Northwest Fishing Reports

So I have a bunch of eggs still that I have cured and are sitting in the fridge right now. Its a pautzkes fire cure. I don't want them to go to waste! Now that the coho run is getting somewhat near an end, what is the best way for me to store the eggs? I'm thinking I'll just vacuum seal them and put them in the freezer? Any tips?

The biggest problem with vacuum sealing them in bags is that it is really easy to crush your eggs. The problem with not vacuum sealing them is that any air in and around your frozen eggs will freezer burn them. What I've started doing (and have had great luck with) is putting them in mason jars, filling in the air gaps by dumping Pautzke's nectar in, and then using a canning attachment for my vacuum sealer (which is very inexpensive and fits any foodsaver sealer with an accessory hose) to suck all the air out. I've been thawing them out and fishing with them a whole bunch lately and they look the exact same as they did when I froze them, and most importantly have been fishing great.

Sounds good rc! Where is the best place to get mason jars? I've just been using ziplock plastic tubs for storing right now.

Wal mart

With my vacuum sealer I just suck enough air out of the vacuum pack so the bag just starts to get snug around the eggs and then I hit the seal button and it stops the vacuum and seals the bag where it's at. Then I freeze them. Got to try the first batch out last Sunday and they worked just fine.

Thanks, I'll give that a shot also.

Any grocery store will have mason jars, just make sure you get the right size mouth for your sealer attachment. They only come in two sizes, so not too complicated. I've bought jars at walmart, although I found that albertson's had a better selection. I was able to get some quart jars for my big chinook skeins there.

some people I know have put them in mason jars then had a match in there to standing up. lighting the match then sealing the lid and letting the match burn the oxygen supposedly does the trick. I'm not to convinced their won't be any odd smells on the eggs though.

rcthepirate wrote:The biggest problem with vacuum sealing them in bags is that it is really easy to crush your eggs. The problem with not vacuum sealing them is that any air in and around your frozen eggs will freezer burn them. What I've started doing (and have had great luck with) is putting them in mason jars, filling in the air gaps by dumping Pautzke's nectar in, and then using a canning attachment for my vacuum sealer (which is very inexpensive and fits any foodsaver sealer with an accessory hose) to suck all the air out. I've been thawing them out and fishing with them a whole bunch lately and they look the exact same as they did when I froze them, and most importantly have been fishing great.

A solution to crushing the eggs: put them in a vacuum seal bag. Freeze. Vacuum seal the following morning. That's what I always do and my eggs turn out great.

If your gonna vaccum seal them, freeze the eggs in the vaccum seal bag until totally frozen, then vaccum seal. This way they stay fresh and cannot get crushed when you seal them! Thats what i do

Im most likely going back to using bags. I tried using jars with the match and over half of them have since popped after being frozen. I might pick up a vacuum sealer and see if that works any better. I have a ton of jars and would hate for them to go to waste. Might just have to learn how to can some fish.

im sure properly cured eggs will last a very long time in the refrigerator. I cure mine in borax, and have never had a problem

I was always a Borax guy. But I've been using Fire Cure for a few years and I like it. My method may not be the best but it works for me. I put the eggs in a 3x5 1/2 plastic container (blue top) I get at Safeways. I fill in the airspace with Borax and freeze it. The little container is just the right size to fit in the belly pocket on my chest waders.

Speaking of Fire Cure, my wifes 4 yo cat started to have these fits last week. I had just cured some Silver eggs with Fire Cure and I dropped some of the liquid on the floor. My wife thought the cat may have been poisoned, went ballistic and sent an email to Pautzkes. They sent a nice email back to the effect that there are no toxic substances in Fire Cure. After spending a bunch of $, we found out we have an epileptic cat we have to give pills twice a day!

I just half freeze the eggs for a couple hours in the freezer before vacuum sealing. This way the eggs are hard enough that they don't burst under pressure but soft enough that all the air makes its way out. If you freeze all the way before vacuum seal I have noticed that there is air pockets left here and there because the bag can not conform to such odd shapes very well. Freezing all the way works but you have to use your eggs sooner so they don't get freezer burnt in those tiny pockets.

And also it is a good idea to puncture the vacuum bag when you take the eggs out to thaw for use. That way there is no chance of the pre froze eggs to burst when they thaw out under pressure.