W > wrote:

> I have been buying sacks of salmon eggs (salmon roe) from a local fish store
> and then using one of the many brining recipes online to preserve the eggs
> for up to two weeks. I find that this makes the eggs too salty.
> Unfortunately, I guess you need the salt for safety reasons, to kill off any
> bacteria in eggs sack of the fish? Does anyone have any guidelines on
> what is the minimum amount of salt you can use per pound of fish eggs and
> still have the result be safe? I would like to cut back on the salt but
> don't want to compromise on safety.

First, salting is done not just to preserve the roe, but also for taste
purposes - and they are at least just as important, if not more so.
Second, I would say that your question is rather one-sided. There is
the amount of salt used and then there is the time factor. Both are
equally important. Here is a tried 'n' true recipe using a very
concentrated brine - but for a total of just 10 minutes. The roe could
then be kept, refrigerated, for up to 10 days, though most sane people -
those who love salmon roe - would not be able to wait for so long. Of
course, I wouldn't know if the results are acceptable to you taste-wise.

Prepare a brine with a ratio of 300-400 g pure table salt (with no
additives of any kind) per litre of water. There should be twice as
much brine as needed to cover the roe fully. Bring the water to boil
with a small peeled potato. When the water is boiling, add the salt and
let boil for at least 15 minutes. The brine is ready when there is a
film of salt on the surface and the potato is floating on the surface.
Remove the potato and let the brine cool to room temperature.
Meanwhile, remove the roe from its sacs as far as possible, rinse in
running water and place in a bowl. Cover the roe with half of the brine
for 5 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon all the time. Drain the roe
in a collander, and rinse the bowl. Now put the roe in the bowl again
and cover with the rest of the brine again for 5 minutes. Drain. Eat
at once or refrigerate for later. The two-step process is necessary to
clean the roe of the remains of blood, sacs and other impurities as much
as possible.

Victor