Food Network

COOKING
•  Baking
•  Cooking Guides
•  Cooking Demos
•  Cooking For Kids
•  Culinary Q&A
•  Encyclopedia
•  Holiday Baking
•  International Cooking
•  Recipe Collections
•  Recipes of the Day

Click here for a random recipe. Get a new recipe every time you click!

Find a TV Show
Today's TV Schedule

Find an Episode
Episode Topic
Or was shown during

Sponsor
Recommendations

Email Print Full Page  | Print 3x5 Card  | Print 4x6 Card

Fresh Chum Salmon Caviar
Recipe courtesy Hank Pennington
Show:  Food Network Specials
Episode:  Tasting Alaska
4 cups canning or pickling salt
1 gallon cold water
2 skeins (egg sacks) fresh chum salmon eggs (Eggs of other salmon species may be substituted, but curing time will be different as noted below)
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil

In a large glass or stainless steel container, mix salt into water, stirring thoroughly until dissolved. With wire-mesh deep frying basket or other 1/4-inch metal screen, gently separate eggs from egg sack over bowl, by rubbing sack along screen. Take care not to scrape membrane from the egg sack, even if it means leaving some eggs behind. Pour brine mixture over eggs and allow to soak 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. (Soaking times for other salmon species: Sockeye or Red: 6 minutes; Pink or Humpy: 8 minutes; Coho or Silver: 10 minutes; King or Chinook: 14 minutes). While eggs soak, use tweezers to remove bits of membrane and broken eggshells. When soaking is complete, pour eggs into colander to drain. Rinse eggs quickly with cold water and drain for a few minutes. Cover colander with plastic wrap, place over bowl, allowing it to continue draining in refrigerator. After 8 to 12 hours, transfer the now-sticky eggs into glass bowl. Gently fold in just enough olive oil to make the individual eggs shiny and slick. Serving Suggestions: Salmon or red caviar prepared this way is much less salty than the commercial variety, allowing the sweet flavor of the fresh roe to emerge. Because of the lower salt levels however, it should be refrigerated and consumed within 3 to 4 days. Its mild flavor lends itself to serving with cream cheese and crackers. A traditional favorite is salmon caviar atop celery sticks stuffed with cream cheese. Salmon caviar is delightful when added to salads with creamy herb or ranch-style dressing. This mild version of salmon caviar will be a welcome alternative to the more strongly flavored ikura salmon eggs used in Japanese sushi or sashimi.

Other Recipes from this Episode
Poached Alaska Silver Salmon
Gravlachs: Sockeye Salmon Cold-Cured with Fresh Dill
Smoked Pink Salmon Sushi
Trapper John's Gen-U-Wine Sourdough Pancakes

Recipe Summary
Prep Time: 12 hours
Cook Time: 12 minutes

 
User RatingNo Rating
  Rate Recipe   Read Reviews
  Ratings & Reviews FAQ


 
Shop For This Recipe
 

  Shop by host
  Shop for bakeware
  Shop for cookware
  Shop for Western cookbooks
  Visit the Food Network Store