03-24-2011, 12:12 AM
[cool][#0000ff]There are several commercially available "roe cures" on the market. Most of them have some percentage of borax and/or salt or sugar. Some have fancy dyes.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]When I lived in Sacramento I fished all up and down the Pacific coasts of California and Oregon. Always cured my own roe. Basically I would get the fresh skeins from a hen salmon or steelhead and freeze them without curing. Put them in small plastic bags and squeeze out all the air. Then, the night before a trip you thaw the skeins at room temp...no microwave "popcorn". When the skeins of eggs are flexible, cut them into cluster size with sharp scissors or with a super sharp knife...from underneath. Don't smash them down.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Spread the newly cut clusters (with membrane) on paper towels. Then take some plain old Borax (laundry product) and sprinkle it lightly over the egg clusters. Now do the same with some white sugar. Do both sides. Then put them into a plastic bag and into a sturdy small plastic container to keep them from being crushed. I like to use a little soup sized Thermos container. Keeps them cool in warm temps and keeps them from freezing when it is very cold. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The eggs will turn a nice bright orange without any dyes or other colorations. That natural color usually produces better than the exotic bright reds of some of the commercial stuff.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]When I lived in Sacramento I fished all up and down the Pacific coasts of California and Oregon. Always cured my own roe. Basically I would get the fresh skeins from a hen salmon or steelhead and freeze them without curing. Put them in small plastic bags and squeeze out all the air. Then, the night before a trip you thaw the skeins at room temp...no microwave "popcorn". When the skeins of eggs are flexible, cut them into cluster size with sharp scissors or with a super sharp knife...from underneath. Don't smash them down.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Spread the newly cut clusters (with membrane) on paper towels. Then take some plain old Borax (laundry product) and sprinkle it lightly over the egg clusters. Now do the same with some white sugar. Do both sides. Then put them into a plastic bag and into a sturdy small plastic container to keep them from being crushed. I like to use a little soup sized Thermos container. Keeps them cool in warm temps and keeps them from freezing when it is very cold. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]The eggs will turn a nice bright orange without any dyes or other colorations. That natural color usually produces better than the exotic bright reds of some of the commercial stuff.[/#0000ff]
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