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Roe bags

58 (29.6%)

Chunks

138 (70.4%)

Total Members Voted: 192

[silverslab]

So I have been getting some roe ready for this coming coho season and have done 2 batches now both with different cures (pro cure, pautzke fire cure) neither of wish transfered much in the way of color to the roe. They both say fluorescent pink on them but in both cases the roe came out much closer to its natural color, you can see some pink showing on the skien but thats all really.  The roe cured up nice in terms of texxture and evrything just not as bright as i would like it.     

Just wondering what others are using or if anyone has any suggestions for the next round on how to get it to be a brighter color?

Thanks

[mr.p]

How did you cure it? brine? dry?  If the instructions were followed properly it should have turned out coloured.
The only time I find the eggs don't absorb the colouring is if you use a method which involves boiling the brine.

[HOOK]

how long were they in the cure ??

I normally let my roe sit in procure for abuot 8hrs before i rinse and let dry. sometimes (with spring roe especially) i will let it sit almost an entire day.

I havent used the Pautzke's BorX O Fire yet but my buddy really likes it. one thing he did tell me about that stuff is to not use to much or it dries out the roe.

I did some pink roe last year that didnt colour much either, i think that the pinks just arent a very good colour because they are lighter then the actual egg colour. I use natural, orange and double red.

[silverslab]

I cut it into useable chunks and put it in a bucket (about 2 lbs worth) I then sprinkled on about 4 - 5 tsblespoons of cure and rolled it around to make sure it gets in evrywhere.  I then let it sit in its own juices for about 4 hours (container says 1-2). I let it drain for about another 2 hrs  and then dried it slowly for about a half a day. Dont get me wrong the roe did turn color it just didn't turn bright pink like it has for me in the past, the chum roe was definatley nicer colored than the spring

[silverslab]

Of the 3 methods  (dry, brine, jar)  which do you guys prefer?       I have never tried the brine method, but have tried dry and the jar. I found the jar method gave me great looking roe with nice color but just wouldn't stay on the hook or hold together well even after a full day of drying so i pretty much stick with the dry method.

[silverslab]

if you read the back of a bottle of pro cure it describes the 3 methods, and adding more cure i thought would "burn" the roe or remove to much of the juice leaving half full droopy eggs

[younggun]

i put in 3 tbl spoons for every 2 skeins of roe. and let it sit there until the roe juices, and then absorbs the juices back in. Then let it dry on paper towel for about 2 hours. Dust in borax, and then package in even more borax and freeze.

[silverslab]

Hey Young gun, that is almost the exact same process I go through only 2 tbls to 1 skein,  how long do you leave it soak in the juices before they are reabsorbed?

[HOOK]

I dump all my skeins and procure into a GLASS jar and shake it gently to mix it all up(1tablespoon to 1 skein depending on skein size) and then i let it sit for up to a day but usually 8-12 hrs is the norm. I then take it out rinse with water in a strainer (cold water) until the colour running off runs clear, I then cut into chunks and let sit on drying racks for up to 8hrs or to firmness i want. i have had peices of roe last on the hook until the colour starts to fade out  which is probably a good 10mins.


when im adding the procure and skeins into the jar i will put 1 or 2 skeins in (depending on size) add some procure, add more skeins and then procure until i fit it all in....LEAVE ROOM for the shaking and mixing and also so that when you flip the jar every couple hours it can reach the majority of the roe. you must flip the jar or some eggs will start to "burn" and not be very good at all, others will just get hardly any colour. I shake it everytime im about to flip it just to get the juices in everywhere.

I could do an entire step by step but i have no roe left to do up because its all done until i get more 

[adriaticum]

Borax is king!

[Lawsch]

Does anyone use the wet brine method described on Rodneys main web page?  I have tried it with pink roe and have yet to use it, the roe seems to be fairly firm after drying, just wondering?

[mr.p]

I will use pro-cure for most of my salmon fishing. I find salmon love the chemical shiz.
Natural is king for steelhead.  Apparently the most deadly roe for steelhead is uncured roe that has just been taken from a fish.  I realize this is not possible in local waters due to the one fish limit. 

I use the dry mix if I'm lazy or in a rush.  I put a mix of borax and procure in a ziploc and then toss in the skeins.  shake shake shake.  let it sit in the fridge for 12-18 hours while shaking periodically.  I'll then cover the roe in fresh borax and put into the freezer.

The "No longer sticky and tricky" method as described by Rodney is great too.  If done correctly it will produce a rubbery, durable roe that still creates a nice scent trail.

[Bassonator]

you have to sign up to this site but its a good tutorial video.
http://www.steelheadstalkers.com/access.php?where=curing_roe_tutorial.htm

[Matt]

If you're using the pink procure, then its just because the dye in that colour isnt very strong.  It barely coloured my skeins even thought some were left in the cure for as long as 48hrs.

[FlyFishin Magician]

The instructions for the Pautzke's says to let the roe sit in the cure (in a container, refrigerated) for 3 days.  I find that my roe always turns a nice bright red when using the red cure.  After 3 days, I'll dry it for a bit, then either freeze, or use within a week or two.  I'm definitely not a roe expert though!  I rely on my roe master - Stratacaster, or is it Chum8888?  I figured since he helps me with the roe, I can help him with the flies!