In order for caviar to be stored as long as possible, it must initially be fresh and not spoiled, so it is very important to choose the right delicacy when buying.
If there is an opportunity to try the product (for example, when purchasing by weight), then do it. The sour taste should immediately alert.
The appearance of caviar should be glossy and without plaque, and the consistency is crumbly. Caviar in the form of shapeless porridge is definitely not worth taking.
When purchasing a canned product, shake it - if gurgling (excess liquid) is heard, this indicates that caviar with incomprehensible additives inside.
The first condition for a quality fish product is a fresh aroma. An unpleasant smell should push away from the purchase.
Study the composition of the product on the packaging, as some manufacturers add preservative additives, which reduce the cost of caviar, but in no way improve its quality.
Pay attention to the specific packing time - this information is present on the bank. Fresh caviar usually appears on the shelves after the summer season. The autumn or winter period indicates a possible repackaging of the product, and if the caviar got into the jar in January or February, it must have been repeatedly frozen.
The shelf life of caviar in sealed jars is quite long and must be indicated on the packaging. There are prescribed by the manufacturer and the recommended content standards. For example, a closed jar is not forbidden to be kept at room temperature. And after opening, caviar can stand on the festive table for no more than 5 hours. The delicacy cannot be stored for a long time. Sandwiches for the festive table can be prepared in a couple of hours, but immediately sent for cooling.
Under production conditions, refrigerators maintain a certain temperature without any problems. A household refrigerator can rarely guarantee such accuracy. Therefore, it is worth purchasing such a perishable product before use, but even during this period, before serving, it is important to store it correctly.
After opening the can, it is recommended to place the caviar in a glass container to prevent the onset of unwanted oxidative processes. In the refrigerator, open caviar is stored on a cold shelf with a temperature not higher than +2 degrees Celsius (in older models of units, this is the upper shelf, and in new ones, on the contrary, the lower one or follow the instructions for the specific device). That is, we place black caviar exactly where the temperature almost borders on 0 degrees Celsius. You can not store a fish delicacy on the door, which is usually the warmest place here.
If you are lucky enough to get a quality fish delicacy, but you cannot eat it right away, follow these simple rules for preparing caviar for storage.
You can make a saline solution with warm water and rinse the caviar in a colander with it, allowing excess liquid to drain.
Caviar processed in this way is neatly packaged in glass jars and tightly packed so that there are no voids.
Any odorless vegetable oil is added to the contents. It should completely cover the caviar so that the surface does not dry out over time.
The container is closed with a pre-sterilized lid.
It is highly not recommended to freeze caviar, as the delicacy will simply lose its presentation, because the eggs burst already at -5 degrees. When defrosting, instead of expensive caviar, an incomprehensible porridge with a fishy smell may appear on the festive table. If, nevertheless, it happened that one of your loved ones unknowingly froze the product, let the caviar thaw and rinse with sparkling water. But if the temperature is adjusted in the freezer, it can be set to -2 to -4 degrees, and then freezing will significantly extend the shelf life of the product without spoiling either its taste or presentation.
What containers are suitable?
As it is already clear, it is optimal to place black caviar at home in a glass container. But a tin can will not work in any way, especially if it is already open. If, when buying, caviar is opened in front of you, place the contents as soon as possible in a clean container, if possible made of glass, or a plastic container with a tight lid, intended exclusively for food purposes.
When choosing a glass jar for storing caviar, you should definitely inspect it first for cracks or other defects. Pre-preparation of the jar is quite simple:
the container is washed with cold water without detergents, which can leave an undesirable odor on the inner walls of the dishes;
dry the jar with a cotton or paper towel;
for greater tightness, it is recommended to pre-lubricate the walls of the glass container with vegetable oil.
In our country, the following expiration dates for unpasteurized caviar are prescribed by law:
without preservatives - a maximum of 2.5 months after production;
with preservative - a maximum of 9 months.
For a pasteurized product, the shelf life will be longer:
without preservatives: in glass - up to 8 months or up to 10 months in metal cans;
with preservatives, the shelf life from the date of manufacture of black caviar can be no more than a year.
Remember that in an iron can, after opening, such a perishable product will not remain fresh and suitable for consumption for long. It is better to eat it right away, rather than close the tin again, even if it is sent to the refrigerator for storage. A loose metal lid will never provide sufficient sealing.
Glass containers are preferred for caviar storage for the following reasons:
transparent walls allow you to determine the appearance and, accordingly, the quality of the fish product by eye;
glass containers often mostly have airtight lids;
glass does not corrode, therefore, does not adversely affect the taste of the product.
Black caviar is relatively resistant to heat and, in principle, can be kept on the table at room temperature for several hours. But its differences are detrimental to eggs. That is, after defrosting, it quickly loses its original positive properties. For this reason, when transporting a perishable product, many companies use special thermal bags with a cold element.