To make salmon caviar first place the egg skeins in a large glass or ceramic bowl and cover with very hot tap water. After a minute or so, begin to work the skeins by gently massaging the eggs free of the sac. Place the sticky membrane and eggs that are too clingy in a separate bowl to use in your compost. Change the water often, keeping it as hot as your hands can tolerate.
After you remove the bulk of the skeins, continue rinsing with hot water, now using your fingers to delicately churn the eggs. As the water becomes tepid, drain the fluid and notice white skein membranes floating to the surface like little ghosts. Continue this until there are no more skein spirits rising to the surface. The eggs will have turned an opaque pink by now, but that will soon change.
Cover the eggs with clear, cold water and add sea salt. This year, I used about a quarter cup non-iodized salt with two quarts of water. Cover the bowl with clear wrap and put it in the refrigerator for a few hours. The eggs will transform to a translucent red. Rinse and place in jars.
It’s not recommended to can the caviar. For the record, you should avoid using metal bowls, colanders, or serving utensils for the caviar. Chum and pink salmon make some of the plumpest, tastiest caviar.
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