Pike roe? Any experience with preserving them?

Jack&7 · #1 01-03-2012, 12:44 AM

I like sushi...lots.

I really like the pieces that have the masago roe. So I got to thinking that I would like to see what is involved with curing pike roe.

Anyone done it? Any recipes?

bunnyhunter · #2 01-03-2012, 10:08 AM

I tried it a few years ago-its was a recipe for making trout roe caviar-they looked really cool-they turn clear. but i used way to much salt. I cut it with cream cheese on crackers but still too salty. good taste tho.

I plan on trying to use perch roe in March when it gets riper.

I'll try to dig up a recipe-it may take a few tries to get it right.

Redfrog · #3 01-03-2012, 10:14 AM

Did I see warnings about using fresh water fish roe for sushi?

RavYak · #4 01-03-2012, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redfrog

Did I see warnings about using fresh water fish roe for sushi?

http://www.dlc.fi/~marian1/gourmet/roe.htm

bunnyhunter · #5 01-03-2012, 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redfrog

Did I see warnings about using fresh water fish roe for sushi?

Its a small risk here in Alberta-I contacted a fisheries biologist last year after finding a huge tapeworm inside a perch-turns out it wasnt the kind to infect humans. He told me the infections lakes are in the northwest corner of alberta. (I;ve eaten perch sashimi from lakes free of human infecting disease and am fine-but its your call) oh and it was excellent sashimi!

heres a link for making perch caviar-should work for pike.
http://uniqueculinaryadventures.blog...t-for-fun.html

if you are concerned about it contact them. heres the emails I recieved

Jennifer,

I received a reply from our Wildlife Disease Specialist and this is what she stated;

There are a number of tapeworm species that occur in fishes in Alberta. However, only two genera occur in the body cavity: Ligula and Shistocephalus spp. These tapeworms do not infect humans. The large worm in perch is actually an immature stage that will develop further only when eaten by a fish-eating bird, - such as herons.

The broadfish tapeworm has been found in Alberta only in a couple of lakes in the extreme far north west corner of the province and is not considered a potential health risk anywhere else in Alberta. The broadfish tapeworm occurs in the intestine not the body cavity.

M.J. Pybus PhD
Provincial Wildlife Disease Specialist
Fish and Wildlife Division
780-427-3462 (off), 780-422-9685 (fx)
Wildlife Diseases

Regards,

-------------------------------------------------------------------
Catherine Jorstead
Information Centre Support
Public Information, Education and Outreach Programs
Main Floor, Great West Life Building
9920-108 Street
Edmonton, AB T5K 2M4

Tel: (780) 422-2082, Fax: (780) 427-4407
catherine.jorstead@gov.ab.ca

g1987man · #6 01-03-2012, 09:29 PM

i ve made my caviar last winter and it turned out very well IMO...

curing it is the easiest part... so lets start from the beginning....

after you gut the fish u need to carefully rip the pocket (if u manage to keep it as one piece it will be easier for you in the future.... ) and with spoon or the back side of a knife you scrape off as much as you can. you will pop some of them, but dont worry about it.

then you will need a few chop sticks. take a chop stick and with a sharp knife make a few dozens of barbs/ splinters on it. you will use those sticks to separate eggs and pick up the thread that connects them. pour a little water in a container with eggs (do it a little at a time... you will figure out how much you need as you go. ) and start steering eggs with the sticks. water helps separated eggs so they float away so you dont pop them as you go. every few minutes clean the thread of the sticks buy pulling it up.... once all or most of the eggs are separated pat yourself on the back cuz you did 99% of the work.

now strain eggs (cheese cloth or a fine strainer...) let it drain 10 - 15 min. shake it every few min. more water drains- better it is. some liquid will be displaced by salt, so if you dont drain it enough your caviar will be wet and mushy...

weight the eggs and add 10% of salt by weight... stir it well. you will see how eggs change colour... stir again in 5-10 min... 20-30 min later it is ready...

rye bread with butter and a very thin layer of caviar ... nothing is better! =)))

if its not salty enough add some more salt... make sure you add a bit at a time.

it is a bit of work but it is sure worth it...

it took a little over 2 hours to turn about 2kg of pike eggs in to caviar! will do it again if i catch decent fish.

hope it helps

good luck

G.

commieboy · #7 01-03-2012, 10:30 PM

Great thread!

Excellent posts. Thanks very much for this.

Jack&7 · #8 01-06-2012, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by commieboy

Great thread!

Excellent posts. Thanks very much for this.

X2!!!

Thanks for the info...I will be giving this a try next time I find a big female full of eggs.

Can't wait!

Tyangelo · #9 01-06-2012, 06:20 PM

Correct me if I'm wrong, but salmon eggs are the most popular caviar, correct?

Jack&7 · #10 01-23-2012, 09:47 PM

Well....

I tried it (both methods listed above) and failed miserably.

I also tried perch roe and pike roe.

For the life of me, I could not get the eggs to separate into individual eggs. No matter what I tried, be it the "splinter stick" or even a piece of window mesh...no go.

Once I scraped the eggs from the skeins, I thought I would be good to go...but to no avail.

I did succeed with the screen method somewhat, but the amount of work involved made it not cost effective.

So I will just enjoy my roe that comes on top of my little battleship sushi at my fave sushi joint!

By the way...I found the taste quite intriguing. Definitely salty with a slight pine taste. Much like chewing on a few spruce tree needles (just not as strong).

WayneChristie · #11 01-23-2012, 09:51 PM

got a bag of pike roe from last Wednesday, but it will be burbs chewing on it not me, I couldnt bring myself to eat that stuff

Jack&7 · #12 01-23-2012, 09:54 PM

Wayne...

I was surprised to see how tough that skein really is! No doubt you could put a bunch pf those on a hook and send 'em down for the burbs!

I'm sure they will thank you for them!

WayneChristie · #13 01-23-2012, 10:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jack&7

Wayne...

I was surprised to see how tough that skein really is! No doubt you could put a bunch pf those on a hook and send 'em down for the burbs!

I'm sure they will thank you for them!

especially since the pike I took them from had a nice burb inside her also. fishes revenge!

calgarygringo · #14 01-23-2012, 10:48 PM

I was thinking of you yesterday when I opened the pike bellys we caught and all 3 were bulging with them. The only party was with the burbs below after the fact but I would have been happy to donate them to you........

niceman · #15 01-24-2012, 01:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jack&7

I like sushi...lots.

I really like the pieces that have the masago roe. So I got to thinking that I would like to see what is involved with curing pike roe.

Anyone done it? Any recipes?

My grandfather ate both raw and cooked fish eggs from, walleye to perch and all in between. Raw was just cured in vinegar for about 1 hour.
I never tried it but he did not die from eating it. Lived to 93.

Do I have to type in a disclaimer. He was Scottish and had an iron gut.

Nice