• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Braised & Deglazed
  • ABOUT
  • Home
  • RECIPES
Braised & Deglazed

Braised & Deglazed

A source for recipes you can make at home - Chef Devan Cameron

  • ABOUT
  • Home
  • RECIPES

A Delicious Black Trumpet Mushroom Sauce with Cream and Fresh Tarragon

This post may contain affiliate links. You can read my affiliate policy here.

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

One of the best wild mushrooms you can buy is the black trumpet mushroom.

Its strong earthy flavour with hints of smoke and coffee make this mushroom truly unique in flavour and a must-try.

Black trumpets are commonly used in French cuisine and paired with other expensive ingredients like beef tenderloin, foie gras, and beef demi-glace.

You might have seen these on rare occasions at your local farmers market or specialty grocery store and this is a guide to help you enjoy these beauties at home.

A bowl of black trumpet mushroom cream with tarragon. this …

What Are Black Trumpet Mushrooms Actually?

There are actually two types of black trumpet mushrooms, the Eastern grown Craterellus fallax and the Western-grown Craterellus cornocopioides. The ones in Europe are likely of the cornocopioides variety but may in fact be a different variety altogether. [1]

They’re a type of wild mushroom commonly found growing alongside pine and oak trees.

Other names for this mushroom include horn of plenty, black chanterelle and my favourite name of all the Trompette de La Mort which translates to Trumpet of Death in French.

It’s believed that the dark-sounding name goes back in history to when the mushrooms were first discovered and said to look like dead spirits playing black trumpets.

Folklore aside, the old name suggests that people have been enjoying black trumpet mushrooms for a long time.

A black trumpet mushroom on the table with more trumpets in the background.
They actually do look like little black trumpets!

What is the Season For the Black Trumpet Mushroom?

Because there are two types of black trumpet mushrooms, you may find them available in both the summer and winter, depending on where they’re foraged.

East Coast trumpets are summer mushrooms and are in season from mid-July to the end of August.

West Coast trumpets are winter mushrooms and can be found anywhere from November to the beginning of March.

These mushrooms I found from Groentenbroer.nl are obviously the European variety and are of immaculate quality in the middle of December.

Black Trumpet Mushroom Buying Guide

As these mushrooms often carry an expensive price tag, it’s important to know what to look for and to avoid buying old mushrooms which are not worth the price.

Here’s what to look for when buying wild black trumpet mushrooms.

Dry and Firm

The best mushrooms will be dry and firm enough to hold their distinct trumpet shape. Sometimes mushroom foragers will try to sell you mushrooms that have been previously frozen and this is not acceptable.

Previously frozen mushrooms will be very soggy and should be avoided or instead bought at a discount price.

No Bad Odors

Black trumpets come with a very strong, earthy smell when raw but they shouldn’t smell sour or off-putting. If it does, this is likely because the mushrooms are too old or too wet and are starting to rot.

Fairly Clean

Wild mushrooms are not like farmed mushrooms and will likely contain bits of dirt and even live insects inside them.

If there are a few live bugs inside the mushrooms this is actually a good sign as it means the mushrooms are quite fresh.

On the other hand, mushrooms with too many bugs mean they were picked too late and I would avoid buying these.

A close up of raw black trumpet mushrooms.

How to Clean Black Trumpet Mushrooms

As mentioned above, these mushrooms are wild and will need a little more attention than regular mushrooms.

There are two methods for cleaning trumpet mushrooms:

  1. A quick soak in cold water.
  2. Cleaning them by hand with a dry brush.

Personally, I’ve always used the dry brush method in all of the restaurants I worked when cleaning these mushrooms. This is because soaking them in water makes the mushrooms soggy and means they won’t cook nicely.

I also like the dry brush method because I can individually open each mushroom up to search for excess dirt which hides inside the mushroom.

However, you can soak them in cold water quickly and then dry them on a tray in a warm place for a few hours to remove the excess moisture.

The downside to this is that you really have to be careful not to dry them too long otherwise you’ll lose their soft texture.

What Do Serve with Black Trumpet Mushrooms?

Classically these mushrooms work the best with beef dishes like beef wellington, and chateaubriand, or served alongside a simple roasted chicken.

They also work really well with other stronger game meats like pheasant, duck, or venison.

More ideas for when to use these mushrooms:

  • Mixed into a wild mushroom risotto.
  • Sauteed, chopped and folded into a hollandaise sauce.
  • Mixed into an omelet.
  • Baked into a chicken pot pie.
  • Added to gravy for an extra elegant sauce.
  • Dried, ground finely, and used as an umami seasoning.
A bowl of black trumpet mushroom cream.

How to Make a Black Trumpet Mushroom Tarragon Cream

These mushrooms cook fast! Once they hit the hot pan, they’re pretty much cooked already.

If you’ve never had them before, the best way to enjoy them is with a little butter and salt first. This way you can truly enjoy their delicate flavour and then try them in other recipes like this black trumpet tarragon cream sauce.

Here’s how you can make the sauce:

  1. First, make sure the mushrooms are dry and clean.
  2. Get a large pan hot over medium-high heat.
  3. Add about 1 tbsp of butter and wait for it to sizzle.
  4. Add only enough black trumpets to fit in one even layer in the pan. Adding too much to the pan will result in soggy mushrooms.
  5. Cook the mushrooms for 30 seconds, tossing frequently in the pan.
  6. Once the mushrooms are wilted, turn off the heat.
  7. Immediately add the pureed garlic and cook with the residual pan heat for 30 seconds more.
  8. Deglaze the pan with the brandy, then add the cream and put back on the heat. Cook for 1-2 minutes more or until the cream thickens into a sauce.
  9. Finish with a few sprigs of freshly chopped tarragon and a drop or two of sherry vinegar.
  10. Serve right away with your favourite steak, roasted chicken, or game meats.

How to Store Black Trumpet Mushrooms

Like most mushrooms, they need to be kept dry to avoid spoiling.

The best way to store these mushrooms is to leave them in a basket in the fridge with a clean damp towel over top. Do not cover them completely otherwise they’ll “sweat” and spoil faster.

They’re best kept for a few days in the fridge but no more than a week.

Do not freeze these mushrooms raw. It’s better to make your dish first and then freeze that as frozen mushrooms always absorb too much water.

Try My other Mushroom Recipes

  • These Deliciously Simple Sauteed Chestnut Mushrooms
  • These Delicious Sauteed Hedgehog Mushrooms with Butter and Chives
  • This Bacon Wrapped Chicken Leg Stuffed with Porcini, Walnuts + Herbs
A bowl of black trumpet mushroom cream with tarragon.
Print Pin
5 from 14 votes

A Delicious Black Trumpet Mushroom Sauce with Cream and Fresh Tarragon

The ultimate guide for how to buy, clean and cook the black trumpet mushroom. Included is a recipe for a black trumpet tarragon cream that's perfect with steak or roasted chicken.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 2 servings
Calories 536kcal
Cost $8/ 6€

Equipment

  • Brush
  • Heavy bottom pan for the sauce
  • Pasta tweezers (optional)
  • Microplane/Rasp

Ingredients

  • 100 g black trumpet mushrooms fresh
  • 1 clove garlic peeled
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 240 g 35% cream (1 cup)
  • ¼ bunch tarragon fresh
  • 1 shot brandy, cognac or dry white wine (optional)
  • ⅛ tsp sherry vinegar
  • cracked black peper
  • salt to taste
Metric – US Imperial
Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

  • Clean the trumpet mushrooms thoroughly with either the brush method or the quick rinse method (see above).
    Opening the black trumpet mushrooms and brushing the inside.
  • Have all of the ingredients ready to go before you start as the mushrooms cook very fast.
    Chop the tarragon and puree the garlic using a Microplane.
    Chopping the tarragon and making a garlic puree.
  • Heat the butter over medium-high heat until hot and foamy. Add the trumpets and toss them in the pan. Season with a little bit of salt.
    Cooking the black trumpet mushrooms.
  • Once the mushrooms are wilted (about 30 seconds) turn off the heat and immediately add the garlic and tarragon. Toss to prevent the garlic from burning.
    Cooking the black trumpet mushrooms with tarragon and garlic.
  • After 30 seconds, add the brandy (optional) and then the cream and turn the heat back to medium.
    Finishing the sauce with cream.
  • Reduce the sauce until it's of sauce consistency. (Continue cooking for 1-2 minutes).
    Finish the sauce with a few drops of sherry vinegar, cracked black pepper and more salt if needed.
    Serve hot over steak, roasted chicken or a cheesy omelette. Enjoy!
    The finished black trumpet mushroom sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 536kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 50g | Saturated Fat: 31g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 179mg | Sodium: 107mg | Potassium: 334mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1981IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 115mg | Iron: 6mg
Liked this recipe?Follow @Bdeglazed!

More Recipes You May Enjoy

  • Crunchy Chicken-Fat Roasted Pepitas
  • Caramelised Cream Ricotta Gnocchi with Brussel, Parm and Apple
  • How to Cook Chestnut Mushrooms

Sauces & Dressings, Vegetarian Recipes

Previous Post: « Rich and Comforting Brown Butter Gravy
Next Post: Delicious Black Salsify with Toasted Almonds, Honey and Black Pepper »

Sign Up For the Free Monthly Newsletter!

Sign up and get a free guide with 5 ways to avoid these top kitchen mistakes.

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Comments

  1. Giangi Townsend says

    July 14, 2022 at 10:28 pm

    5 stars
    I absolutely love mushrooms, and I will make this mushrooms sauce as soon as I can get my hands on trumpet mushrooms. Thank you for the very detailed instructions.

    Reply
    • Devan says

      July 15, 2022 at 6:22 am

      Oh then you’ve got to try black trumpets – hard to find but so good.

      Reply
    • Wayne says

      September 15, 2022 at 9:35 pm

      5 stars
      Oh yeah, awesome sauce for steak on the first try. Really lets the trumpets sing. Now to try it over pasta.

      Reply
      • Devan says

        September 16, 2022 at 5:33 am

        Thanks, Wayne! Great idea – I’m thinking tagliatelle or pappardelle? Mmmmm!

        Reply
  2. Nancy says

    July 15, 2022 at 1:10 am

    5 stars
    Really creamy and flavour rich soup

    Reply
    • Devan says

      July 15, 2022 at 6:21 am

      It’s actually supposed to be more of a sauce but I guess you could also have it as a soup. Glad you liked it!

      Reply
  3. Luke says

    July 15, 2022 at 8:53 am

    5 stars
    Great mushroom sauce recipe, perfect with steak 🙂

    Reply
    • Devan says

      July 16, 2022 at 6:02 am

      Now there’s an idea!

      Reply
  4. Andréa Janssen says

    July 15, 2022 at 9:57 am

    5 stars
    Great Recipe! Thank you for sharing

    Reply
    • Devan says

      July 16, 2022 at 6:02 am

      Glad you like it thanks!

      Reply
  5. Amy Liu Dong says

    July 15, 2022 at 12:44 pm

    5 stars
    This one looks so delicious and easy. I will def make this at home. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Devan says

      July 16, 2022 at 6:03 am

      Hope you try it thanks!

      Reply
  6. Amy says

    July 15, 2022 at 3:16 pm

    5 stars
    Anything with mushroom goes on my meal plan for the week! This looks delicious!

    Reply
    • Devan says

      July 16, 2022 at 6:03 am

      Thank you!

      Reply
  7. Jen says

    July 16, 2022 at 6:01 pm

    5 stars
    This is really good!! I loved it!

    Reply
    • Devan says

      July 17, 2022 at 12:13 pm

      Glad to hear 🙂

      Reply
  8. Phil says

    August 14, 2022 at 6:02 pm

    5 stars
    Found hundreds of black trumpets yesterday just outside of Atlanta. Made this sauce and served with Gouda-stuffed venison chopped steak and creamed cauliflower. Now I need an equally great recipe for the 7 pounds of golden and smooth chanterelles I also found yesterday.

    Reply
    • Devan says

      August 15, 2022 at 6:00 am

      Phil – I’m jealous. Hundreds of black trumpets and POUNDs of shiny chanterelles sound amazing. And gouda-stuffed venison?! Sounds PERFECT!

      Thanks for rating my recipe and good luck with the chanterelles!

      Devan

      Reply

Primary Sidebar

Trending

Footer

Braised & Deglazed

A source for recipes you can make at home – Chef Devan Cameron

Looking for something?

Sign Up For the Free Monthly Newsletter!

Sign up and get a free guide with 5 ways to avoid these top kitchen mistakes.

Categories

  • Baking & Desserts
  • BBQ Recipes
  • Breakfast Recipes
  • Comfort Food Recipes
  • Dairy-Free Recipes
  • Drinks & Cocktails
  • Gluten-Free Recipes
  • Guides & How-Tos
  • Healthy Recipes
  • Instant Pot Recipes
  • Keto Recipes
  • My Best Recipes
  • Sauces & Dressings
  • Seasonal Recipes
  • Snacks & Appetizers
  • Traeger Recipes
  • Vegan Recipes
  • Vegetarian Recipes
  • Weeknight Meals
  • Recipes
  • About

Copyright © 2023 · Chef Devan Cameron, Recipe Blogger·

·As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases·

· Privacy Policy · Log in