Ikura recipe (salmon caviar)

I've been using this recipe https://norecipes.com/ikura-salmon-caviar/ to cure salmon roe into ikura. I make the following modifications. First, instead of trying to make my own dashi, I use the mix pictured below. Secondly, I don't think you need to rinse the roe in fresh water. I've found the recipe works even if the roe isn't fully developed, as long as you can separate the eggs from the skein.

The result is sublime. I like it even better than lox or smoked salmon. There are countless ways to eat it, but my current favorite is on a bagel with cream cheese and fried eggs. I'm hoping I'll get lucky and catch another salmon with roe this season.

OMG, that bagel looks delicious!

I love ikura too! I tried making it only once, but I found separating the eggs from the skien to be really challenging. I tried the large opening grate method and the warm water brine method but they were both a mess and many eggs broke. Any tips?

I love ikura too! I tried making it only once, but I found separating the eggs from the skien to be really challenging. I tried the large opening grate method and the warm water brine method but they were both a mess and many eggs broke. Any tips?

I use a cooling rack for baking with a grid that is about 0.5", similar to what is shown in the video. The wire that makes the rack is relatively skinny. Plenty of eggs pop, but most of them come through. I haven't tried brining the skein or using warm water.

Thanks for the recipe! once I get my salmon I'll try this!

I love ikura too! I tried making it only once, but I found separating the eggs from the skien to be really challenging. I tried the large opening grate method and the warm water brine method but they were both a mess and many eggs broke. Any tips?

I make caviar from lake trout, northern pike, kokanee, lake whitefish, and perch eggs, and they're all excellent. I've been discouraged from trying to make Ikura because of the difficulty of making or finding some of the ingredients, particularly dashi.  If I can find a dashi mix in a store, I'm eager to try making ikura.

I use the edge of a spoon to gently scrape fish eggs from their skeins.  It's sort of like scraping marbles out of a woman's stocking.  I don't break any eggs when using this technique. When I have scraped the eggs out of an inch or so of skein, I cut the skein off with a pair of scissors to minimize the amount of skein I have to scrape the eggs along. This process is too slow for commercial production of caviar, but works fine when making modest sized batches for personal use.  The closer a fish is to spawning, the looser the eggs will be in their skeins.

Each skein of eggs is surrounded by a thin membrane. The membrane is attached to the eggs on one side of each skein, and isn't attached to the eggs on the other side of the skein.  To make it easier to scrape the eggs out of the skein, I slide a sharp knife under the loose side of the membrane and cut it, to open up the skein.

Ooh that looks delicious!  I'm going out with a buddy on their pb in the Sac River on Monday, hopefully we hook into some that have some roe in them.  I'll definitely give this recipe a shot.

Dashi is super easy to make:

https://www.thespruceeats.com/kombu-dashi-2031466

Kombu seaweed here:

Wel-pac Dashi Kombu Dried Seaweed (Pack 1) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ZB13JHO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_3GPNDb0E54N81

Thanks for the recipe. My co worker gave me a bag of salmon roe last year and it’s been in the freezer since. Took it out and hope it’s still edible after trying your recipe KPD. It doesn’t look like it’s been freezer burnt.

Thanks for the recipe. My co worker gave me a bag of salmon roe last year and it’s been in the freezer since. Took it out and hope it’s still edible after trying your recipe KPD. It doesn’t look like it’s been freezer burnt.

That roe may be OK for bait, but after a year in the freezer it'll make lousy ikura or caviar. Wait until you get some fresh roe before you try the ikura recipe.

I use the edge of a spoon to gently scrape fish eggs from their skeins.

Your caviar looks great. I'll have to try the spoon technique.

Dashi is super easy to make:

I made my own dashi a few times, but it wasn't nearly as good as the packets from Nijia Market. It looks like there are 4 Nijia locations in the Bay Area, but sadly not easy for everyone to access.

Thanks for the recipe. My co worker gave me a bag of salmon roe last year and it’s been in the freezer since. Took it out and hope it’s still edible after trying your recipe KPD. It doesn’t look like it’s been freezer burnt.

I'd try it, but pmmpete probably knows better. 

Thanks for the recipe. My co worker gave me a bag of salmon roe last year and it’s been in the freezer since. Took it out and hope it’s still edible after trying your recipe KPD. It doesn’t look like it’s been freezer burnt.

That roe may be OK for bait, but after a year in the freezer it'll make lousy ikura or caviar. Wait until you get some fresh roe before you try the ikura recipe.

Yeah I think you are right. Back in the freezer☺️

I made some last time and it really came out good.

-Kiel

I have ordered some Dashi mix so I can try out the ikura recipe in the link posted by KPD.  I caught a big female lake trout with a lot of eggs, so while I'm waiting for the Dashi to arrive, I decided to experiment with adding the other ingredients in the ikura recipe (soy sauce, sake, and sugar) to the saturated salt brine which I use to make caviar. It came out very tasty.

IÂ’m so glad that people are more acceptable & interested in salmon roe nowadays!
When I used post about it, people usually made fun & gave me a hard time...
but for me weÂ’re so lucky to have the fresh salmon roe available here in NorCal.
I prefer Ikura-don but made some poki w/ salmon meat & others seems like them a lot.
I usually make makisushi with small eggs or undeveloped eggs.
Here is some of my dish.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BL2jo97g7_W/?igshid=f24ve97yeq0x
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bakaey2hCcf/?igshid=17lke3hue3phc