[flyguy]

Found this on another site and thought that I would try it :thumbup: . It worked so well I thought that I would post it here for those that are interested.
you will need.... about 4 cups of course salt
1 large clean margarine or yogurt container
a 1 gallon clean milk jug
a metal strainer
procure powder
and distilled water.

This recipe is for the quantity of eggs from 1, 6 lbs pink salmon. WILL ONLY WORK FOR LOOSE EGGS, NOT SKEINED EGGS .. ALSO does not require procure or anything else other than the water and salt. I simply use the procure as a colouring agent, I'm sure it benefits the cure in other ways but is by no means necessary.

STEP 1 : empty the loose eggs from the fish into a large ziploc (always have these for roe anyways) and fill with river water and drain as neccesary to remove any blood. water inziploc should appear near gin clear with the eggs inside. leave as much water as ou can in the bag and close. carefully take it home with you.
STEP 2 : Allow the eggs to it in the river water in the fridge for 12 hours (24 is recommended for chum/spring eggs)
STEP 3 : pour eggs out into metal stainer... handle them carefully at this point they will be soft.
STEP 4 : place eggs into a margarine container and add 2 to 3 teaspoons of your desired color of procure powder... i used red hot double stuff.... and 1/4 cup coarse salt, then very gently stir till thoroughly disolved/mixed... add a bit of fresh cold water if need be to help it mix up nice.
STEP 5: pour 2 cups coarse salt into the 1 gallon milk jug and fill 3/4 full with distilled water. put on lid and shake like crazy, disolving as much salt as you can.... there will be a lot of undisolved salt.... this is good.
STEP 6: back to the eggs.... they should only soak in the procure for up to 2 hours, pour the eggs into the metal strainer and rinse well under the tap with cold water. Once rinsed they need to go into the milk jug full of salt water. Once the eggs are in the jug, top it off with cold water and give a gentle shake to mix the contents well. put it in the fridge over night... 12 hours is good. 24 hours for larger eggs such as chum/spring
STEP 7: after storing in the salt water over night they are essentially done at this point and ready to use. I generally drain them out of the milk jug and refill it with the remaining salt ( 1 3/4 cups) and fill it 1/2 full of water and just leave the eggs in there... for 6 months if need be.

 

[mcallagan]

Thanks for posting this. I'll give it a try when I get my next fish.
The problem is going to be storing it in the frig :-\

 

[flyguy]

Just put it behind the beer that way it wont get in the way ;D ;D :happy: . I just put mine back into the yogurt container and labeled it so the wife and kid does not open it. This way no one will see it when they open the fridge.

 

[Eagleye]

I used the same recipe and the eggs came out great. I did two batches one with orange Atlas cure and the other Pro Cure Tillamook blend. The later I used supersaturated water for storage. To supersaturated the water heat it on a burner to boil while slowly pouring in some coarse salt (I used kosher). Keep adding salt until it won't dissolve any more and there is a thin layer on the bottom. Cool down the water then pour into a container with the eggs. I was told they will last a couple seasons this way. Here are some pics of the finished product.

After coloring and rinse

Pro Cure on the left Atlas on the right

 

[Eagleye]

I forgot to mention that the Atlas cure didn't hold it's color as well as the Procure but I am still pleased with the result as they look natural but were a much brighter orange when I first colored and then rinsed them as you can see in the comparison of the first two pics. The cure made them look close to how they looked before the water hardening washed out the color in most. All in all happy with both cures.

 

[Fishoholic]

Wow those eggs are beautiful!!!
I have made this cure before as well. But I am wondering if you can store them in the freezer or will this harm the eggs?

 

[scruffy]

nice looking eggs :thumbup: i made some last year and they didnt turn out like that gonna have to give it another try,thanks FG for the reciepe ;D



scruffy

 

[Eagleye]

I should mention that after coloring the eggs some of the eggs will lose there shape and appear ruined but when you place them into the brine they will puff up again and be like bouncing balls. :drunk: :happy: Not sure about putting them in the freezer but it should be okay especially if the water is supersaturated as I don't think it will freeze. Wanna be the first to try?

 

[rickman1]

sounds good i will give it a try

 

[Fishoholic]

Thanks,
I did put them in the freezer at the end of winter steelhead season and have not looked at them yet, but your right the salt saturated water did not freeze too solidly.

 

[HOOK]

where are you guys getting all these single eggs? or is there a way to get the eggs of the skeins as i have a couple big skeins i got from a spring sunday was just going to cut into peices but this sounds better for steel. especially for roe bags.


HOOK

 

[stsfisher]

hook im preety sure you would have to swallow your pride and walk off of the river with a boot spring or chum to get single eggs like that.

 

[flyguy]

hook im preety sure you would have to swallow your pride and walk off of the river with a boot spring or chum to get single eggs like that.

Nope you sure do not. You heat up water but not to boil. Just hotter then a really hot bath. You set a strainer in the pot and then put your roe half a skien at a time in the water but only for a short period. Lift the strainer out and rinse in cold water and the eggs come right off.

You can also lay the skeins egg side down on paper towel too toughen up the skin of the skiens. This allows yuo to peel the eggs off.

The first method is easier and alot quicker.

 

[HOOK]

thanks flyguy i guess i better go buy a metal strainer ;D as plastic wont cut it LOL


if this works it will be my first prep so i can make roe sacs for steely time ;D ;D so much nicer than big globs which get your hands gross


tight lines

HOOK

 

[stsfisher]

ya thanks flyguy i will give that a try next time.

 

[HOOK]

flyguy would the water that comes out hot from a purified water cooler be too hot as it is hot enough to make mr.noodles but it isnt quite boiled hot water.

 

[flyguy]

should be fine just do not leave it in too long or your eggs will cook.

 

[HOOK]

ok well it worked great i just used hot water straight out of the tap ;D it works cause my hot water tank is up hot cause i set it LOL it worked great. after you put the procure in and let it sit and rinse do your eggs look dented in one spot? do the puff back out while sitting in the distilled water?

 

[flyguy]

ok well it worked great i just used hot water straight out of the tap ;D it works cause my hot water tank is up hot cause i set it LOL it worked great. after you put the procure in and let it sit and rinse do your eggs look dented in one spot? do the puff back out while sitting in the distilled water?

Yes some of mine did but they puffed right back up. After a day they should bounce on the counter ( of couse I did this when the wife was not home lol ).

 

[HOOK]

ya they puffed right back out as i checked them again last night. i would bet they will bounce but im not going to do that LOL however i did try popping a couple in my fingers and they are very tough took a good squeeze to pop them. now i just need to get my a** making roe bags.

whats the best way to store your eggs once they are tied in roe bags??? back in the salt/water mix or just in a container by themselves? in borax perhaps?


thanks for the help guys

HOOK


this is my new way to do my eggs now especially cause the g/f didnt even smell them at all like she does when you procure the other way ;D