the truffle into softened butter, then freeze the delicious truffle butter for later use on top of pasta or a steak or anywhere else you want that amazing flavor (via Delishably). If you peel your truffles before preparing them, don't throw out the peels! You can also make truffle butter with minced truffle peel so not a single scrap will go to waste, per Chef Frank (via Luxe Beat).