Topic · Appetizers Mastery
The Different Types of Caviar
The name of the different caviars comes from the type of sturgeon from which each originates.
Beluga Caviar
Usually sold in a blue tin, the egg is rather large and fragile. The color ranges from light to dark gray. The lighter it is, the better it is. Beluga caviar is the largest grain and the most expensive of the caviars.
The color is rated per the following:
- “0”: darkest color
- “00”: medium dark.
- “000”: the lightest. It is called the “royal caviar.” It is the most desirable and the most expensive.
The beluga is the largest of the sturgeons. It can measure up to 20 feet. Its weight can reach more than a ton. It is also the one with the longest lifespan since it can live up to 100 years. A female can produce 10 to 15 kilograms of caviar (which can be up to 15% of its total weight). It is a very rare fish. The annual catch hardly ever exceeds 100 units.
Sevruga Caviar
Usually sold in a red tin, the egg is fine-grained and dark gray in color.
It is the smallest of all the caviar-producing sturgeons (150 pounds and 7 feet in length). It is also the most commonly found sturgeon in the Caspian Sea and, therefore, it is the least expensive caviar on the market (besides the American and Chinese varieties).
Ossetra Caviar
Usually sold in a yellow tin, the egg is dark brown-gray to golden. It has a unique nutty flavor. Another large sturgeon, it reaches 10 feet in length and weighs about 500 pounds
Pressed Caviar
Made of a mix of the ripest roe that is taken at the end of the fishing season. It is pressed to remove 30% of the water contained in the eggs. About 5 kilograms (11 pounds) of caviar are needed to get 1 kilogram (21/4 pounds) of pressed caviar. It is very much appreciated by Russian connoisseurs, however, it has a strong taste that is not liked by all.
White Caviar aka Almas Caviar
White caviar is the roe of albino sturgeon. A few types of white caviar can be found, the most precious being Iranian albino beluga sturgeon caviar, often referred to as “Almas” caviar. White caviar is the most expenx]sive food in the world, prices can reach up to $30,000/kg.