MISCELLANEOUS PROCESSES OF PRESERVING FISH 465 



drop into the tub below. After a portion of the eggs have collected in the tub, 

 they are put into a bucket and the process is repeated. Considerable care must 

 be taken in rubbing the eggs through the screen since bruising them results in 

 very poor caviar. 



When all of the eggs have been passed through the screen into the tub, those 

 removed from the tub into the bucket are returned to the tub. Dry salt in the pro- 

 portion of 1 pound to 9 pounds of roe is added. In the early spring or late fall 

 the proportion of salt is changed to 1-part salt to 36-parts roe. The salt is mixed 

 thoroughly and gently with a wooden paddle for 5 to 8 minutes. It is then placed 

 on a fine mesh screen to drain. 



After the pickle or brine is drained, the caviar is packed in tin, glass, or porcelain 

 containers, equipped with a tight fitting cover. The caviar is then ready to eat or 

 store under refrigeration at about 41 to 46.5° F (5 to 8° C). When removed from 

 refrigeration it must be eaten immediately as it will not keep. Caviar cannot be 

 pasteurized or processed without damage. 



Pickled Grainy Caviar. The type of caviar prepared for export is the pickled 

 grainy variety. It is put through the first screen into a tub the same as fresh 

 caviar. A saturated salt brine pickle is poured over the roe in the tub. The mixture 

 is stirred until the individual eggs make a slight bumping noise. An experienced 

 operator can judge when the caviar is finished by squeezing the individual eggs 

 between his thumb and finger. 



The eggs are drained on a screen and are ready for packing in containers 

 similar to those used for fresh caviar. Salt imparts a sharper taste and a graininess 

 to the pickled grainy caviar, and enables it to be stored at a slightly higher 

 temperature as fresh caviar. 



A third method is similar to the first two, except that the eggs are pickled 

 longer. They are usually pickled so hard that they cannot be crushed with the 

 fingers. The eggs are drained, put into cotton bags, and placed in a press. The 

 excess liquid is squeezed out of the caviar, and it becomes a cake which may be 

 sliced. Caviar in this form is considered a delicacy. The cakes are wrapped in 

 oiled paper to prevent drying and stored in a cool room at a temperature of 

 about 46.5° F (8°C). 



Dried Mullet Roes. Dried mullet roes are prepared to a limited extent along 

 the southeastern coast of the United States, from North Carolina to Florida. The 

 unbroken roe bags containing the mullet roe are placed in tubs where they are 

 either sprinkled with salt or soaked with brine. About 5 quarts of salt are added to 

 each 100 pounds of eggs. Too much salt will cause the egg sacks to break. After 

 the roes have remained in the salt or brine for 10 to 12 hours, they are drained 

 and spread on boards in the sun to dry. They are taken in each night to prevent 

 their becoming wet by dew. During fair weather the drying process requires about 

 a week. The finished product varies in color from a yellowish brown to a dark red. 



When the drying process is completed, the roe may be dipped in a mixture of 

 melted beeswax and paraffin and held for a considerable period of time at room 

 temperature. It can be kept for much longer periods under refrigeration at 

 40 to 50° F (4 to 10° C). The mixture of 50 per cent wax and 50 per cent 

 paraffin prevents further loss of moisture in the preserved roe. 



In some cases this product has been smoked with a cool smoke immediately after 

 brining. Only a very light smoke is used for approximately 30 minutes at just 



