Salmon Eggs, what do you do?

[TeacherMan]

I have been getting a lot of salmon eggs from all the silvers that I have been catching up in Alaska and I have been saving the roe. I want to cure my own eggs. What do people do? I looked at Fred Myers and they have a half dozen types of egg cures but they look really simple. Does anyone have any special ingredients or recipes that they use?

thanks

Chris

[fishunt247]

The best advice I have is to buy Haugen's book Egg Cures. I'm only half a fan of the guy, but the book is full of info. It lines out TONS of cures, most are pretty simple. And it depends totally what you are going to be doing with them...how and what you are fishing for. The book just really has a ton of good cures and general info. And in reading it, you will find out what the different ingredients in cures do so you can further customize your eggs to how you want them. Thats my opinion anyways, because there are an insane amount of cures possible.

[tmike]

I use the Natural Pro Cure, then store them in borax. I've tried a lot of ways, some I'm sure are better, but this way is easy and effective. Plus no stains.

[sisu]

I have been getting a lot of salmon eggs from all the silvers that I have been catching up in Alaska and I have been saving the roe. I want to cure my own eggs. What do people do? I looked at Fred Myers and they have a half dozen types of egg cures but they look really simple. Does anyone have any special ingredients or recipes that they use?

thanks

Chris

One cure is place silver or red eggs in boiling water until they turn milky in color then remove from heat and plunge the eggs into ice water. Wait till they cool serve on tricuit with pepper or hot sauce. yummmmmy

[TeacherMan]

I have been getting a lot of salmon eggs from all the silvers that I have been catching up in Alaska and I have been saving the roe. I want to cure my own eggs. What do people do? I looked at Fred Myers and they have a half dozen types of egg cures but they look really simple. Does anyone have any special ingredients or recipes that they use?

thanks

Chris

One cure is place silver or red eggs in boiling water until they turn milky in color then remove from heat and plunge the eggs into ice water. Wait till they cool serve on tricuit with pepper or hot sauce. yummmmmy

  You really just need to move to AK 

[BLKBEARKLR]

Sisu that was bad!!!!!!!

But then again I love fried perch eggs!!!!

[TeacherMan]

I've just been using shrimp for bait because I don't know how to cure the eggs.  Been working really good.

[BLKBEARKLR]

procure is very easy to use and it works great I use it on all my eggs...

Joe

[lazydrifter]

UEC.    Ultmate egg cure out of Vancouver is some good shiat.  In a pinch I've soaked my eggs in a real strong salt water to toughen the eggs up and then just freeze them and cure them later.

[fishcrazy]

UEC.    Ultmate egg cure out of Vancouver is some good shiat.  In a pinch I've soaked my eggs in a real strong salt water to toughen the eggs up and then just freeze them and cure them later.

SHHHH!

You really need to cure them fresh un-frozen in LESS than 3 days. Freezing before you cure them is bad. The little ice crystals will puncture the egg membrane and they will just trun to GOO when you thaw them.

So toss all the eggs you have fozen or use them for crab bait. And start catching fresh eggs and cure them up. Remember blood is bad. Bleed the fish well and push all blood out of the scains.


Kris

[Jeremiah P]

+1 for UEC
Also try Amermanns

[fishcrazy]

Some guys get into egg cures like a bunch of crazy chemist huddling over buckets of eggs, stiring in all kinds of crazy chems and chanting little spells in the moon light!!! It's almost as much fun as fishing with them. It has turned into a huge obsession for me!! I get the shakes just thinking about my next batch of eggs.


Kris

[tlbradford]

1 c sugar
1 c salt
2 c borax

Is that simple enough? 

[Houndhunter]

i give them to guys who take me out fishin, and in return it turns out to only be a boat trip

[h2ofowlr]

+1 for UEC
Also try Amermanns

This is a good cure or pro-cure.  When I catch a hen, I blead her out then cut the eggs out.  I carry my modified cure in a gallon zip lock bag and start the curring process at times on the bank while I fish.  Just keep them clean and pull out the veins, you can cut them up into usable sizes then cure or cure the whole skane then cut it up later.  Then candy them up depending on where your fishing on the river, time of year, type of fish, etc.  Always try to cure them up asap.  Then vacu seal them in large mouth quart jars and freeze them.

[robodad]

1 c sugar
1 c salt
2 c borax

Is that simple enough? 

I usually add a package of cherry jello also, it seems to help them stay firm. you can also use Knox Gelatine, works the same without the color added !!!

[TeacherMan]

I will get started in the morning, hopefully I will have new eggs by 6 am 

[RightPlace-RightTime]

I hope you didnt freeze them.  It will break the membrane that hold the eggs together, Wont be very good after that,  Just something to keep in mind,

[byrdman]

I just read an article in the latest issue of STS, one tip they mentioned was to always (if possible) handle them with gloves. Either latex or nitrile, mostly just avoid contact with oily human paws.

[ICEMAN]

How many of you guys have used the gelatin...?  Never tried that....

[Gobble]

I've never tried that. You can just use plain table salt if that is all you have, I've done that many times and it works just fine. cutting them into small 1 in to 1.5 inch pieces works great as well. The salt, borax, etc really gets the moisture out fast and gives you right size pieces that you can store in a jar for use in the field.

[h2ofowlr]

How many of you guys have used the gelatin...?  Never tried that....

I have tried it in the past, orange, and strawberry for coloring.

[BigGoonTuna]

1 c sugar
1 c salt
2 c borax

Is that simple enough?  

that's an excellent steelhead cure.  i vary the ingredients, usually more sugar and less salt.  i also dump in some red, orange or pink dye too.  however, sand shrimp and prawns work just as well for steelhead, i save almost all of my eggs for salmon fishing. they get a "hot" sulfite cure and i leave them in the juice.  my favorite one is beau-mac pro glow.  it comes in the little inconspicuous jar with a red or orange label.  the stuff works better than anything else i've ever used for silvers and kings.

[klickman]

PM sent

[tlbradford]

I just read an article in the latest issue of STS, one tip they mentioned was to always (if possible) handle them with gloves. Either latex or nitrile, mostly just avoid contact with oily human paws.

That is interesting.  I know the newspaper does an excellent job of soaking up moisture, but I never thought about oils.  Science is so much better these days to analyze stuff like that.  I wonder if someone has looked into if newspaper print effects anything?   

[klickman]

I just read an article in the latest issue of STS, one tip they mentioned was to always (if possible) handle them with gloves. Either latex or nitrile, mostly just avoid contact with oily human paws.

That is interesting.  I know the newspaper does an excellent job of soaking up moisture, but I never thought about oils.  Science is so much better these days to analyze stuff like that.  I wonder if someone has looked into if newspaper print effects anything?   

It does affect it. The ink is bad stuff.  I outfished a buddy 3-1 and the only thing we could think of was the newpaper during the drying process.  Same cure, of course I'm a better fisherman but I am a believer. 


Klickman

[tlbradford]

Are you putting it on paper towels? 

[h2ofowlr]

I just read an article in the latest issue of STS, one tip they mentioned was to always (if possible) handle them with gloves. Either latex or nitrile, mostly just avoid contact with oily human paws.

That is interesting.  I know the newspaper does an excellent job of soaking up moisture, but I never thought about oils.  Science is so much better these days to analyze stuff like that.  I wonder if someone has looked into if newspaper print effects anything?   

The ink for the news print is now made in China, so it probably contains lead and other toxins, so it's throwing off the bite.   

[fishcrazy]

I use a Stainless cooky sheet with a bunch of little holes.  I lay my eggs out on it after cleaning all the blood off and cut them into the sizes I want. Sprinkle my cure on and then put them in a jar or zip lock bag. I set the mon the counter for a few hrs and turn them every 15-30 min. later I put them in the Refer and turn them every few hrs. after about 3 days I put them in Jars an vaccum seal them and freeze them.

Be very careful when useing cures with dye. Some of this stuff is very nasty and can make a quick mes in the wifes kitchen!!!!! I know this because parts of our kitchen are still PINK. A little note for clean up. Use pure bleach and it will pull the dye right up. unless you get the dye into those tuff to reach places like I did.

Keap track of yer cures and how you cure each batch of eggs. When you go fishing you will find different cures will work different for each species and conditions. Keep notes to dial in a couple good cures.

Kris

[ICEMAN]

I have always dried mine on an old framed window screen.

[Antlershed]

I never lay my eggs out to dry cause they usually end up absorbing all the juices. What juice is left, I just drain out of the ziploc and then put them in jars, remove the air from the jar, and put in the freezer. I don't use eggs for Steelhead though...only salmon.

[BigGoonTuna]

i've never had any trouble using newspapers for my eggs.  everyone's got their superstitions 

of course, i don't use it much, since i was able to get as much blank newsprint as i wanted until a couple months ago.  the ink we used was soy-based...i always toyed with the idea of trying to use some magenta ink as a coloring agent for my eggs.  kings love all kinds of nasty "unnatural" flavors(sodium sulfite etc).

[MtnMuley]

I agree on Haugens book on egg cures also.  Great info.  Pro Cure had a color out several years ago for guides in Tillamook that was fantastic for me in the central part of the state, but unfortunatly it's no longer produced and I'm out!

[dbllunger]

Pro Cure and use about half of what the directions say.  Absolutely best to cure the roe the day before you use it.  I vacume seal mine fresh, and then thaw, cure and fish.  I prefer pre-cutting to size then curring.  I just mix them in a bowl and set them out to cure.  Setting them out after mixing in the cure until semi dry on the surface only.  Your not drying the eggs just letting them set up then bagging in the fridge.  Deadly on the Silvers, and Kings around the Kenai Peninsula in all streams and rivers.  Seems to really outfish ones that have been cured for days, or cured then vacume sealed to be used later.  Would always have to buy the commercial cured roe form a Carr's for the first day to finally get some fresh roe.  We outfished the commercial 10-1 and even sold some along the river to other people.   

[bankwalker]

brown sugar and salt. i out fish every person i know 10-1 with my brown sugar eggs. and the sweetest thing is if you do it right you will get on average 15 cast per cluster. and im talking really casting hard.

the only fish i have found that wont take my eggs is the damn springers.

ill be killing the kings on the lower green come august 22nd. 8lbs of eggs are in the fridge curing right now.