Chinook fish photo and description

Sima caviar

This is the rarest type of caviar, and the fish itself is an ancient species of Pacific salmon, or rather its warm-water representative. The eggs are red with an orange tint and reach about 6 mm in diameter.

They taste like sockeye salmon caviar, but without a hint of bitterness. Sima go to spawn in early summer. For sale to the population, it is prepared in rare cases, which explains the high price.

For a kilogram of product you will have to pay 5,000 rubles.

Chinook caviar

Chinook salmon is the largest representative of the Salmonidae family. Its eggs are also among the largest - up to 7-10 mm in diameter. The bright red caviar of king salmon tastes like beetle caviar. It still has the same bitterness and spiciness, but it is a most delicate delicacy. The shell of the eggs is not as hard as that of chum salmon.

The price for Chinook salmon caviar is one of the highest, since it is practically not found on the domestic market. In Russia, king salmon is caught only in Kamchatka.

When purchasing a product, be sure to find out the region of the manufacturer. In the central part of the country, you can find a lot of counterfeit Chinook caviar in stores. Usually the counterfeit product is made from chum salmon caviar with the addition of dye.

1 kg of delicacy will cost approximately 4,500 rubles.

What kind of fish is Chinook salmon and where does it live?

The individual is distinguished by its outstanding size, which determines its name. Chinook salmon is also called royal or princely salmon. Fish is popular due to the following factors:

• gastronomic qualities;
• active resistance during the fishing process.

Chinook salmon, which belongs to the Salmon family, are characterized by an anadromous lifestyle. It includes distinct fluvial and oceanic phases.

In fresh water conditions the following processes occur:

• spawning;
• caviar development;
• hatching of fry;
• growing juveniles.

It is noteworthy that maturation, development of reproductive function, and weight growth are observed in the marine environment. The lifespan of Chinook salmon ranges from 4 to 8 years. This is due to the pre-spawning period. Within two weeks, individuals that take part in spawning die.

King salmon are found in the following waters:

• Arctic Ocean basin;
• Seas of Okhotsk and Barents;
• Commander Islands;
• Sacramento.

In recent years, artificial breeding of Chinook salmon has been practiced on specially built farms.
The fish adapts well to water of any salinity. However, the development of eggs occurs only in cool flowing rivers that have a rocky or pebble bottom.

Chinook salmon are distinguished from other representatives of the salmon family by their significant weight. The average individual reaches 6-17 kg. The length of the fish varies and is 1.5-2 m.

Chinook salmon has the following external characteristics:

• compressed sides;
• small eyes;
• long body (torpedo-shaped);
• big mouth;
• small scales;
• true and adipose fins;
• black gums of the lower jaw;
• chaotic spots on the body and tail.

Appearance, such as color, is determined by the life phase. Typically, Chinook salmon have the following color scheme:

• silver sides;
• olive or greenish-blue back;
• white belly.

Recommended reading: What are the benefits of haddock fish?

During the mating season, the fish acquires burgundy shades and large teeth. It is noteworthy that males have slightly curved jaws.

The spawning period begins in June and ends in August. Fish can travel thousands of kilometers to reach a place with optimal conditions.

The life cycle includes several stages:

• appearance in a freshwater environment and life for two years;
• moving at sea;
• return to the places of birth (after five years).

During the period of residence in rivers, Chinook salmon feed on:

• larvae;
• small fish and crustaceans;
• insects.

After moving to the sea, king salmon eat:

• plankton;
• cephalopods;
• krill;
• crustaceans.

Important! The variety received a scientific description at the end of the 18th century. The name is associated with the language of the peoples of Kamchatka.

Chum salmon caviar

It is large - reaches 5-7 mm in diameter, but there are specimens up to 9 mm in size. It has a uniform pale red color with an orange tint. Inconsistency in color is considered a defect and is not allowed during the production process, otherwise the product is considered defective.

Chum salmon caviar is the fattest delicacy. Its taste is soft, delicately creamy, without bitterness. The shell is very thin and breaks quickly, so it feels like it melts in your mouth. This product is considered the best of all types of salmon caviar. It is often passed off as Chinook salmon caviar due to its large size, but it should be remembered that chum salmon caviar is the lightest of all varieties.

The average cost of 1 kg is 4,200 rubles.

How to cook better

King salmon tastes like salmon. However, chinook salmon is less fatty and has a low calorie content, which is 150 kcal (per 100 g). Fish is included in the diet menu. Royal salmon is salted, boiled, steamed, stewed, baked and canned. The product can be added to salads and snacks. Preserving the original appearance during the cooking process is essential.

We recommend reading: The benefits and harms of kutum fish

Chinook salmon is valued for its excellent taste and healthy qualities. The lightly salted product is popular. To preserve valuable components, the fish is subjected to shock freezing.

Coho salmon caviar

Coho salmon or “silver” salmon is a small representative of the salmon family. Its caviar is considered a powerful aphrodisiac. It increases the level of serotonin and endorphin (“the hormone of joy”).

The size of the beads is not as large as in previous types, reaching only 4 mm. Caviar is easily recognized by its dark red color with a burgundy tint. During the production of the product, heterogeneity in color is allowed.

The taste of this caviar is unique and suggests a slight bitterness, but in terms of the content of microelements and vitamins it occupies a leading place among its analogues.

For 1 kg of silver salmon caviar you will have to pay 4,200 rubles.

Sockeye salmon caviar

Sockeye salmon mainly lives along the American coast, so it is rarely found in Russian stores. The size of the eggs is most often no more than 3 mm, but can reach 5 mm. They have a rich dark orange color and a strongly noticeable odor.

In production, uneven coloring is not considered a defect, since various shades of red-orange tones may be present. However, if the product contains white or black color, this indicates that it is spoiled. The taste has piquancy and a slight bitterness, which is not typical for the caviar of the next rated fish.

The average cost of 1 kg of sockeye salmon caviar is 3,200 rubles.

Pink salmon caviar

Most often, this caviar of fish of the Salmonidae family is found on store shelves, the price of which is slightly lower than for previous varieties.

The fish move to spawn from June to August. The trajectory of its movement is from the North Pacific Ocean to the adjacent rivers. The experience of fishermen shows that fish numbers fluctuate between even and odd years. The lifespan of the humpback is up to 2 years. It spawns once in its life, after which it dies.

The size of pink salmon eggs varies from 3 to 5 mm. Most often they are bright orange in color. After tasting them, one can note the absence of bitterness, but the presence of slight saltiness.

The average cost of pink caviar is 3,200 rubles per 1 kg.

Expensive types of red caviar are a real delicacy with a pleasant aftertaste. A quality product must have a number of characteristics. In particular, the eggs in the jar should be the same size and color, whole, uncrumpled, crumbly, without mucus, films or plaque.

Chinook salmon fishing - where, how and with what

In fresh water, young animals feed on crustaceans, insects, and fry. In the oceanic environment, the diet consists of zooplankton, crustaceans, squid and all kinds of fish living at depths of up to 35-40 meters. With such a nutritious menu, the voracious king salmon gains weight very quickly. In Russia, the main place for catching Chinook salmon is the fresh water bodies of Chukotka and Kamchatka during the migratory movements of the fish. Especially a lot of it enters the Bolshaya River and its tributaries (Plotnikova, Goltsovka, Nachilova), which stretch for 300 km from the Ganal Range to the Sea of ​​Okhotsk.

The optimal tackle for catching Chinook salmon is considered to be a powerful sea spinning rod of medium action, which is equipped with a multiplier reel and braided cord (test from 25-30 kg) with increased resistance to abrasive wear. Since fish going to spawn completely stop feeding, bright and large spinners, wobblers and jigs are used, creating an active game by turning around the longitudinal axis.

Chinook salmon perceive such baits as young animals of other species (char, kunja, pink salmon, sockeye salmon) and reflexively grab them to protect their future offspring. The fish does not swallow the bait, but tries to spit it out. That is why an instant sharp hook immediately after the jerk of the tackle is so important.

To learn more:

Smelt: description of a fish from the smelt family

To catch young Chinook salmon, which constantly lives in the river and actively feeds, animal baits are used in the form of a transparent bag with red caviar, shrimp, or a piece of fish. Fly fishing gear has proven itself well in tandem with large, brightly colored flies. Sea fishing for king salmon is carried out mainly by trolling. Fish carcasses, large wobblers and spinners are used as bait. It is effective to catch Chinook salmon using jigs using large vibrotails, twisters, and crustaceans.

Benefits of Chinook caviar

It has long been no secret to most of us that eating caviar is very beneficial for human health. After all, this unique product contains many substances that can strengthen the body. This is not an accident - the fact is that inside the eggs there is a supply of nutrients necessary for the growth and development of the embryo.

So, what is contained in Chinook fish caviar ?

• B vitamins. They are necessary for cellular metabolism and a number of other processes;
• Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is a strong antioxidant;
• Vitamin D. The eternal companion of calcium. Without it, we would have a lot of problems with bones, joints, teeth, etc. In children, a deficiency of this vitamin causes rickets;
• Phosphorus. Its deficiency leads to muscle pain, frequent colds, problems with the liver and metabolism.
• You also get your daily dose of iodine, which is essential for the thyroid gland.
• Another important component of caviar is Omega-3 fatty acids. Scientific treatises have been written about their usefulness, and the media constantly write about them. Such fats are useful for most processes in the body, from cellular metabolism to brain activity. Plus – immunity, protection from allergies, good vision. In general, regular consumption of red Chinook caviar is extremely beneficial for health.
• Iron. Its deficiency leads to anemia and a number of other diseases.

Experts say that several sandwiches with red caviar provide half the daily requirement of proteins, fats, phosphorus and 100% of the iodine requirement.

Composition of Chinook fish

The meat is red in color with a hint of crimson. The valuable product is rich in protein (20 g per 100 g). The fat ratio is 13%. The energy value of meat is 146 kcal. The presence of Omega-3 fatty acids, which are not produced by the human body, is essential.

Important! PUFAs improve metabolic processes.

The caviar has a unique composition and is bright red in color. The product is characterized by a large size, reaching 7 mm. The delicacy is valued for its rich taste and thin shell. A feature of the product is its rapid digestibility.

Meat and caviar are rich in the following valuable substances:

• PUFAs (polyunsaturated fatty acids);
• antioxidants;
• amino acid tryptophan;
• B vitamins;
• ascorbic acid;
• cholecalciferol;
• tocopherol;
• phosphorus;
• iron;
• calcium;
• sodium;
• magnesium;
• potassium.

How to choose Chinook salmon caviar?

The choice of product is a very important moment. It’s one thing when they sell you the caviar of one fish under the guise of the caviar of another. In this case, you simply overpay, but do not risk. It is completely different when, under the guise of caviar, they offer a substitute made from oil, gelatin, dyes and flavoring additives. Always read the ingredients. It can only contain caviar, salt, and a preservative.

The type of jars plays a role. Most often, caviar is sold in glass and metal containers. Glass is convenient because you can see the color, size, consistency, and presence of impurities.

Marking. The word “caviar”, date, batch number and other information necessary to identify the product are written on the metal (tin) packaging. The label must contain the manufacturer's address and composition.

The price of high-quality chinook caviar can be higher than that of pink salmon and other fish of the salmon family. This is due to the fact that it is more rare and valuable.

• Sodium benzoate – E211. It is considered a fairly harmless substance. Of course, when used in moderation. It is this that is most often added to caviar so that it retains its taste and quality throughout its entire shelf life. It is also considered an antiseptic.
• Sorbic acid. The packaging may be marked “E200”. Safe supplement. It causes allergies only in large quantities.
• Food supplement "Varex 1 and 2". It can give caviar a sweet taste. The safety of this component is questionable.
• Until recently, methenamine (E239) was used as a preservative. In large doses, it is dangerous to health, which is why it was banned for use in food products.

Chinook caviar , even after treatment with preservatives, can be stored in a jar for no more than 6 months at temperatures from 0 to +4C. Please note that caviar can only be stored in vacuum-sealed containers for more than 2 months.

The eggs must be whole, of the same color and size, without any impurities. There should be no liquid (water/fat) in the jar.

Chinook fish is a prominent representative of salmonids

Other names for this fish of the salmon family include the American description of chinook salmon as the “king of salmon” and the Japanese name translated as “prince of salmon.”

Judging by the names of the synonyms, people not only value the important economic significance of Chinook salmon, but also, naming it with similar epithets, respect it for its size, cunning, swiftness, and power.

Chinook salmon habitat

According to the ichthyological classification, the fish belongs to the freshwater species. However, Chinook salmon spend a significant part of their life outside fresh waters, far from their birthplace. The habitat of this fish is localized between the West Coast of the Pacific Coast of the United States and the northern part of the Japanese Islands, Kamchatka and the Kuril Islands.

Some of the population is found in the fresh water of the rivers of British Columbia, Washington, and on the territory of the Russian Federation in the basins of the Anadyr and Amur rivers.

Recently, breeding Chinook salmon on artificial farms and in places atypical for their residence, for example the Great Lakes (USA), and reservoirs of New Zealand, has become popular.

Description of Chinook

The main difference between this fish and other members of the family is its significant weight compared to other members of the species. The average weight of fish is about 6-17 kg, some fishermen managed to catch specimens weighing about 30 kg, while the established record for the weight of chinook salmon is more than 60 kg. Its length on average ranges between 85 and 115 cm, rarely reaching 1.5-2 m.

Among the external features, a distinctive feature is the presence on the body of the fish of large stripes on the line between its head and body. The color of this representative of salmon depends on its habitat and ranges from light gray to greenish-silver, olive hue.

The ventral and lateral parts of the fish are silver in color. On the sides, located above the lateral line of the Chinook salmon, on the surface of the back, dorsal and caudal fins there are small black spots. During the spawning period, the fish changes color, darkening in the head area and acquiring a rich brown tint in the body area.

Another distinctive feature of the species are small spots located on the surface of the back, fins and tail. On the other hand, the fish does not have the X-shaped spots and pink stripes on the surface of the skin characteristic of the family.

Life cycle and reproduction

The life cycle of a fish consists of:

• birth in a freshwater body;
• life in a reservoir until the age of two;
• going to sea and living in it for the next 3-5 years;
• return to the place of birth to implement the reproduction function.

Individual representatives of the species, distinguished by their small sizes from 10 cm to half a meter, related to males, reach the period of sexual readiness, skipping the stage of going to sea, and can take part in spawning together with other males.

As a rule, for spawning, fish choose small rivers along which they can ascend from the mouth to the spawning site, covering a distance of up to 4000 km. The reproduction process itself is somewhat extended in time and lasts under normal conditions from June to August, and in the conditions of North America it also occurs in the autumn-winter period.

While living in rivers, its diet includes:

1. various larvae;
2. insects;
3. some types of young fish;
4. small crustaceans.

In sea conditions, the Chinook menu consists of:

• crustaceans;
• cephalopods;
• small fish;
• plankton;
• krill.

Composition of Chinook salmon meat

Chinook salmon meat is valued both from the point of view of the content of substances that regulate the flow of processes important for human health, and from the point of view of its culinary and taste characteristics. Fish contains a huge amount of vitamins B1, B2, C, PP, K, E, microelements such as selenium, zinc, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, sodium, molybdenum, nickel, chromium, fluorine.

Chinook salmon is characterized by a fairly high content of proteins (up to 20/100g) and fatty acids such as choline and Omega 3, which are necessary for the body, but are not produced by it.

In particular, we are talking about docosahexanoic (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic (EPA) acids, which perform the functions of supporting cell membranes and ensuring the normal functioning of metabolic processes in the body. Meat, like fish roe, has a high degree of digestibility, which allows the cells of the body to make maximum use of the beneficial substances of chinook salmon.

The caviar of this fish is distinguished by a specific bitter taste and the large size of individual eggs, reaching 6-7 mm in diameter. At one time, Chinook salmon lay up to 14 thousand eggs.

The fish is characterized by a lower fat content compared to other members of the family, 11-13.5%. Its meat, which has a rich red color with a raspberry tint, resembles salmon in taste, but with a certain cooking method it is valued much higher than it.

Just like for fish meat, the nutritional and energy value of fish largely depends on its living conditions, age, gender, and time of fishing. The calorie content of fish is about 146 kcal/100 g of product.

Chinook caviar and cooking

Like any red (salmon) caviar, this product has excellent taste. There are many excellent recipes that can make your diet much more nutritious, tastier, and more varied.

There is a set of products with which caviar is well compatible. First of all, we are talking about fish and seafood (shrimp, squid, etc.) and traditional black bread with Chinook caviar.

buy Chinook salmon caviar in Moscow at Tsar-Ikra LLC. We always have an excellent selection, competitive prices, and excellent quality of fresh products from well-known manufacturers.