Caviar is a tasty and healthy product, which for most people is a symbol of wealth and luxury. Not a single New Year can do without sandwiches with red caviar; they also buy it for other holidays. It’s not surprising, because caviar can turn even an ordinary dinner into a real celebration.
However, this product appears on Russian tables quite rarely. Caviar is expensive, and choosing it is not easy. Which one to prefer: glass or tin? Pink salmon, coho salmon or chum salmon? Inexperienced cooks can get into trouble and make the wrong choice, and this not only wastes money, but also ruins their mood.
If you also do not have the necessary knowledge on this issue, pay attention to our article. Below is a rating of the most delicious red caviar. Please note that it is quite conditional. Not only the types of caviar of different fish are described here, but also packaging methods. You will also learn how to distinguish a real product from a fake one. Let's begin.
By weight
Is there a risk when buying loose caviar ? There is no consensus on this issue. Many will not dare to make such a purchase, and partly they will be right. There is no guarantee that the product does not contain pathogenic bacteria. It is also unknown whether the storage conditions were met and who the manufacturer of the product is.
Don’t forget about the benefits of loose caviar. The buyer can not only look at it, but also try it (with the seller’s permission). Thus, the risk of buying a low-quality product is significantly reduced.
The caviar of all salmon fish is sold by weight, but it is better to buy it in specialized stores rather than in markets.
Helpful advice: when buying by weight, you should pay attention to the appearance of the caviar; it will tell you what the seller is hiding. The caviar grains should be clean with a small dot in the middle. White coating and a large amount of salt may indicate that the caviar has gone bad.
Red caviar: composition and benefits
Salmon caviar has always been considered a delicacy. Today you can easily purchase it, but a few years ago it was very difficult to do. This product is given to us by such fish as chum salmon, trout, sockeye salmon, pink salmon, coho salmon, etc.
If we talk about the beneficial properties and composition, then the products of all the presented inhabitants of reservoirs are the same, they differ only in size, appearance and taste.
This is a valuable food product that is recommended to all people who want to gain strength and strengthen the body. There are vitamins, proteins, polyunsaturated fatty acids, iodine, calcium, phosphorus, folic acid. There is a lot of protein in this caviar, but it is absorbed quickly and easily. That is why doctors have long believed that such a product can be healthier than some medications and vitamin complexes. If, of course, it is of high quality.
When consuming such a product, vision improves, the risk of blood clots decreases, immunity increases, bones become stronger, blood circulation improves, etc.
In tin cans
the tin jar familiar to most Russians is not the best option. Canned caviar is placed in such a container; it is considered second-class.
Crushed grains and unattractive appearance are not the worst things. Often, a product that has begun to deteriorate is packaged in tin cans, having previously been flavored with a good portion of preservatives. In addition, during storage a certain temperature regime must be observed.
It's better not to take risks and not buy a product that you won't even be able to consider. If there is no other option, then choose a trusted manufacturer.
In glass jars
The most optimal container is glass . The taste of caviar lasts much longer, and it is also more convenient for retail buyers. You can examine the product in detail and even check its authenticity by eye.
Good caviar will not drip onto the lid when you turn the jar over. It is possible to see burst eggs or foreign objects. Again, you will have to pay extra for such packaging. Caviar in a glass jar costs an order of magnitude higher than loose caviar or in tin.
Classification of black caviar
Varieties of black caviar depending on the processing method:
- Granular - caviar that, immediately after catching the fish, is rubbed on a sieve, due to which its grains are completely cleared from the caviar, maintaining a round shape, and then lightly salted with fine table salt. The ovary is a shell sac consisting of a durable film that envelops each egg;
- Pressed - caviar that is salted in eggshells immediately after catching the fish, and then laid out in small troughs, slightly dried and only after that cleared of eggshells and pressed in special vats. Sevruga is considered the best pressed caviar - it has a delicate aroma and delicate taste;
- Troishnaya (or ternary) is caviar that is prepared in exactly the same way as granular caviar, but, unlike the latter, it is not salted, but doused with warm, strong brine, then placed on a sieve, and when it has completely drained, it is hermetically packed in barrels. Made for special occasions;
- Yastychnaya is caviar that is salted together with the yastyk, quite steeply, and goes on sale in this form. This is cheap caviar, often over-salted, with a compacted consistency and a matted or dried appearance.
Calorie content and varieties of black caviar
Each of the varieties of black caviar (except for roach), depending on the delicacy of salting and the degree of freshness, is divided into 3 grades: highest, first and second. Different types of black caviar have a calorie content from 200 to 270 kcal per 100 g, contain 22-28% protein and 9-18% fat (per 100 g of product).
Main types of black granular caviar:
- Beluga caviar is in first place in terms of taste and nutritional value, the eggs are silver or dark gray in color with a subtle nutty flavor. Calorie content – 237 kcal per 100 g. Nutritional value: proteins – 27.2 g, fats – 14.2 g;
- Sturgeon caviar is yellowish or brownish caviar, smaller than beluga caviar, with a sharper taste, in which a hint of sea and algae is felt. Sturgeon caviar is cheaper than beluga caviar. Calorie content – 203 kcal per 100 g. Nutritional value: proteins – 28 g, fats – 9.7 g;
- Sevruga caviar - the eggs are small, but more elastic than beluga, black in color, with a delicate aroma and amazing taste. Calorie content – 221 kcal per 100 g. Nutritional value: proteins – 28.4 g, fats – 11.9 g.
Varieties of black granular caviar according to packaging method:
- Canned - packaged in cans, contains up to 5% salt. This is the best grained caviar;
- Barrel - packaged in oak barrels, a little saltier and rougher than canned, contains up to 10% salt. Not produced for the domestic market;
- Pasteurized - caviar in glass jars, which after treatment with salt is hermetically packaged and undergoes double pasteurization.
Trout
The smallest caviar, the grains reach 2–3 mm in size. They are elastic and sticky and range in color from bright red to dark yellow. The egg shell is medium hard. The product has a bitter taste.
This caviar is very popular among buyers. It has long been no longer in short supply, since thanks to artificial trout it has become widespread. Caviar tastes too salty, so it is used to decorate sandwiches, canapés and salads. It goes well with cheese or cream and is a great addition to many dishes.
Salmon composition
The benefits and harms of salmon depend on its composition. In it, experts identified the presence of a number of components valuable for the human body:
- Vitamin B, C, PP.
- Potassium.
- Calcium.
- Magnesium.
- Iron.
- Phosphorus.
- Zinc.
- Chromium.
Important! The composition of salmon includes amino acids and omega-3.
Calorie content of salmon
Salmon is one of the low-calorie fish. Its calorie content directly depends on the form in which the natural product is presented:
- Boiled – 179 calories.
- Baked - 184 calories.
- Ear - 66 calories.
- Lightly salted - 194 calories.
- Steamed - 185 calories.
- Smoked – 199 calories.
- Fried – 275 calories.
- Salty - 201 calories.
The greatest benefits of salmon are observed if a person eats it boiled, baked or steamed. In this case, it is as harmless as possible to the body.
Red salmon
salmon caviar resembles trout caviar in appearance. Its grains are slightly larger and colored a richer red. It has a very unique taste that only experienced caviar lovers will appreciate. A month after catching it begins to taste a little bitter, but this taste is light and unobtrusive.
Unfortunately, not everyone will be able to try this product. You can rarely find it on sale, and the cost is far from budget. In the past, sockeye salmon was quite common, but intensive fishing has led to the fact that it is now much less abundant.
In terms of artificial breeding, this fish is quite complex, but there are companies that have achieved some success in this field.
Some more types of caviar
There is also pink caviar, which is given to us by pollock, cod and some other fish. It is prepared in the same way as red. Naturally, it cannot compete in taste and size with either black or red caviar. But its benefits are no less, but its calorie content is half as high.
It is impossible not to say about partial caviar. They make it the same way as yastychnaya. The exception is the pike product - it is freed from films and joints. The value of the product is not as high as salmon or sturgeon, but its nutritional qualities are in no way inferior to fish meat. The best delicacy is given to us by bream, pike perch and roach.
The only thing that stands apart in this group is pike caviar, called amber caviar. This healthy product is rich in minerals, lecithin, proteins and polyunsaturated acids. In the old days it was considered a royal delicacy. For example, Ivan the Terrible loved it much more than black or red caviar; in those days it was valued much more highly.
Do you know that there is also snail caviar? It does not belong to fish, but the taste and biochemical composition are similar to sturgeon products. This product is produced by grape snails. Twice a year they lay several eggs, the total weight of which is 3 grams (1 teaspoon). These are white balls that taste no different from black caviar.
When purchasing this delicious and healthy delicacy, always be careful not to be sold a fake. Now there are a lot of such “masters”. Otherwise, you risk paying a lot of money for a product that will not only be of poor quality, but will also be harmful, since all kinds of dyes, thickeners, flavors, etc. can be added to it. Happy shopping and good health!
Coho salmon
The characteristic features of coho salmon are its dark red color and spicy, bitter taste. The eggs are elastic, small, their diameter does not exceed 4 mm. This fish is not caught on an industrial scale; it is considered valuable. Caviar is expensive, and you definitely can’t buy it in a regular supermarket.
For reference: coho salmon caviar occupies a leading position in nutritional properties. It contains a large amount of vitamins and minerals, but not everyone will like it, as it has a bitter, pungent aftertaste.
A little about the product in general
Fish caviar is a storehouse of vitamins, complete proteins, and fat. This product is especially recommended for people who need enhanced nutrition. There is as much protein in this delicacy as you will not find in any other dish. In terms of calorie content, any caviar is superior to milk, meat and other products. For example, 100 g of milk contains 70 kilocalories, and the same amount of red caviar contains 270. Although we call it black, sturgeon caviar is more valuable and better the lighter and larger the grain. Accordingly, there are more benefits from it. But salmon caviar, on the contrary, the less, the tastier.
Pink salmon
Best selling caviar. Pink salmon is the most common fish on the Far Eastern coast. It’s not for nothing that she is called a fishing record holder. It is difficult to find a person who has not tried this caviar. The grains are round, shiny, reach from 3 to 5 mm in diameter, and are colored bright orange.
Pink salmon caviar has a pleasant taste. It is universal, there are no specific tastes. When choosing caviar, you should pay attention to the size of the eggs. If they are very large, then the caviar is overripe. This is a low quality product, it is better to refrain from purchasing.
About the product in general
Red caviar is only granular, but it is more salty than black caviar. It is also freed from films and joints, immersed in a saline solution for 8-10 minutes, then allowed to drain, the necessary preservatives are added and packaged.
This product is often called chum salmon, although pink salmon caviar is considered the highest quality and healthiest. Unlike the grainy caviar described above, a quality red product will not have large grains. Let us describe in more detail the most popular types.
Chum salmon
Standard of taste. salmon caviar is considered a delicacy as it has unique properties. It's like it melts in your mouth. The shell of the eggs is very thin and bursts even with light pressure.
The appearance of the grains is appetizing. They are large (up to 7 mm), bright orange in color with a reddish tint. Caviar does not smell like fish and is not bitter. Many people like its delicate taste.
The product is also often used to decorate dishes. At the beginning of the twentieth century, chum salmon caviar had the status of “royal”. At that time it was the basis of Russian exports (caviar).
How to cook salmon
When preparing fish, you must adhere to a number of important recommendations from leading experts. Compliance with them allows you to obtain a finished and useful product.
We are talking about the following recommendations:
- Salmon should be washed thoroughly before cooking. It is not necessary to clean the scales.
- Fresh salmon is good fried, boiled and stewed. It goes well with vegetables and rice.
- If you want to pickle it, then it is best not to use the method under pressure. In this case, the meat will turn out rubbery.
The salmon head makes a delicious fish soup. If desired, you can add a ridge and fins to it.
