Ultimate Guide on How to Store Salmon Roe


Salmon roe is a very healthy delicacy. It can strengthen the immune system and improve the cardiovascular system’s work, stimulate the activity of brain activity, and even improve eyesight. The reason is in the unique composition. Salmon roe contains a lot of protein, iodine, phosphorus, folic acid, iron, vitamins of groups A, B and E. But all these useful properties can be preserved only if you know how to store salmon roe.

How do you store salmon roe? Salmon roe should be stored in the fridge at a temperature of 40°F (4-6°C). Salmon roe should be put next to the back wall or on the top shelf under a freezer, but not on a fridge door. If you purchased salmon roe in a tin can, change the container to glass or plastic.

Ultimate Guide on How to Store Salmon Roe

No matter what container the roe is in, it should be kept in the refrigerator. Put roe to the back wall of the fridge and avoid sudden temperature changes. If you cannot put the roe in the fridge, put it in the bowl with ice and add new ice when needed.

How long can you keep salmon roe? Salmon roe in sealed packaging can be kept in the fridge for up to a year. Opened salmon roe will last for 3 days in the fridge. If you purchased caviar in a tin can, to increase the shelf life, you need to change the container to glass or plastic because tin is quickly oxidized.

How long can you keep fish roe in the fridge? Salmon roe can be kept in the fridge for:

  • 1 year in an airtight container (0… + 6 degrees);
  • 6 months in plastic containers from which air has been previously evacuated (-4 … + 4);
  • 2-4 weeks in sterile, treated containers with a tightly closed lid (-4 … + 4);
  • 6-8 months – in a home freezer (-24 … -14);
  • 24 hours – in an open tin can (-4 … + 4). If caviar, packed in a tin can, was opened but not consumed, put it into a sterilized or treated with alcohol (saline solution, calcined oil) container and seal it tightly. Such manipulations will extend the shelf life up to 5-9 days. However, they only make sense when the eggs were not picked up with a dirty spoon.

In what container is it better to store salmon roe to extend its shelf life?

  • Material. Salmon roe containers should be made of food-grade plastic, glass, dense plastic bags for storing food (preferably special ones for freezing). Do not store salmon roe in a metal container without a special coating. The gourmet food can react with the metal, causing it to oxidize.
  • The size. Store salmon roe for future use in small containers, for one serving to eat it right away. First, it’s convenient. Secondly, this way, you block the access of oxygen to the eggs, the shelf life you want to extend as much as possible.
  • Tightness. To keep salmon roe fresh longer, it is necessary to limit air access to it as much as possible during storage. By sealing the container, you isolate the salmon roe from bacteria and fungi. Airtight closure must use sterile lids strictly from the container in which the caviar is stored. If bags are used for packaging, it is recommended to seal them using a special device.

How long can you store salmon roe in a tin can? The shelf life of an open can of caviar in the refrigerator is only one week. Experts recommend that after opening the jar, transfer the caviar to another dish. It is not recommended to store it in its original packaging due to metal oxidation. An unopened jar of caviar can be stored strictly until the specified date. The temperature should be between +2 and +4 degrees.

How long can you store salmon roe in a glass jar? Caviar in a glass jar should also be stored with a tight-fitting lid, maintaining a temperature range of +2 to +4 degrees. To ensure the maximum shelf life, place a jar of caviar in the refrigerator’s coldest zone. The shelf life of an open can is also no more than one week, an unopened can for the entire shelf life printed on the package.

Preparing Containers for Storing Salmon Roe

  • Sterilization.

Glass jars are recommended to be thoroughly rinsed with baking soda and sterilized. There are several simple and quick ways to sterilize at home.

Over hot steam. Hold clean glass containers over a boiling kettle or in a special sterilization tank for 5-7 minutes (depending on volume). Flip upside down and place on a folded tea towel in the microwave. Pour some filtered water into the bottom of the jars.

Place in the microwave. Sterilize at maximum power until liquid has evaporated. The evaporating water will sterilize the inside of the cans.

In the oven. Place the jars in a cold oven. Preheat to 150 degrees. Heat the dishes for 4-6 minutes. Remove carefully. When the condensation has drained from the jars’ sides and completely cooled down, fill the dishes with caviar. It is better to fill it to the brim to minimize contact with air.

  • Strong salt solution.

This method is suitable for all types of cookware. Dissolve 4-5 tbsp in a liter of pure water. l. table or sea salt. Boil the solution. Pour the containers several times. Dry.

  • Alcohol.

It is enough to wipe the container’s inside for loose caviar with ethyl alcohol or vodka to destroy almost all microorganisms. Just moisten a cotton pad and carefully treat the inside of the walls and bottom. Wait until dry.

  • Vegetable oil.

Heat 4-5 tablespoons of oil in a frying pan (heat to “white smoke”). Cool to 50-60 degrees. Lubricate the inside of the rims and bottom of the storage container. Put the caviar. Pour the completely cooled oil on top. The oil layer forms a kind of barrier between air and eggs. Therefore, it will retain its freshness, taste and appetizing appearance longer.

  • Vacuum.

When packing in bags for further freezing, it is necessary to get rid of the air. To do this, it is pumped out using vacuum sealers or a bag of caviar is carefully lowered into a bowl of water, keeping the open edge on the surface.

Freezing Salmon Roe

You can freeze salmon roe by pouring oil over it or placing the jar on a plate of crushed ice. Transfer the salmon roe from a tin can to a glass one, as the tin packaging oxidizes very quickly, which affects not only the taste but also the caviar’s quality.

Many people think you cannot freeze salmon roe since it will lose its properties and appearance after thawing. However, if you follow the rules, then neither the taste, nor the smell, nor the consistency of the delicacy will suffer after freezing and thawing.

Before sending to the freezer, pack the caviar into small containers like plastic cups, containers, baby food jars, etc. Place in the compartment for quick (shock) freezing. Transfer to your regular freezer compartment after 30-40 minutes. To prevent the salmon eggs from bursting during defrosting, defrost them strictly in the refrigerator. The thawing process will take up to 24 hours, but salmon roe’s taste and consistency will not change.

Combined Way of Storing Salmon Roe

Since neither the refrigerator nor the freezer has an ideal temperature for storing a delicacy, you can create optimal conditions yourself. This does not require any special skills or equipment. The method’s essence is that the container is placed in a bowl, and several pieces of crushed ice are laid around the can. Thus, caviar receives additional cooling and does not freeze and remains in its original form, which does not affect all other products.

As the ice melts, you will need to replace it with new ice, so prepare it first for future use. You don’t have to change the ice too often; once every 1 – 2 days will be enough to preserve the delicacy. Using this method, you can increase the shelf life of salmon roe from one week to several months.

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