How do I cure salmon eggs?

[rayray519]

Assuming I do ever catch a hen full of eggs, does someone have a step by step method of curing the eggs properly? From the time you catch, until you bring it home etc.

- Will the eggs spoil if refrigerated until ready to cure them?
- Should you cure them right away?
- What should you do right after catching the fish?
- Is it ok to leave the eggs in the fish until you get it home (as I see some ppl open the fish right up after they catch) - I don't like that.


Any helpful tips would be great. Love to use some eggs from a hen for steelhead fishing next month.

 

[salmonfisher]

I am not an expert but I have cured my fair share of roe, anyone is welcome to correct or elaborate:

When the fish is caught the first thing you have to do is bleed it, bleeding it removes all the blood from the roe sacks making less prone to going bad, then when you get home carefully remove the eggs from the belly and wipe any blood on the outside with a paper towel, do not run the eggs under water, the eggs will be fine in the fridge for up to 3 days in my experience, when your ready to cure then you can start by cutting open the sack to expose the eggs and just start to powder on borax or the curing mix available at basspro or local tackle shops, make sure to get it in between all the individual flaps, let it soak in, then come back and powder it again, I do that until it wont absorb anymore, then you can either cut it into chunks, or if you want roe bags, I personally remove the eggs gently from the skein then I powder them, then tie them up, after the curing process if your fishing the next day you can leave the eggs in the fridge but for long periods of time they will have to be stored in the freezer.

Good Luck!!!

 

[rayray519]

Thanks Salmonfisher, this is quite helpful. I wasn't sure about the bleeding part. So is there a specific way/technique to do this? Assuming you need a sharp knife, cut the gill or some other place on the fish to bleed them? And I wasn't sure about freezing the eggs after curing them. thanks for answering that as well. How long do you leave the cure sit on the eggs? (how do you know when they are ready?)

 

[fishfearme]

It is very important to bleed the fish. Obviously while the fish is still alive and kicking, cut it's gill plate and let it bleed out. Open up the fish, remove the skein, or eggs if they are loose. Rinse they eggs off in the river, I put the eggs in nylon pantyhose and dunk them, but not for long; a few seconds max. The river hardens the eggs and there in no need for any cure. Nice, fresh eggs that are not messy and easy to tie.

When I get home I package the roe in individual freezer bags, enough in each bag for one outing. I then make sure all the air is out of the bag, wrap it with newspaper, then with aluminum foil (shiny side out) and then place all individual packages in a larger freezer bag and in the freezer they go. Some may think this is going a little over board, but I have never had eggs ruined by freezer burn, and I have eggs from two and three years ago that are still good.

 

[DaveC]

I do exactly as salmonfisher suggested. But I use a recipe. 4 parts Borax - 1 part Pautkze balls o fire Brine. I like Pink. I cut them into chunks first with scissors and air dry them on newspaper with a fan blowing them dry and tamping with a paper towel. Throw them in zip lock bags with your 4-1 mixture. Put in the fridge for 2-3 days taking them out daily and giving them a shake so they are completely covered. They are now ready to fish, or freeze as skein chunks. Day of fishing, I add 4-5 drops of Anise oil to the ziplock bags.

I only use this for Pier fishing...and with good success I might add.

I am having a new attitude these days though....switching to the swing, and leaving the big ole boots alone once they make it into the river. Then its steelhead time.

 

[salmonfisher]

Thanks Salmonfisher, this is quite helpful. I wasn't sure about the bleeding part. So is there a specific way/technique to do this? Assuming you need a sharp knife, cut the gill or some other place on the fish to bleed them? And I wasn't sure about freezing the eggs after curing them. thanks for answering that as well. How long do you leave the cure sit on the eggs? (how do you know when they are ready?)

I cut the gills and just let the blood run out, as for the cure I let it sit until the eggs absorb all of it then I add more, I do that until it won't absorb anymore

 

[rayray519]

I cut the gills and just let the blood run out, as for the cure I let it sit until the eggs absorb all of it then I add more, I do that until it won't absorb anymore

Perfect thanks. This is quite helpful. Should I catch a hen, I'll use the eggs with your suggestions for curing. Appreciate the feedback!

 

[salmonfisher]

Perfect thanks. This is quite helpful. Should I catch a hen, I'll use the eggs with your suggestions for curing. Appreciate the feedback!

No problem, your very welcome

 

[W_boughner]

When I cure my eggs if it's loose I river cure but if it's skein I only use salt!! You can cure it as skein or you can gently massage the skein with your fingers and loosen the eggs from the skein .. For curing as skein you want to butterfly the skein and heavily salt as much of the eggs as you can !! Then wrap it in paper towel and let is cure for about 12-24 hrs then cut the skein in to chunks that you would use up in an outing.. For scrape once you get it all scraped out put 3 prices of paper towel on a plate and spread out the eggs to be one layer of eggs thick then put paper towel on top and more eggs and more paper towel so on and so on

 

[rayray519]

When I cure my eggs if it's loose I river cure but if it's skein I only use salt!! You can cure it as skein or you can gently massage the skein with your fingers and loosen the eggs from the skein .. For curing as skein you want to butterfly the skein and heavily salt as much of the eggs as you can !! Then wrap it in paper towel and let is cure for about 12-24 hrs then cut the skein in to chunks that you would use up in an outing.. For scrape once you get it all scraped out put 3 prices of paper towel on a plate and spread out the eggs to be one layer of eggs thick then put paper towel on top and more eggs and more paper towel so on and so on

Thanks w_boughner.

 

[steelhead101]

just look on youtube, literally tones and tones of tutorials on curing. they all are the same principle so you realy cant fuck it up. i do recommend using a egg cure and not just borax though

 

[instapump416]

When I cure my eggs if it's loose I river cure but if it's skein I only use salt!! You can cure it as skein or you can gently massage the skein with your fingers and loosen the eggs from the skein .. For curing as skein you want to butterfly the skein and heavily salt as much of the eggs as you can !! Then wrap it in paper towel and let is cure for about 12-24 hrs then cut the skein in to chunks that you would use up in an outing.. For scrape once you get it all scraped out put 3 prices of paper towel on a plate and spread out the eggs to be one layer of eggs thick then put paper towel on top and more eggs and more paper towel so on and so on

How long do you let it set in the water if you want to river cure it? I've seen guys putting loose eggs in a ziplock with river water.

I haven't caught a hen yet but im interested in doing a simple cure.

Also why dont people just tie roe bags with fresh loose roe? Why do they need to be cured?

 

[BASSMASTER19]

How long do you let it set in the water if you want to river cure it? I've seen guys putting loose eggs in a ziplock with river water.

I haven't caught a hen yet but im interested in doing a simple cure.

Also why dont people just tie roe bags with fresh loose roe? Why do they need to be cured?

without being cured they wont last long it pretty much preserves the roe and adds scent

 

[W_boughner]

How long do you let it set in the water if you want to river cure it? I've seen guys putting loose eggs in a ziplock with river water.

I haven't caught a hen yet but im interested in doing a simple cure.

Also why dont people just tie roe bags with fresh loose roe? Why do they need to be cured?
the uncured roe will not last in the freezer if you don't cure them !! River curing them you just want to rinse them off and contacting water will make the shell of the egg thicken so they won't pop in the freezer .. Leaving them in the water will make them turn white just like what happens when you fish river cure roe ..20 minutes and time for a new bag .. I prefer scrape or skein over loose river cure

 

[BASSMASTER19]

the uncured roe will not last in the freezer if you don't cure them !! River curing them you just want to rinse them off and contacting water will make the shell of the egg thicken so they won't pop in the freezer .. Leaving them in the water will make them turn white just like what happens when you fish river cure roe ..20 minutes and time for a new bag .. I prefer scrape or skein over loose river cure

i honestly dont prefer roe i just use beads or flies, some swear on roe but i guess what works for you is best, not trying to offend you just stating my opinion

 

[W_boughner]

i honestly dont prefer roe i just use beads or flies, some swear on roe but i guess what works for you is best, not trying to offend you just stating my opinion

None taken !! Last year from early November to late December I went 42/78 and 3/4 of them were on the bead but when they wanted the roe that's all they wanted and the number of times I fished my scrape and would hook 8-12 fish in a single hole with 5 other guys that were fishing river cure and they got nothing !!! Just like the fly guys get satisfaction in having a fish take a fly they tied themselves and there efforts payed off I get satisfaction in curing my own roe and tiring my own bags and out producing everyone else on the river!! It's not a competition with them but more with myself to do better

 

[NADO]

My new preferred cure is to mix 1 part Orange BorX O Fire with 5 parts salt (approx 1 cup total) with 2-3 bottles of water in a bowl. I let this sit for 15-30 minutes and then dry out the eggs on paper towel. I also river cure the eggs for around 10 minutes right after they are removed from the fish. This method is also good with just a cup of salt. Most people use more salt but I find this method is closer to natural yet it still preserves them. I vacuum seal the eggs in small portions and freeze most of it right away.

Another way I cured eggs was to just follow the directions on the BorX O Fire. Spread them on a papertowel and lightly cover them in the powder. I found this made somewhat hard eggs which I don't usually like but they are good for tying singles and also good for low light fishing because they are loaded with scent.

This eggs below on the left were river hardened and cured with salt/water and the ones on the right were cured with salt/borax/water.

 

[rocheleauc]

^ Do what NADO does. I can confirm his roe works very well.

 

[Ridx]

I just use a borax distilled water sea salt brine. It works for me, if I want to add colour a drop of food colouring works, I tend to just keep it natural looking for the most part, sometimes ill add brown sugar for colour. Last time I cured eggs was 3 years ago I still have lots and have had eggs in and out of the freezer multiple times and they still look like they just came out of the fish.

 

[fishermandan420]

Fire cure. Follow directions on the bottle but I go a little light with it. Idiot proof (pefect for me) and no problems refreezing a whole bunch of times