# Storing cured salmon eggs..



## RippinLipp (Sep 12, 2008)

I just want to see what everyone's preferred method for storing there cured salmon eggs.. jars, baggies, whatever.. Any pros or cons on your method.. Thanks

A setback is a setup for a comeback


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## jerrob (Aug 6, 2011)

Canning jars packed full, as little air inside as possible to prevent freezer burn. If it's stuff I've had out and didn't use, I put it in a canning jar and fill with mineral oil.


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## aroflinger (Sep 4, 2011)

Vacuum pack.


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## flyrodder46 (Dec 31, 2011)

What Jerrob said. I have used his eggs and skein and it has always worked and looked good. Personally I freeze my singles in plastic jars for tying bags and my skein in plastic bags with as much air squeezed out as possible. (double bag). This works well, and I don't take as much room up in my wife's freezer.

D


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## abbatoys (Sep 3, 2005)

Been a long time since I used spawn but needing to get some I think this year. I used to store skein with my food saver bags and in the freezer, while single eggs I put in baby food jars.


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## REG (Oct 25, 2002)

Frrezer burn is your biggest enemy with freezing eggs. To avoid freezer burn,the whole key is to have the eggs as airtight as possible in a non-permiable container. I've tried a few different methods, and for me, what works best for me is to portion my eggs/skein in the size ziploc bag that would be approximately what I'd end up using on a good day, squeeze all the air out, then seal. Next since re-sealable plastic bags are still gas permiable, wrap completely and tightly with aluminum foil. That is the critical non-permiable layer. Since aluminum foil rips so easily, especially in a frozen state, I either either put the packages in another larger size freezer ziplock with loose egg packs, or wrap with newspaper for skein packs since they tend to be larger in size. I then write the date and the type of fish the eggs came from on the packs so I know for sure what I have and can rotate stock.

Another thing I will do sometimes is give the packs a grade depending on how I think they came out. I will do this mostly with skein.

Been doing it this way for a while, and I get a good 2, sometimes 3 good years out of it with minimal/no freezer burn.


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## nailed_it (Apr 13, 2011)

Best way to keep your eggs good is to put them into a jar that will seal. I prefer canning jars but have used pickle jars, baby food jars etc.. cure your eggs however you like. I use procure or something similar. I mix up a batch and fill the jar about 3/4 full. Stick a match with the head up into the eggs. Light the match and then put the lid on tight. You will here it pop and seal just like canning veggies. I leave mine on the self. I have jars that have been sitting for several years. They come out just like they went in.


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## Jfish (Sep 22, 2010)

I use a lot of uncured/water cured eggs. I try to freeze first in a small layer, then wrap in a couple layers of wax paper. Then vacuum seal. Seems to hold up well. Then cut a slit before thaw.

A non defrost freezer is best for eggs too.


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## RippinLipp (Sep 12, 2008)

thanks for the input.. normally I put portion sizes to last me all weekend in zip lock baggies, get as much air out as I can then vacuum pack.. this time I did the vacuum pack, + jars completely packed.. 

A setback is a setup for a comeback


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## UltimateOutdoorsman (Sep 13, 2001)

nailed_it said:


> I mix up a batch and fill the jar about 3/4 full. Stick a match with the head up into the eggs. Light the match and then put the lid on tight. You will here it pop and seal just like canning veggies. I leave mine on the self. I have jars that have been sitting for several years. They come out just like they went in.


Won't the match make your eggs smell like smoke?


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## UBDSLO1 (Feb 23, 2004)

UltimateOutdoorsman said:


> Won't the match make your eggs smell like smoke?


No, I use wax paper. Pack the jar as full as possible, the burn will remove any oxygen thats is present in the jar.


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## METTLEFISH (Jan 31, 2009)

If I told you....


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## PunyTrout (Mar 23, 2007)

nailed_it said:


> Best way to keep your eggs good is to put them into a jar that will seal. I prefer canning jars but have used pickle jars, baby food jars etc.. cure your eggs however you like. I use procure or something similar. I mix up a batch and fill the jar about 3/4 full. Stick a match with the head up into the eggs. Light the match and then put the lid on tight. You will here it pop and seal just like canning veggies. I leave mine on the self. I have jars that have been sitting for several years. They come out just like they went in.


I really like the ingenuity of that technique. Hats off to you. You are the winner.

Packing them in mineral oil and freezing them works too...


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## Jayvelaz1130 (Oct 11, 2012)

Submerged in a jar in mineral oil.

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## METTLEFISH (Jan 31, 2009)

Jayvelaz1130 said:


> Submerged in a jar in mineral oil.
> 
> Sent from my SCH-I535 using Ohub Campfire mobile app


 
DING DING DING DING DING..... you're a winner!....


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## FISH_4_TROUT (Aug 18, 2010)

In a jar drowned in mineral oil. Keep the oil and reuse it. The scent stays with it over a long time.


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## Abel (Feb 14, 2003)

Singles and chunks same for me. Air dry until not tacky, roll in borax, add a little Potzkey's if I want addedd color. Put in a ziplock tupperware. If they're getting stored until June when Kings show up (no winter steel here), I make sure that the eggs are completely covered in borax and leave them in the man fridge in the garage. Never had issues.


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## AdamBradley (Mar 13, 2008)

METTLEFISH said:


> DING DING DING DING DING..... you're a winner!....


Man, I've done the mineral oil thing and have been very upset with how fast they milk out and how soft they are. For me, I pack a jar full, use the foodsaver mason jar attachment, and draw a vaccuum, then for good measure, throw the jar into a foodsaver bag to make sure it doesn't loose it's vaccuum, then into the freezer. Attached are just cured 2 hour old king eggs, and 6 month old steel eggs. I'm satisfied.


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## salmon_slayer06 (Mar 19, 2006)

Small plastic snack size ziplocs with enough eggs in it to make about 12-20 nickel size spawn bags. And than take all those small zip locs and roll them and than seal shut. Take all those nice bags and put them into another gallon size ziploc or if you plan on going a few months without using them put those small bags into a vacumm sealer bag and do it that way. I did king skein caught in august like this one year...... needless to say I had great spawn every trip up in November and wound up being my best year....2011. Only thing is you gotta bleed the kings and get those skeins out and put them in another cooler with plenty of ice. Than you gotta rake out the eggs and soak up any blood. A wire mesh screen 1/2x1/2 and a colander and shop towels to swisk around and soak up blood. Let sit in fridge an hour to drain more and pack in bags and guarantee a great steelhead season and its better than loose gold... I can't stress that enough. Only thing better is steelhead done that way but you CANNOT freeze those eggs and must be done right away and used within a day or two.


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## JungleGeorge (Apr 18, 2013)

salmon_slayer06 said:


> Small plastic snack size ziplocs with enough eggs in it to make about 12-20 nickel size spawn bags. And than take all those small zip locs and roll them and than seal shut. Take all those nice bags and put them into another gallon size ziploc or if you plan on going a few months without using them put those small bags into a vacumm sealer bag and do it that way. I did king skein caught in august like this one year...... needless to say I had great spawn every trip up in November and wound up being my best year....2011. Only thing is you gotta bleed the kings and get those skeins out and put them in another cooler with plenty of ice. Than you gotta rake out the eggs and soak up any blood. A wire mesh screen 1/2x1/2 and a colander and shop towels to swisk around and soak up blood. Let sit in fridge an hour to drain more and pack in bags and guarantee a great steelhead season and its better than loose gold... I can't stress that enough. Only thing better is steelhead done that way but you CANNOT freeze those eggs and must be done right away and used within a day or two.


That's good advice get all the air out, but my experience is differ t with steelhead spawn used frozen spawn from 2014 early sprig steelhead and that produced the most for me and we had every type out there... Coho brown king.. And all the colors. Besides the blue and black bags I seen at the local bait shops. Has anyone used black or blue bags or white?


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## AdamBradley (Mar 13, 2008)

Never used black, but white should definitely be in your arsenal! Blue has its place. I have used it on clear water bluebird skies and done well. Buddy of mine swears by blue when leaves are coming down the river.


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## Robert Holmes (Oct 13, 2008)

Separate them from the skein in a collander. Rinse the eggs very well and allow them to dry for about 1/2 hour. Cover them well with Kosher salt and allow them to set 1/2 hour add a packet of tropical punch kool aid and hand mix them well. Then place them in jars in the refrigerator.


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## luckyshorts (Oct 11, 2011)

I put some Pautzkes on some salmon eggs a while back and when I went to tie them up they were extremely fragile and would break when I tied them up. Any suggestions? Is that batch ruined and should I toss them?


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## Julez81 (Feb 6, 2009)

Sounds like you just need to throw some more cure on them to toughen em to your desired degree.


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## snootman (Dec 5, 2012)

Baby food jars. 99 cents each at Wally world.


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## jigsnwigs (Feb 6, 2011)

I could never understand the mineral oil thing. Nor the straight sugar or salt cures. In the river they will work okay. I've tried them all. But the condition of eggs cured this way tend to get mushy and/or lose there natural scent. The real test of eggs cured this way is out on the surf or pier. Can anyone on this board honestly say that eggs cured in this way out perform uncured eggs on the surf? 

From my experience even uncured eggs, frozen for a year or more have way out performed eggs cured in the above described manner. Now I have caught fish with eggs cured using Pro Cure or Borx Of Fire, on the surf/pier and done very well. And have also taken some serious beatings while pier fishing from guys using fresh uncured eggs when all I had were commercially cured eggs. 

IMHO its uncured eggs first. Then some commercial cures but never eggs soaked in pure mineral oil, salt, or sugar. Why take something great in its natural form and ruin it?


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## Jayvelaz1130 (Oct 11, 2012)

Mineral oil just more or less keeps the eggs from freezer burn and gives them a little bit more "milking" and really doesn't change the integrity of the egg. It also helps to save the oil from old batches when you have to buy the store bought junk; you just add a little and they now have "fresh spawn" scent. That little secret landed me quite a few chromers when others had tough goings.

Fresh and fresh frozen are always best, but for those of us that have short supply or need eggs to last a while in the freezer; curing helps with prolonging the proverbial "egg stash".

I have also had good luck with scented or color cured eggs in waters that have been highly pressured and they also help when clarity is low.

When it comes to rivers for me, presentation is key, but in the surf when fish have more time; fresh usually does outperform, but I'm usually just chucking spoons or cranks.

When it comes to bait, to each is their own really, there's no telling what the fish want, you just have to be prepared.

Hope this helps

Stay Drag Free


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