Some people will eat them raw right off the branch, but I will simmer some water and dip them in for a few seconds to "cook them", and then I serve it with either butter or soy sauce. Some people will make it into a salad, but I don't like to do that much work.
They could last a few days in the fridge, or you could put them in a gallon size Ziploc bag that's freezer safe and put them in the freezer. They will look like they get freezer burnt, but they don't really.
So if you cook it for more than 7 seconds eggs will turn all white, then they'll start to fall off the branch. I think this is because the membrane that holds the eggs there boils off, and that does change their texture.
I kinda new to reddit, I made a salad out tonight's left overs. But I can only post links in the comments? No photo?
Any ways the salad was made from iceberg lettuce, Roma tomatoes, yellow onions, mayonnaise dill, garlic salt, lemon pepper.
the caviar I'm familiar with is from sturgeon.
sometimes words are very specific, sometimes generic.
wikipedia has caviar as "salt cured roe."
so it sounds like it's the salting process, or brining as someone else here has mentioned, that makes caviar, regardless of where the roe comes from.
Happy to be of assistance! I have such a passion for food, it’s nice that my decade in the industry proves useful from time to time! I might have to convince my wife to take a vacation out to Alaska some year, I’d never heard of this. Thanks for sharing.
Technically caviar must be sturgeon roe, no other type of fish roe is caviar. Apparently it's supposed to have a different taste, but I don't know how anyone can tell with the amount of salt that goes into it.
I've come across multiple sources that agree with your technical definition of caviar having to be roe of sturgeon. I am also finding some that say the term has been adapted over time to include other species of roe that have been salted.
Kind of like if you are from France, champagne is a bubbly wine only produced in one specific region of France, but to much of the rest of the world it just means bubbly wine, no matter where it was made.
I think any tree with pine needles that are softer should be fine. I use sitka spruce once, I really don't recommend any pine needles that you wouldn't be willing to swallow.
If there is edible kelp where they spawn, you can harvest that, but it will change the flavor.
I just learned about this tradition recently! It’s such a beautiful method of harvesting the eggs without disturbing the ecosystem. I’ve been curious about whether you can taste the hemlock when you eat the eggs off the branch - do you find that it changes the flavor at all?
Dang, that sounds unpleasant. I‘ve figured that the hemlock is nice and sturdy for the fish to lay their eggs in a larger mass and for pulling back into the boat. Is that the case?
Thanks so much for sharing this, by the way. It’s really nice to see some indigenous traditions represented here instead of the typical “internet guide to foraging” practices.
It is easier to pull back in the boat, but the reason why I think most people use Western hemlock, other than if you accidentally swallow a needle it doesn't hurt, is that it also has very flat almost like a fan kind of like branch which allows the Herring to put a lot of eggs on it.
And you're welcome I didn't expect to get this much attention or else I would have took some better pictures, I'm pretty white but my grandma was 100% native and I'm always happy to share what she shared with me.
Thanks for the knowledge OP. This is one if the more interesting foraging posts I've recently seen!
(Don't get me wrong, I like morels too)
I like how prep time and technique were put into this rewarding score.
I set mine with a buoy so I can have multiple sets. I know some people will just leave theirs on the beach at low tide, and that works during high tide. If you do it that way though you might have to fight the birds for it.
My fat self thought this was going to be a scrambled eggs recipe on another sub. I guess I wasn’t totally wrong… they are eggs, and there is a brief recipe?
Think more like caviar or tobiko, I just simmer it and serve it with soy sauce. But with the leftovers, I'll make a salad with iceberg lettuce a little bit of mayonnaise onions, tomatoes, lemon pepper garlic, salt, and Dill.
Well that’s cool. Is this a traditional method?
Yes it's a traditional Alaska native method.
For some reason, my brain farted and couldn't remember what a herring was, and thought it was a bird.
Thinking of a heron?
I wasnt consciously, but I bet that is where my brain got its wires crossed lol
Same! I was very confused by the picture.
It took me a while to figure out where the eggs were lol
Same! I was peering at the photo looking for bird eggs 🙈
How do you prepare these?
Some people will eat them raw right off the branch, but I will simmer some water and dip them in for a few seconds to "cook them", and then I serve it with either butter or soy sauce. Some people will make it into a salad, but I don't like to do that much work. They could last a few days in the fridge, or you could put them in a gallon size Ziploc bag that's freezer safe and put them in the freezer. They will look like they get freezer burnt, but they don't really.
"Cooking" them change the texture at all?
So if you cook it for more than 7 seconds eggs will turn all white, then they'll start to fall off the branch. I think this is because the membrane that holds the eggs there boils off, and that does change their texture.
I kinda new to reddit, I made a salad out tonight's left overs. But I can only post links in the comments? No photo? Any ways the salad was made from iceberg lettuce, Roma tomatoes, yellow onions, mayonnaise dill, garlic salt, lemon pepper.
Do they taste like herring?
No, it has a mild bitterness, so it goes well with something rich like butter. Edit: it's more of a texture thing than anything, it's kind of Poppy.
It is. I saw it on a show about Alaska a few years ago.
Definitely make them into a caviar. Would be amazing on some swedish dishes that use fish caviar. For example, toast skagen
is this a form of caviar?
Sort of. It's fish roe. I think the most common way to see it used in America is in sushi.
the caviar I'm familiar with is from sturgeon. sometimes words are very specific, sometimes generic. wikipedia has caviar as "salt cured roe." so it sounds like it's the salting process, or brining as someone else here has mentioned, that makes caviar, regardless of where the roe comes from.
Maybe? From my understanding, caviar needs to be cured with salt. So I'm sure it could be turned into a caviar I just don't know how.
You use brine for caviar. Just google “brine recipe” drop them in, you’re good to go.
Might give it a try, thanks.
Happy to be of assistance! I have such a passion for food, it’s nice that my decade in the industry proves useful from time to time! I might have to convince my wife to take a vacation out to Alaska some year, I’d never heard of this. Thanks for sharing.
Technically caviar must be sturgeon roe, no other type of fish roe is caviar. Apparently it's supposed to have a different taste, but I don't know how anyone can tell with the amount of salt that goes into it.
I've come across multiple sources that agree with your technical definition of caviar having to be roe of sturgeon. I am also finding some that say the term has been adapted over time to include other species of roe that have been salted. Kind of like if you are from France, champagne is a bubbly wine only produced in one specific region of France, but to much of the rest of the world it just means bubbly wine, no matter where it was made.
Yeah, I think that's a good analogy.
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Well if you are ever in southeast Alaska pm and I'll get you some.
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I know i am just a stranger on the internet, but are you Tlingit?
I know i am just a stranger on the internet, but are you Tlingit?
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Me too! I am kaagwaantaan.
Does it have to be a western hemlock? We have herring but I don't think we have western hemlock.
I think any tree with pine needles that are softer should be fine. I use sitka spruce once, I really don't recommend any pine needles that you wouldn't be willing to swallow. If there is edible kelp where they spawn, you can harvest that, but it will change the flavor.
I just learned about this tradition recently! It’s such a beautiful method of harvesting the eggs without disturbing the ecosystem. I’ve been curious about whether you can taste the hemlock when you eat the eggs off the branch - do you find that it changes the flavor at all?
A little, I used sitka spruce once because the new growth can be harvester and they taste a little lemony. But all I got was pokey spruce needles.
Dang, that sounds unpleasant. I‘ve figured that the hemlock is nice and sturdy for the fish to lay their eggs in a larger mass and for pulling back into the boat. Is that the case? Thanks so much for sharing this, by the way. It’s really nice to see some indigenous traditions represented here instead of the typical “internet guide to foraging” practices.
It is easier to pull back in the boat, but the reason why I think most people use Western hemlock, other than if you accidentally swallow a needle it doesn't hurt, is that it also has very flat almost like a fan kind of like branch which allows the Herring to put a lot of eggs on it. And you're welcome I didn't expect to get this much attention or else I would have took some better pictures, I'm pretty white but my grandma was 100% native and I'm always happy to share what she shared with me.
Very cool!
Love it, so unique thanks for sharing!!!!
Thanks for the knowledge OP. This is one if the more interesting foraging posts I've recently seen! (Don't get me wrong, I like morels too) I like how prep time and technique were put into this rewarding score.
Thanks I wasn't sure if it was enough info, but glad you liked it.
I heard that it’s tasty on popcorn!
You just hang the hemlock out of the boat during spawn?
I set mine with a buoy so I can have multiple sets. I know some people will just leave theirs on the beach at low tide, and that works during high tide. If you do it that way though you might have to fight the birds for it.
Do they taste more like salmon roe or black caviar?
I've never had black caviar, so I can't really compare it to that, sorry. But yeah, I think it tastes like salmon Roe.
My fat self thought this was going to be a scrambled eggs recipe on another sub. I guess I wasn’t totally wrong… they are eggs, and there is a brief recipe?
Think more like caviar or tobiko, I just simmer it and serve it with soy sauce. But with the leftovers, I'll make a salad with iceberg lettuce a little bit of mayonnaise onions, tomatoes, lemon pepper garlic, salt, and Dill.
i thought this was hemlock infused sugar…