Salmon Ikura Recipe

Here is an incredibly simple recipe for salmon ikura.  I think once you start playing around with
the eggs, you will enjoy the process and it does get a little easier.  The
main "trick" is keeping fresh water away from the eggs, and keeping them
cool during all stages of the process.

1. harvest the eggs from the fresh fish - sockeye, Chinook (king) chum and
pink are all fine.  I haven't used Coho, but I'm sure they would be fine
too.  You just have to be careful about worms.  If any parasites have made
their way into the skein, don't use those.

2. put the skeins into an egg basket or colander so that they can drain.
Make sure to keep them in a cool place until they are ready for
processing.  Also, remember to keep them out of the entrails and blood of
the salmon processing.

3. Make a 100% salt brine.  You can test it with a salometer or with an
egg (once the egg floats, that it 100% saline).  Make sure to use COLD
water.

4.Separate the brine into two containers.  Use half of the brine to rinse
the eggs lightly, just long enough to wash off any bits of blood and other
entrails that will give the eggs an "off" flavor.  Dispose of the rinse
brine.

5.  The tricky part of making ikura is separating the eggs from the skein.
You can do this by pushing the eggs through a colander or something else
with similar sized holes.  Some have used tennis rackets or other devices
that have holes that will allow for manual separation of the eggs from the
skein.  When you are separating the eggs from the skein, make sure to
catch the eggs in the remaining brine.

6.  Dispose of the damaged eggs and the skein.  Don't worry about getting
all of the eggs.

7.  Give the eggs in the brine a good stir, and keep in the brine for 7 to
10 minutes.  Once they look right, take one out and try it.  Once they are
salty enough, drain the eggs to remove the brine.

8. Drain overnight, or at least 8 hours to separate the moisture from the
eggs.

9.  Once the eggs are drained, carefully package into small jars and put
lids on.  I recommend freezing the eggs at this point, as they keep the
best and won't get too "fishy" in the freezer.  If you are using them
right away, that it best.  You can season them at this point, if you wish.
Some people have used pepper, soy sauce, wasabi, and other such seasoning.
I'm a purist and just like the eggs and the salt.  They are really good on
crackers with a little bit of cream cheese.  They are also really good
with sushi.

Some people use sake for marinating the salmon roe.  Here are a few more
tips:

http://www.sushiencyclopedia.com/sushi_menu/salmon_roe_sushi.html

One thing to remember is that you are going to have the best chance of
success if you use fresh roes, not frozen and not ones that have been
hanging around in your fridge or walk-in cooler for a few days.  The
timing of the final salt brine is probably the most important part of the
process - not too long, but long enough.

Good luck!

I apologize for the camera moving around.  My four-year old was helping me take the video, as I needed both hands to remove the pin bones.

Board of Fisheries Workshops

Climate Change Webinar Focuses on Impacts on Bristol Bay Salmon

http://ine.uaf.edu/accap/teleconference.htm#login

Upcoming Webinars

Wednesday, September 26, 2012; 10-11am Alaska Local Time
CLIMATE CHANGE AND POTENTIAL IMPACTS ON BRISTOL BAY SOCKEYE SALMON POPULATIONS
Rebecca Aicher, Science and Technology Policy Fellow for the American Association for the Advancement of Science hosted by the U.S. EPA; and Jason Todd & Joe Ebersole, Office of Research and Development, U.S. EPA
Scientific research has shown that climate change has already caused detectable changes to ecosystems throughout Alaska. As warming is predicted to continue, it is likely to lead to changes in marine and freshwater aquatic ecosystems and impact salmon populations in Bristol Bay, Alaska. In order to better predict how salmon will respond to climate change in both freshwater and marine ecosystems, it is crucial to evaluate the current knowledge of how the salmon and ecosystem are responding and identify key gaps in knowledge. This webinar will describe a conceptual model that is used to synthesize results from over 150 peer-reviewed journal articles to describe current trends in salmon populations, responses to climate change, predicted responses to climate change, and research needs in Alaska. 

Generations of my family - on tv!

I just love this video.  Mom, you are a movie star!

Canning Workshop in Dillingham

The next canning workshop will be held in Dillingham on Saturday, September 15th from noon to 4 pm at the Dillingham Senior Center. The workshop will take participants through all stages of the canning process - from prepping the fish to readying the jars, packing the jars, and the actual canning process. Please note: for pint jars, the canning process takes more than 2 hours, so you might want to bring some knitting, or something else to do while we are waiting. I will plan on bringing a couple of short videos on topics of food safety and sanitation for your viewing pleasure as well. For more information, call Izetta at the Marine Advisory Program office in Dillingham at (907) 842-8323.

Business of Fish workshops in Dillingham (March 17th) and Naknek (March 24th)

The Bristol Bay Economic Development Corporation, the UAF Bristol Bay Campus, and the Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program will be hosting the 2012 Business of Fish events in Dillingham on March 17th and Naknek on March 24th.

An evening reception will be preceding both events from 7 pm to 9 pm, where we will be featuring "Day in the Bay."

This year's events will also feature a trade show, where you can come and talk to industry vendors, regulators, lenders, and technical assistance providers.

For registration information, email izetta.chambers@alaska.edu or call the Bristol Bay Campus at (907) 842-5109.  For Naknek Business of Fish participants, contact Becky Walker at the UAF Bristol Bay Campus King Salmon Center at (907) 246-4292. 

Travel funding is available for participants in surrounding villages to attend.