Worldwide, caviar is considered a refined delicacy favored by gourmands and constitutes one of the luxury symbols of the most sophisticated traditional cuisine. It offers a special status due to its elegant personality, ideal for celebrations and high price.
However, there needs to be more clarity about caviar. Due to its high price, it is a product that becomes inaccessible to many mortals.
Marketing uses the same name for roe of cheaper species, although this name should only be carried by roe of sturgeon (beluga, osetra, surrogacy, Almas, etc.), they try to get us closer to this product. They use the roe of other fish, called "caviar substitutes," although they have nothing in common, not their size, color, aroma, or taste.
Types of caviar
Beluga caviar
Beluga (scientific name: Husohuso).
A fish that can reach the age of 140 years, its size reaches 6 meters. Their average weight is between 40 and 300 kg, although some can exceed 1000 kg. The amount of caviar obtained is equal to 15% of its weight.
This caviar is the best and, of course, the most expensive. For pearl sizes from 3 to 4 mm, it is highly appreciated. , with a soft, smooth and buttery texture; its color varies from light gray, almost transparent, to dark gray. Its persistence in the mouth gives this caviar a "unique" taste. It is packed in blue cans.
Those labeled "Royal" have the most giant selected seeds and are light gray.
Beluga Caviar 000 is the most popular sturgeon caviar; its roe is the largest and most popular. According to its color, 000 is for light caviar, 00 for medium, or 0 for dark, the lightest of which is the so-called "imperial" or "royal" caviar (once reserved only for royalty). Therefore, the best caviar is the sturgeon caviar, with the giant roe and the brightest color.
OSETRA caviar
Osetra (scientific name: Acipenser gueldenstaedtii).
It reaches 2 meters. It is long and weighs 100 kg. He reaches the age of 60. Its caviar is slightly smaller than beluga, from 2.5 to 3 mm. Qatar is characterized by a mild nutty flavor and a subtle aroma of iodine, with a substantial texture and a long finish in the mouth.
Click to find out about Osetra caviar price.
According to its color, it is divided into the following:
1. Dark gray to light greenish gray. (Ostra Caviar)
2. Dark amber color to almost golden transparent amber. (Ostra Imperial Caviar) They are not different in terms of taste but in terms of price. Imperial Ostra does not reach 1% of the total production, so it becomes a rarity. Packed in a yellow can.
Suruga Caviar
Suruga (scientific name: Acipenser Slellatus).
It reaches 1.5 meters. Average length and weight 30/40 kg. Their average age is 30 years. From the sturgeon family, it is the most common. It is estimated that half of the caviar production comes from Sviruga. That's why it's the cheapest of the three, but not the worst for that. Their rosettes are small, measuring between 2 and 2.5 mm. Diameter light gray to dark gray. The taste of sea salt is prominent and long, with a hint of hazelnut. It is sold in red cans.
Almas caviar
Almas means diamond (translated from Russian). This caviar comes from an albino beluga (a genetic disorder that manifests in the absence of melanin, the chemical responsible for natural color). It is scarce. Its color is bright yellow, almost transparent—smooth and delicate taste.
It is packed in 24-carat gold cans. Prices vary based on country of origin, state (wild or captive), pearl size, color, clarity, fragrance, and taste.
There are other types of caviar that we mention
• Kaluga caviar
It is obtained from Kaluga sturgeon (Huso daricus), a native of the Amur River basin in China. This caviar is cultivated with large and soft seeds, brown colors and a creamy texture.
• Caviar failure
It is obtained from an Adriatic or Italian sturgeon (Acipenser naccarii). Historically, these sturgeons have been present in Mediterranean Europe. Its seeds are small and dark.
• Baeri caviar
It is obtained from the native Siberian sturgeon (Acipenser baeri), the most cultivated species in France in the Aquitaine basin. Its seeds are small and dark.
• Schrencki caviar
This fish is obtained from Schrenki's sturgeon (Acipenser schrencki), native to the Amur River and cultivated in China. It produces caviar with medium seeds and golden color.
We can't forget what is done in Spain, so we have to talk about Caviar Riofrío, a Spanish, organic and quality caviar. They are smooth, firm, fresh sturgeon (Acipenser macaroni) with a mild and distinct flavor. So it is recommended to consume it alone without mixing it with any other food product so that its taste is not distorted. The originality of its taste is surprising; many consider it pure, fresh and unchanged
Types of caviar
According to its production method, there are 4 types:
1. First, there is Malossol Caviar, the method that connoisseurs prefer. It means "low salt" or "slightly salty" and refers to fresh caviar of 5% sa.
2. The second type of caviar is "salted caviar," sometimes called "semi-preserved caviar." Contains 8% salt. The more brine, the longer the product will last, although flavor may be compromised.
3. The third type of pressed caviar is made from roe that is too soft, broken or damaged or overripe. This is the oldest way to preserve caviar. Its taste is very spicy, salty and savory. It is drier than the previous ones, but its thick taste is considered a delicious food (1.8 kg of caviar is needed to prepare 1 kg). It is divided into gray cans.
4. The last is pasteurized caviar. Caviar is heat-treated and vacuum-packed in glass containers, which makes it last longer for flavor and texture.
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