What Are Mushrooms, black trumpet and How Can I Use Them?
Mushrooms, black trumpet rewards a little know-how: how to choose them, cook them, store them, and substitute in a pinch. Browse 37 recipes to cook with them.
Key Points
- Black trumpet is a foraged fall mushroom shaped like a dark, hollow horn.
- Flavor is deep and smoky with a fruity, almost truffle-like edge that perfumes a dish.
- Soak dried trumpets 20 to 30 minutes and save the dark liquid for sauce.
- Best in creamy, simple settings: scrambled eggs, pasta, and pan sauces for chicken.
- Dried porcini are the closest substitute; fresh keeps only two or three days.
What is mushrooms, black trumpet?
Black trumpet is a wild mushroom shaped like a thin, hollow horn, dark gray to nearly black, with a delicate flared edge. It grows in fall woods and is foraged rather than farmed, which is why you usually find it dried or at a good market in season.
For its fragile looks it packs a big flavor. The taste is deep and smoky with a rich, almost fruity undertone that some cooks compare to truffle. A small amount perfumes a whole dish.
Cooking With Black Trumpets
Fresh trumpets cook fast. A quick sauté in butter is all they need, and they soften and release their dark juices in a couple of minutes. Because the horn is hollow, split larger ones lengthwise and rinse out any grit or pine needles hiding inside.
Dried trumpets are the more common form. Soak them in warm water for 20 to 30 minutes until soft, then lift them out and save the dark soaking liquid for the sauce, where the flavor really lives.
They do their best work in simple, creamy settings. Fold them into scrambled eggs or stir them through pasta, and they really come alive simmered into a pan sauce for chicken or steak. The dark color bleeds into whatever they cook with, turning cream sauces a dramatic gray-black.
Pairings and Pitfalls
Black trumpets are at home with cream, butter, eggs, and a splash of white wine or sherry. They flatter mild proteins like chicken and pork, where their smoky depth does not have to fight anything else for attention.
Go easy on strong spices. The whole point of this mushroom is its perfume, so a heavy hand with garlic or chili buries the very thing you paid for. Salt, butter, and a little acid are usually enough.
The biggest mistake is rushing the cleaning. These mushrooms trap soil deep in the horn, and one gritty bite ruins the plate. Halve and inspect every piece.
Substitutes
Dried porcini are the best stand-in, bringing a similar deep, woodsy intensity, though they lack the smoky edge and the dramatic dark color. Use them at the same soaked weight.
Fresh shiitake or cremini will give you body and an earthy base, but expect a milder, rounder flavor. To chase the trumpet's smokiness, a tiny pinch of smoked salt or a few dried trumpet pieces blended in helps close the gap.
Buying and Storage
Fresh black trumpets should look dry but supple, not slimy or collapsed, with no sour smell. They are highly seasonal, mostly late summer through fall, so grab them when you see them.
Stored fresh in a paper bag in the fridge, they last only two or three days. For the long haul, buy them dried: kept in a sealed jar away from light, dried trumpets stay good for a year or more, which is how most home cooks keep them on hand.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 cup diced (70g)Quick facts
Food group: Mushrooms, black trumpet is a member of the Vegetables and Vegetable Products US Department of Agriculture nutritional food group.
- In Chinese
- 香菇，黑小号
- British (UK) term
- Mushrooms, black trumpet
- en français
- champignons, trompette noire
- en español
- setas, trompeta negro
How much does mushrooms, black trumpet weigh?
| Amount | Weight |
|---|---|
| 1 cup diced | 70 grams |
| 1 piece whole | 1 grams |
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Vegetables and Vegetable Products
Recipes using mushrooms, black trumpet
There are 37 recipes that contain this ingredient.
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Chinese sour soup with shredded pork, dried mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and rice stick noodles in a clear chicken broth. Finished with white vinegar and sesame oil for a bright, fragrant bowl.
Chow Mein (Two Sides Brown Noodles)
Here's a recipe for Chow Mein which is a pretty classic application using pan fried noodles.
Shrimp Sauce Mixed Vegetables & Shredded Chicken
Shrimp Sauce Mixed Vegetables & Shredded Chicken recipe
Pork Dumplings
Classic Cantonese siu mai with ground pork, dried mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and green onions, wrapped in open-top dumpling skins and steamed until juicy. Dim sum at home.
Egg Drop Soup
Chinese egg drop soup with shredded pork, dried mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and silky egg ribbons in a cornstarch-thickened stock. A hearty homemade version beyond basic takeout.
Steamed Breast of Chicken with Black Mushroom
Cantonese steamed chicken breast with dried black mushrooms, water chestnuts, and ginger in a soy-sherry-sesame marinade. Optional Chinese sausage adds sweet, smoky richness. Ready in 20 minutes of steaming.
Hot & Sour Vermicelli Salad
Thai-style hot and sour vermicelli salad (yam wun sen) with mushrooms, garlic oil, lemon juice, and soy sauce. Vegetarian, light, and packed with texture.
Sizzling Rice Hot & Sour Soup
Sizzling rice hot and sour soup with chicken, dried mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and crispy fried rice crusts dropped tableside for a dramatic sizzle. Includes homemade rice crust instructions.
Stuffed Bean Curd with Peas & Mushrooms
Chinese stuffed tofu pockets filled with seasoned ground pork, deep-fried until crusty, then simmered in chicken broth with dried mushrooms and fresh peas.
Open-Face Steamed Dumplings (Shao Mai)
Vegetarian shao mai dumplings with hand-rolled hot-water dough and two filling options: mashed tofu or minced water chestnut and mushroom. Bamboo steamer classic, freezer-friendly.
Open-Face Steamed Dumplings (Shao Mai)
Vegetarian shao mai dumplings with hand-rolled hot-water dough and two filling options: mashed tofu or minced water chestnut and mushroom. Bamboo steamer classic, freezer-friendly.
Shredded Pork with Yellow Chives
Stir-fried shredded pork tenderloin with fragrant yellow chives, dried Chinese mushrooms, ginger, and garlic. A fast, aromatic wok dish that's on the table in 35 minutes.
Crisp-Fried Vegetarian Noodles
Crisp-fried noodle cake topped with stir-fried leeks, mushrooms, carrots, and bean sprouts in a ginger-garlic sauce. A crunchy, saucy vegetarian Asian main dish.
Cauliflower with Beef Sichuan Style
Cauliflower with beef Sichuan style: marinated round steak stir-fried with cauliflower, carrots, and dried mushrooms in a peppercorn-spiced sauce. Classic Sichuan balance of heat and depth.
Mushrooms in Oyster Sauce
Chinese-style mushrooms in oyster sauce, steamed with ginger and shallots then stir-fried until glazed. A savory umami-packed appetizer or side using black trumpet or button mushrooms.
Stir Fried Pork Mixture for Chow or Lo Mein
Stir-fried pork with dried black mushrooms, celery, onion, and scallions in soy sauce, ready to toss with chow mein or lo mein noodles. A versatile Chinese noodle topping that comes together in minutes.
Twice Cooked Pork with Spicy Vegetables
Chinese twice-cooked pork with black mushrooms, bean curd, bamboo shoots, and bell peppers in a soy-ginger sauce. Simmered first, then stir-fried for tender, flavorful slices.
Sui Mai Pork Dumplings
Steamed sui mai pork dumplings with dried mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and sesame oil wrapped in wonton skins. This classic dim sum recipe makes 30 bite-sized dumplings that rival your favorite Chinese restaurant.
Fun See Chicken
Fun see chicken, a Chinese stir-fry of slippery bean thread noodles tossed with soy-marinated chicken, napa cabbage, bamboo shoots, and snow peas. The glass noodles drink up the savory broth in every bite.
Cauliflower with Beef Szechwan Style
Sherry-marinated beef stir-fried with cauliflower, roll-cut carrots, and black mushrooms in a Szechuan peppercorn sauce with black bean paste and Chinkiang vinegar. Authentic wok cooking with serious depth of flavor.
Hot & Sour Mandarin Soup
Traditional Chinese hot and sour soup with shredded pork, wood ears, black mushrooms, tofu, bamboo shoots, and silky egg ribbons. Thickened with cornstarch and spiced with white pepper and chili oil.
Shrimp & Pork with Cellophane Noodles
Shrimp and pork stir-fried with cellophane noodles, dried mushrooms, and sherry in a wok. A quick Chinese-style noodle dish that soaks up savory mushroom broth.
Stir Fried Beef with Asparagus
Chinese beef and asparagus stir-fry with dried mushrooms, snow peas, and oyster sauce in a glossy cornstarch-thickened sauce. Restaurant-style wok cooking at home.
Steamed Mushrooms
Chinese dried and button mushrooms stuffed with seasoned pork shoulder filling, steamed and served with plum sauce and hot mustard dipping sauces. A classic dim sum appetizer with rich umami flavor.
Singapore Stir-Fried Rice Stick Noodles
Wok-fried rice stick noodles with chicken, shrimp, barbecued pork, snow peas, and dried mushrooms in a curry-soy sauce. An authentic Singapore noodle dish ready in 30 minutes.
Cantonese Egg Foo Yung
Classic Cantonese egg foo yung loaded with roast pork, napa cabbage, mushrooms, and water chestnuts. A crispy, golden Chinese-American omelet ready in under an hour.
Ten Tasty Vegetables
Classic Chinese Buddhist vegetable stir-fry with ten ingredients including cloud ear fungus, lily buds, bean thread noodles, and soy-spiced bean curd. A traditional Lunar New Year dish loaded with earthy, umami-rich flavors.
Steamed Translucent Dumplings
Crystal-clear dumpling wrappers reveal a savory filling of shrimp, pork, mushrooms, and water chestnuts. These bite-sized dim sum gems steam in just minutes and disappear even faster from the plate.
Awesome Mandarin Hot & Sour Soup
Mandarin hot and sour soup with shredded pork, tofu, wood ears, bamboo shoots, and silky egg ribbons in a tangy chili-vinegar broth. Restaurant-quality Chinese classic.
Chicken & Lotus Seed Soup
Traditional Chinese chicken soup with dried lotus seeds, black mushrooms, Smithfield ham, ginger, and sherry, thickened with lotus root powder. A refined, aromatic broth with healing roots.
Boiled Pot-Stickers (Shwei Jow)
Vegetarian Chinese boiled dumplings (shwei jow) with handmade wrappers and a tofu, mushroom, and lily bud filling. Served with a soy-vinegar dipping sauce. Makes 24.
Chapchae
Classic Korean glass noodle stir-fry (japchae) with spinach, carrots, mushrooms, napa cabbage, and scallions tossed in sesame oil and soy sauce. Vegetarian, colorful, and on the table in 45 minutes.
Mandarin Hot Soup
Mandarin hot soup: the classic Chinese hot and sour soup with shredded pork, black mushrooms, wood ears, bamboo shoots, and silky egg ribbons. Tangy, peppery, and ready in 30 minutes.
Vegetarian Ma Po Tofu
Fiery Sichuan-style ma po tofu with dried mushrooms, chili oil, brown bean sauce, and homemade Szechwan peppercorn powder. All the numbing heat, zero meat.
Steamed Chicken with Lup Cheong
Chicken breast cubes steamed with Chinese sausage (lup cheong), dried mushrooms, hoisin sauce, ginger, and garlic. A savory, aromatic Cantonese-style steamed chicken dish with deep umami flavor.
Chinese Pizza
Fusion pizza with homemade crust, hoisin-ketchup sauce, and stir-fried Chinese sausage, mushrooms, and vegetables. East meets West in this creative, flavor-packed pizza.
