The difference between Caviar and Fish Roe


Salt cured sturgeon eggs, known as caviar, is a species that can only be found in waters such as the Caspian Sea and the Black Sea, near Russia and the Middle East. This delicious and sophisticated seafood has a very high price, becoming one of the most expensive foods in the world and this is due to several reasons.

Sturgeon takes more than eight times longer to reproduce than a salmon, which takes about four years to produce its first spawning between 15 and 20 years. The production of these animals has a very high cost, and this is because due to the over fishing of these specimens, there were prohibitions by the governments to fish centurions, and this caused that farms had to be implemented to produce them, but the costs of maintaining the natural environment for these fish, their care and protection against diseases is not economic. Obtaining this food is a delicate process, and requires knowledge because it is a job that is done by hand, a true art, in addition, the eggs of this species are salted, cured, and stored.

On the contrary, fish eggs can be obtained from any marine life, they are the eggs of several species that are salted, cured, and stored properly, these eggs differ from caviar in their appearance and texture, the former tend to be brighter and orange, while the latter are silver and dark. Fish eggs are obtained from any marine species, so their value is lower than that of caviar since their production cost does not require the same investment in material and human resources.

 

a spoon of fish roe with a spoon of caviar

Types of caviar

 

Among all the types of this marine delicacy, the beluga is undoubtedly the most exclusive and exquisite, its flavor is incomparable and is the most expensive that exists, a kilogram can cost up to 10,000 euros, there is also the Osetra, although it is a little cheaper than beluga, it has an exquisite flavor, and its color varies and can go from dark brown or even golden, among the varieties most sought after by the great flavor it has is the golden yellow, the kilo can cost half of what a kilogram of beluga is worth.

Other types of this delicacy are Sevruga, which is extracted from sturgeons, is pearl gray, very creamy and has an intense iodine flavor, and Kaluga which is obtained from larger sturgeon species, its main characteristic is that it is full-bodied, tasty and is one of the most aromatic types, with a transparent amber to a greenish color.

  We also have the Naccarii, worked by artisans and biologists who produce it with traditional methods, it is not manipulated or pasteurized, it is totally handmade, it has an unbeatable flavor and texture, with a subtle sea taste.

 

Types of fish eggs

 

There is a great variety of this food, like the canvases, they have an excellent nutritional value, not to mention the tuna, which has a concentrated sea flavor and is excellent to consume smoked in different plates, another option is the trout, these are of a brilliant salmon color and have a sweet-acid flavor and a fine fat, also there are the ones of hake, they are very rich in phosphorus, vitamin B1, B2, and vitamin E, and their strong flavor makes them ideal to adorn a great variety of plates.

 

three types of fish roe and caviar

The difference in taste between caviar and fish eggs

 

Depending on the type, caviar can have iodized flavor notes, which are balanced with aromas of nuts, some have an intense and slightly iodized flavor where fruity flavors dominate, others have marine flavors combined with iodized structures at the end of the mouth, others like Beluga have a buttery and fatty part that tastes like hazelnut and fresh egg, all have a salty flavor and slightly viscous texture and is permanent in the mouth.

The fish eggs, on the other hand, have a strong concentrated and marine flavor, its texture is granulated and the flavor is very peculiar, very different from caviar, are generally saltier, its juiciness, are an explosion of sea flavor in the mouth.

 

a bowl of fish roe and a bowl of caviar

 

The foods that are combined with caviar

 

This excellent and sophisticated food can be combined with a great variety of accompaniments such as parsley, which with its freshness brings out the flavor, with sour cream you get a perfect combination to taste all the power of its flavor, and if you decide on a champagne or a white sparkling wine, they are one of the best options for consumption.