Caviar Facts

Storing and Serving Caviar

bank_caviar_on_ice

Improper care of caviar will change delicious, expensive black caviar into a cheap-tasting mound of fish eggs. Caviar is a very perishable product and needs to be properly stored and served to retain its delicate flavors. Here are a few tips for keeping caviar at its best.

Storing Caviar

Caviar is very perishable. An unopened can or jar will stay fresh for up to four weeks, but once opened will only last about three days. The ideal temperature for storing caviar is 28 to 30 degrees Fahrenheit. Most household refrigerators won’t reach this temperature, so place the caviar in the coldest part, which is the very bottom drawer. Do not keep caviar in the freezer. This will destroy its delicate texture.

After the jar or can has been opened, minimize the caviar’s exposure to air by wrapping the container with plastic before storing in the fridge.

Serving Caviar

Remove the caviar from the fridge and let stand at room temperature unopened for ten minutes before serving. Just before serving remove the lid.

The caviar may be transferred to small bowls or consumed directly from the container. Putting the container on crushed ice will help prolong the caviar’s freshness. There are several decorative caviar presenters on the market specifically for this purpose.

Caviar Spoons

Usually, a caviar spoon is carved from a non-metallic substance like bone, glass, mother-of-pearl or natural horn. Some experts in food suggest that sterling silver transfers an unpleasant flavor to caviar, yet an inert metal like gold won’t. There will be such things as gold-plated or gold caviar spoons.

Caviar Accompaniments

Caviar has a delicate flavor and should be served with accompaniments that don’t overwhelm its flavor (if with anything at all). Remember simpler is better. Traditional garnishes include small slices of toast, blinis (small pancakes), unsalted crackers, creme fraiche or sour cream. Ice-cold vodka or champagne is the drink of choice.

How Much Caviar to Serve

If you are serving caviar by itself, figure on 1 to 2 ounces per person. If the caviar will be served on top of something else as an hors d’oeuvre, use 1/2 to 1 ounce per person as a guide.

Related Posts

One thought on “Storing and Serving Caviar

  1. Baxter Abel says:

    I appreciate what you said about serving things with caviar that don’t overwhelm the delicate flavor of caviar. I’ve heard buying caviar online is a convenient way to purchase the product, does the product stay fresh and good when you purchase it online? Thanks for the tips! I’ll look more into how I can better serve caviar for future events.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *