How and how much can red caviar be stored at home?
How do you store store-bought red caviar so that it stays fresh and usable for a long time? Usually, manufacturers write information about storage conditions on the package. Red caviar, like any perishable product, in an open container can be stored in the refrigerator, but no longer than 1-2 weeks. In addition, the storage temperature must be below zero.
How to choose the right one
Red caviar is a delicious gourmet product that is usually bought for the holidays. It's always expensive. Cheap natural caviar does not exist. This product contains vitamins A, B, D, E, as well as omega-3 fatty acids, which cleanse the body of bad cholesterol, normalize blood pressure and boost immunity.
Red caviar is the egg of the salmon family. There are 8 species in total: Sockeye Salmon, Trout, Char, Pink Salmon, Chum Salmon, Coho Salmon, Atlantic Salmon, Chinook Salmon. The largest grains are found in chinook salmon, the smallest in sockeye salmon. Chum salmon caviar is considered the most delicious. It has a sweet taste without bitterness and huge shiny orange eggs.Usually in stores you sell pink salmon caviar.
It is advisable to buy this gourmet product only in specialized outlets or in supermarkets. The pellet is sold in small cans, in glass, plastic containers or by weight. All packaging indicates the composition and type of fish. Only caviar and salt should be present in a gourmet product. Sometimes producers add a little olive oil so that the kernels don't stick and shine.
It is better to buy a grainy one in a transparent jar - you can clearly see the contents through the packaging.
The eggs of any type of fish necessarily have a dark "eye" - the embryo. A glass jar can be used to check for burst grains or sediment. If the package is returned, the contents must remain in the same place. Only a few eggs can fall on the lid. It is not advisable that there is a lot of liquid in the pot. When buying this delicacy in a glass container, you should consider the production date. The fish spawns from July to September. A quality caviar is prepared during this period or in October.
If the eggs are in a tin barrel, it is impossible to see what is inside. But you can shake the can - a gurgling sound indicates that there is a lot of liquid in the package. The date of manufacture should be extruded from the inside. When buying pellets in a tin container, it is advisable to pay attention to the manufacturer. Better to choose a well-known brand. True, it is impossible to see the eggs themselves in such packaging. They are often crushed and there is a lot of liquid inside the jar.
You can buy grains by weight.True, in the store it should be exclusively in the refrigerator. It is advisable to try at least one grain. It should be clear, not cloudy, slightly salty, but not sour. The eggs of many species of salmon are slightly bitter. You can determine the quality of a product by its smell. Fresh grainy it is pleasant, rancid it is too lively.
Home Storage Methods
Red caviar purchased in a supermarket is recommended to be stored at a temperature of -4 ... -6 degrees Celsius. The storage period should not exceed 12 months. A canned product containing preservatives does not spoil for 2 years. It is best to hide an open jar of pellets in the fridge and eat the contents for 1-2 weeks.
In the bank
The can contains pasteurized or canned caviar. This product may contain a preservative. Pellets should be stored in the refrigerator at a temperature of -3 ... + 3 degrees Celsius. Its shelf life is about 12 months. If the tin container is opened, it is recommended to transfer the contents to another container and eat it within 1-2 weeks.
Outside the fridge
It is advisable to store perishable foods in a cold place. At room temperature, the shelf life is greatly reduced: an open can of caviar only lasts 5 hours. It's best to hide gritty sandwiches left over after dinner in the refrigerator.
In the freezer
The package of red caviar can be placed in the freezer. At a temperature of -18 ... -22 degrees Celsius, pellets can be stored for a long time - about a year. It is advisable to freeze caviar in a tightly closed glass or plastic container, oiled with vegetable oil. Granular is packed in small containers, then tightly closed with a lid.After the freezer, this delicacy product is thawed exclusively in the refrigerator.
Canned red caviar in the refrigerator
In the refrigerator, the temperature is usually + 2 ... + 5 degrees Celsius. For caviar, negative values are required. Many modern devices have a special compartment in which the temperature is kept close to zero. If it's not there, you can put a tightly closed jar in a pan with ice and put it on the top shelf of the refrigerator. In this state, the caviar can be kept for several months. Certainly, you have to keep an eye on the ice all the time.
You can simply put a jar of a gourmet product on any shelf in the refrigerator. In a tightly closed container, the caviar will not deteriorate for the next six months. If the package is opened, the contents should be consumed within 2 weeks.
Selection and preparation of containers for storage
A closed glass jar with caviar can be put in the cold without transferring the contents to another container. If this product is purchased by weight or has a tin packaging, it is better to transfer it to another dish.
Glass
It is best to store the gourmet product in a glass jar. Previously, the dishes should be rinsed in hot salted water and dried. The jar should be closed with a lid. Eggs should be placed in such a way that as little air as possible remains in the dishes.
Plastic bag
It is not recommended to store caviar purchased in bulk in a plastic bag. In it, the eggs can burst or deteriorate. It is advisable to transfer the product to a glass or plastic container.
Use parchment paper
Caviar placed in a plastic dish can be covered with a sheet of parchment paper before closing the lid. There's always some air left in the jar, and the paper will keep the top eggs from drying out. An open jar, placed in the refrigerator for several hours, can also be wrapped in a sheet of parchment.
The use of olive oil
The shelf life of caviar will increase if it is rinsed in cold salted water and poured over boiled, but cooled olive oil. The container should also be rinsed with saline solution. The caviar is washed as follows: carefully pour the contents of the jar on a cheesecloth, let the liquid drain and immerse it several times in cold salted water.
plastic jar
Caviar in a tightly closed plastic jar, from which the air is squeezed out, placed in the refrigerator, can be stored for about 6 months. If the jar is opened, the product should be consumed within 1-2 weeks. Pellets purchased in bulk can be transferred to a plastic container.
First, scald the pot with boiling water with the addition of salt, dry well and grease the surface with boiled vegetable oil.
Hermetically sealed packaging
This gourmet product will stay fresh for a long time if you restrict access to air. In a tightly closed container, the caviar is isolated from microbes, so all you need to do is use appropriately sized lids that seal the jars tightly.
Cans
It is recommended to transfer caviar from a tin can to a plastic or glass container - the tin is instantly oxidized. A new container should be scalded with boiling water with the addition of salt. If the quality of the caviar is high, you do not need to add salt or olive oil.
Some subtleties
It is advisable to transfer red caviar bought from the supermarket to a glass jar or a small food-grade plastic container. Glass containers should be sterilized with hot steam or in the microwave. It is best to pour over plastic containers with boiling water. You can add a few tablespoons of salt to the water. Before transferring the granulate to the washed dishes, the container must be well dried. You can grease the sides and bottom of the pot with vegetable oil. True, it is better to heat it in a pan and cool it before using it.
This storage method will help keep the pellet fresh for a long time:
- pour boiling water over a glass jar with added salt;
- transfer the caviar to a cheesecloth and rinse with cold, very salty water;
- let the liquid drain;
- transfer the eggs to a glass jar;
- pour cooled boiled olive oil over it;
- tightly close the container with a lid and hide it in the refrigerator.
The lower the storage temperature, the better. You can put a jar of pellets in the fresh zone or on the top shelf of the refrigerator. It is advisable to pack caviar in small portions - at a time. It is not recommended to open the dishes often and to take the food with a spoon. If you bought a lot of caviar, you can send it to the freezer. Before freezing, the pellets should be packed in small containers. A poor quality product can be pre-rinsed in cold salt water. The container should also be rinsed with saline solution.
The pellets can be stored in the freezer for a year. True, you need to defrost it gradually. First, a jar of pellets should be placed in the refrigerator for a day. Caviar at a temperature of + 2 ...+5 degrees Celsius will thaw without change or loss in appearance and taste. Do not refreeze this product.
Red caviar is considered a delicacy product. It has a mild and pleasant taste, it does not contain any harmful substances. Certainly, we are only talking about high quality, natural and fresh products. You can not eat sour and spoiled caviar. It is better to throw it away so as not to poison yourself. True, the products, especially the more expensive ones, are not recommended for translation.
All the pellets need to keep it from deteriorating are sub-zero temperatures and sealed containers.