Learn how to tell between REAL and FAKE truffle oil below!
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Wouldn’t it be nice if there was one ingredient you could add to your cooking to make it taste amazing?
What if I told you that ingredient might be easier to find than you might think?
Adding real truffle oil to your cooking is a sure way to give it an incredible flavor and tons of great aroma throughout every recipe you make. It’s also very simple to use, and a little bit goes a long way!
If you’ve never tried authentic truffle oil before, you’re in for a treat the first time you try it out. This product is delicious, and as soon as you open the bottle you’ll be hit with an aroma that’s sure to put a smile on your face.
But what about all the controversy surrounding truffle oil? Is truffle oil real? How can you know if you’re using an authentic product or not?
Don’t worry! Working with truffle oil can seem like a daunting task, especially if you’ve never tried it before, and I understand that!
You might have heard a lot about genuine truffle oil versus products that aren’t made with real truffles. You might have even heard some of your favorite celebrity chefs putting down this ingredient because it’s so hard to find truffle oil with real truffles.
But that’s what this article is here for!
In this article, I’ll teach you how to tell when you’ve got a real truffle oil on your hands, and how to shop for authentic products. I’ll even give you some tips for how to use it when you do make your final purchase.
So read on to uncover the mystery surrounding truffle oil!
What is a Truffle?
Before you understand what truffle oil is, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with what truffles are. There are many types of truffle oil brands that attempt to sell other ingredients, like mushrooms, as having the same flavors as truffles, and this just isn’t the case. When you shop for truffle oil, keep the following information in mind.
- Truffles aren’t mushrooms. If you see a product being sold as truffle oil but only including mushrooms in its ingredients, then this is a mushroom oil. Truffles are a type of fungus, but they aren’t actually part of the same family as mushrooms at all. The only similarity is in the earthy flavor that they share with many types of mushrooms.
- Black truffles have a distinct flavor. These types of truffles tend to have a rich taste and a deep, earthy aroma. They’ve been compared to both red wine and chocolate, although the flavor really is more like something in between the two. These truffles can be found in France as well as other places around the world, including the United States.
- White truffles don’t taste like black truffles. The taste of a white truffle is much more subtle than that of a black truffle. These truffles have more of an ammonia smell, and some people don’t really like their aroma at all. However, the flavor is full and delicious, with a garlic finish.
- Truffles are as expensive as you’ve heard—in some cases. The most expensive black truffles come from the Perigord region of France, while the most expensive white truffles come from the Alba region of Italy. White truffles are hard to find elsewhere in the world, but black truffles may be found in many other countries and regions. For this reason, black truffle products—like oil—are usually more affordable than white truffle ones, since they’re made with less rare ingredients.
What is Real Truffle Oil?
Now that you know a little bit about the truffles it comes from, you can learn more about real truffle oil and what makes a truffle oil real in the first place. This controversial ingredient has been dividing chefs for the past many years, and it’s a good idea to know what you’re dealing with before you ever pick up a bottle of real truffle oil. With the information listed below, you’ll be ready to have a true truffle oil experience as soon as you head to the nearest specialty market.
- Real black truffle oil should have a deep and heavy flavor and aroma. This type of oil is great for using in just about any dish you can imagine, but it goes especially well with meat-based meals. Black truffle oil, like white truffle oil, is made with pieces of real truffles. However, many of the truffles used in this oil come from less desirable regions around the world, making this oil a little more affordable.
- All real truffle oil should always be made with actual truffles. If you’re examining a bottle of truffle oil, pay close attention to the label. Sometimes, real truffle oil isn’t labeled in a specific way, or fake truffle oil might be mislabeled. Check the ingredients listed on the back to be sure real truffles are a part of the oil you’re using. Be sure not to use an oil made with chemical ingredients. Real truffle oil is made from high-quality olive oil infused heavily with pieces of truffles to give the oil their distinct taste.
What is Fake Truffle Oil?
Unfortunately, fake truffle oil is a real problem in the truffle product market these days. Now that you know how to tell what makes for an authentic truffle oil, you should understand what makes a truffle oil not real, too. It’s very simple to tell whether or not a truffle oil is real, but you first need to know what you’re looking for.
- Fake truffle oil is made from chemicals. The taste of black and white truffles both can be easily mimicked by including a chemical gas in an olive oil. This gas occurs naturally in all types of truffles, and it is a part of what gives them their distinct flavor. When the same gas is synthesized in laboratories, the main flavor of a truffle can be easily added to oils. Chemically enhanced truffle oils will always either list their chemical ingredients outright on the label or include words like “truffle flavor” or “natural truffle aroma.” If the ingredients don’t say “truffles” specifically, you’re probably looking at a fake oil.
- Fake truffle oil doesn’t include visible signs of truffle use. The highest-quality real truffle oils include small pieces of truffle in the bottom of every bottle to prove that the oil was made by infusing olive oil with pieces of real truffles. Oil won’t be filled with pieces of truffles, but there should be one or two small bits in the bottom of your bottle if you purchase from quality, reputable truffle product suppliers. Fake truffle oil never has this.
- Fake truffle oil doesn’t have the complexity of flavor that comes from real truffle oil. The real taste of truffles is very layered and diverse. When you use fake truffle oil, you’re limiting your truffle flavors to only one: the taste of the gas that truffles produce naturally. While this is certainly the strongest truffle flavor you might encounter, it’s not the only one, and it limits the flavor of truffles considerably to cut this delicious taste down so significantly.
What are the Must-Haves in a Real Truffle Oil?
Now you know how to recognize a real truffle oil, and you’re well on your way to purchasing the perfect one to fit your needs! When buying authentic truffle oil, there are three must-haves you should always keep in mind. Choose a truffle oil that meets all three criteria and you’ll be sure to have one worth purchasing.
Aroma
The first thing you should notice about your truffle oil as soon as you open the bottle is the smell. Are you hit with a strong smell of olive oil that’s only followed by a trace amount of truffle aroma? If so, you might have a fake or lower-quality oil on your hands. However, what if you’re overwhelmed with the smell of truffle so much so that you don’t notice much of anything else? In this case, your oil might also be fake, and synthesized to smell as much like a truffle as possible. You’re looking for a subtle truffle smell that you notice right away, but that doesn’t overpower the oil itself.
Taste
The taste of your truffle oil should be as close as possible to that of a real truffle. Of course, many of us can’t afford to try a real truffle, so it might be hard to figure out just what that means! A black truffle oil should be robust and hearty with an earthy, mineral sort of quality to it. A white truffle oil should have a garlic and shallot taste with a little bit of ammonia and onion to back it up. You should still be able to taste the olive oil, but it should never be a stronger flavor than that of the truffle infusion. If you’re purchasing your truffle oil from a reputable dealer or specialty market, the seller might even let you try a taste of the oil before you purchase just to be sure it’s the real thing. It never hurts to ask, especially when you’re shopping for the first time.
Appearance
For the most part, authentic truffle oil and synthetic truffle oil should look more or less the same. However, you should always pour out a little bit of the oil if possible to test for the right texture and consistency. Is the oil pouring out like water? If so, then it might be mixed with canola or other lower-quality oils, which probably means it isn’t made with high-quality ingredients like real truffles, either. If the oil is smooth and liquid but takes a little longer to flow than water would, you have a higher-quality olive oil on your hands. This is a good sign you’re working with real truffle oil, although this alone can’t tell you for sure.
What Makes Real Truffle Oil Worth It?
Okay, so you’ve seen a lot now about how to tell the difference between fake truffle oil and the real thing. You feel confident in your ability to tell the difference between the two, right? But now that it’s time to make the final purchase, you might be noticing a little more about the real truffle oil price. It’s no secret that this product is quite a lot more expensive than its synthetic counterpart, so what makes real truffle worth the cost in the end?
- Real truffle oil can add dimensions of flavor to your food. There’s more to a true truffle oil than there is to a synthetic one, and the unique flavors that can only be found in real truffle pieces can bring a lot to the taste of your truffle oil recipes. If you have the opportunity, try a taste comparison between fake truffle oil and the real thing. You’ll notice the level of difference right away.
- Real truffle oil is only made with healthy, natural ingredients. If you’re the type of person who is concerned about what goes into your body, do yourself a favor and stay away from synthesized chemical flavors like those found in fake truffle oil. This is a sign of highly processed food that won’t do anything in terms of your overall health. Olive oil and truffle are both all-natural ingredients that are pretty good for you, too. By choosing real truffle oil, you’re doing a lot for your body.
- Real truffle oil is the closest thing to the taste of a real truffle. If you want to have the full truffle experience but can’t quite afford it, there’s no better way to try the taste of a truffle than to use real truffle oil made from truffles themselves.
- You can use real truffle oil the same way you would use regular olive oil. It’s very easy and simple to incorporate real truffle oil into your recipes since it has an olive oil base. All you have to do is replace your olive oil with truffle oil instead to enjoy a delicious flavor in every bite. Remember, however, that a little truffle oil goes a long way, so you might need to cut back a bit on your oil usage. This can actually help you create even healthier recipes in the long run!
How Can Real Truffle Oil Be Used?
Once you have chosen the right truffle oil to fit your needs, it’s time to figure out how best to use it! When cooking with truffle oil, you don’t have to be quite as limited as you might with real truffle ingredients. For example, white real white truffles should never be completely cooked and can’t withstand high temperatures in the oven or on the stovetop, real white truffle oil is much more forgiving. You can use truffle oil in just about anything in place of traditional olive oil, but here are a few ideas to help you get started.
- Pasta. One of the most popular uses for truffle oil, both white and black, is in pasta. Many chefs like to add a little bit of the oil to the cooking water when boiling pasta to infuse it with a bit of extra taste throughout. Another great way to use truffle oil while making pasta dishes is to add it at the very end and toss it together with all of your other ingredients. If you’ll be making a sauce that calls for olive oil, don’t hesitate to replace it with truffle oil instead for a bold taste in every bite.
- Eggs. You’ve probably heard of truffle oil eggs, and if you have, then you might be interested in trying them for yourself. Don’t be afraid to mix a little bit of truffle oil into even the simplest of egg dishes to enhance the flavor and help you get your morning meals off on the right foot! White truffle oil is the best when it comes to using this product with eggs since black truffle oil can overwhelm the natural flavors of the eggs a bit too much. Make scrambled eggs with a drizzle of white truffle oil for the perfect take on a breakfast classic.
- Pizza. Pizza might not be a high-class culinary experience, but when you add truffle oil to the crust, you can take your homemade pizza to a whole new level! Black truffle oil stands up a little bit better with traditional pizza ingredients than does white truffle oil, so stick to the black variety if you plan to use your oil for this purpose. Drizzle the oil over the crust before baking it, or add it at the last minute as a topping to the pizza after everything else has been cooked.
- Meats. Use black truffle oil with meats like chicken, beef, or pork to give them a unique and robust flavor throughout. You can substitute truffle oil for olive oil when pan frying these types of ingredients, but take care not to overdo it. Try to use about half the amount that you would use with regular olive oil, so as not to overpower the taste of your meat with the flavor of truffles. If you’ll be baking or grilling your meat, try rubbing it down with a truffle oil mixture instead to give it a great taste that won’t be too strong.
- Vegetables. Sautee vegetables in a little bit of white truffle oil to give them a full flavor and an extra touch of garlic. Be careful not to overdo it with the oil when cooking vegetables, however, as the taste of garlic and onion that comes with white truffle oil might overpower the rest of your dish.
Conclusion
There’s a lot to learn when it comes to understanding the difference between fake and real truffle oil. This is a hot-button topic in the world of culinary cooking, and many celebrities and other well-known chefs have made it clear that they aren’t interested in incorporating truffle oil into their dishes, even if it’s completely authentic. Although these chefs don’t put a lot of stock in the use of truffle oil, the ingredient still remains very popular with more local chefs and among home cooks looking to get a burst of flavor in their recipes without having to spend too much money to do it.
In the end, the choice to use truffle oil or not to use it is entirely up to you. This is an ingredient that can give you a lot of flavors and add several layers of tasty depth to your Italian, French, and other dishes. However, if you find that you don’t appreciate getting flavor from a controversial ingredient, then that’s fine too.
Even so, it’s in your best interest to give truffle oil a try, at least once. If you plan to try truffle oil for the first time, be sure you purchase an authentic variety so you can get everything you need when it comes to flavor and intensity. This way, you’ll have a better understanding of what truffle oil really tastes like, and you won’t be basing your opinions on a fake ingredient. Keep in mind the brands listed above when you’re ready to shop for your truffle oil, and remember how to tell the difference between authentic and non-authentic options too.
Once you give it a try, you’ll be cooking with truffle oil in no time. Chances are, you’ll soon find out what make this ingredient so popular, and you’ll want to incorporate it into every recipe you make!
