When curing eggs

Borax draws water from the cells
Sugar acts as a hardener to firm the eggs
Nitrates, Nitrites, Sulfites and Sulfates act as a preservative
Salt also draws moisture

Many cures use Borax and Salt, why both when they are both used to draw moisture from the cells.

Is it because the Salt as well as drawing moisture from the cells also acts as a hardener?


Are Nitrates, Nitrites, Sulfites and Sulfates basically salt?

Yes, they are all types of salts. Removing liquid from the eggs making them have lees mosture so they get harder. The best cure that i have found is Bobs in the Resource Center. Just did about #20 pounds and the egges came out very nice. When you cure eggs they must not of been frozen. When they have been frozen it breakes the sides of them, making them leak and mile out very fast. After they have been cured they are smaller in size and can take being frozen,,

This is my favoprite egg cure. It's a lot of work, but they come out really nice. This is courtesy of my friend Paul Buprea the founder of BeauMac Lures

Brining and Coloring Eggs - the Old Guides' Cure

This is the toughest cure to master. Brining takes the most time and is the cure that always arouses the most questions. However, once you "master" this technique, you can count yourself as an accomplished egg-curer.

Step one
Assemble the following:
Three bowls, preferably stainless steel or plastic.
Borax
White or Brown Sugar
Non Iodized Canning Salt
Pro Glow Bait Coloring in your choice of color.
Rubber gloves.
Several skeins of fresh, rinsed eggs.

This mixture of borax, salt, sugar, and Pro Glow Bait coloring will cure 7-8 steelhead or salmon skeins that are approximately 7-10 inches in length.


Step two
Combine 1 1/2 cups powdered borax, 2 1/2 cups non-iodized salt and 1/2 to 1 cup sugar. Add three quarts water and stir until all ingredients are dissolved.

Step three
Add one tablespoon Pro Glow Bait Coloring. This will make a very brightly colored egg. If you want a paler egg reduce the amount of bait coloring.


A little trick I like to use for dispersion of Pro Glow Color is this. I take a glass of hot water from the faucet and add one heaping tablespoon of Pro Glow Coloring. I stir this thoroughly for ten seconds or so, then I start slowly pouring the color into the brine solution. This way I have control over the color I get. If I want more color I simply add a bit more to the brine solution.
I will at this point interject that the red Pro Glow Bait Coloring is the best selling egg cure on the West Coast by a ratio of nine to one.


Step four
Split or cut the skeins length wise

Step five
Gently drop the skeins of eggs into the solution and start stirring. Stir every thirty seconds. After stirring for 10 minutes, start checking on color and texture of eggs. Note: It will take at least another 10 minutes of brine time before you are done. Do not add more Pro Glow Bait Coloring, or you could wind up with a purple eggs.

The speed you stir your skeins and how long they are in the brine both effect how long your eggs should remain in the brine. During brining the salt, sugar, borax and Pro Glow Bait Coloring are entering the egg to replace water that's being expelled.

What We Are Looking For?
As the curing process takes place, you will note that the membranes of individual eggs in the skein start to show a slight wrinkling.
Give the skeins another five minutes in the brine, stirring occasionally, and you will see more wrinkling of the membranes. After approximately twenty minutes, the eggs will feel a bit rubbery and will be slightly wrinkled. Now is the time to remove them from the brine.


Step six THE TRICK

The trick to brining eggs happens now. This is also where the 2nd and 3rd containers enter the picture. Have each filled with cold water (the colder the better). Put on your gloves and take the skeins out of the brine. Rinse the eggs in the first container for five seconds. Then rinse the eggs in the second container of cold water for another five seconds. The water running off the eggs should have only a slight tint of pink. Rinsing the eggs stops the brining process and locks the color and flavor in the egg.


Step seven
Lay the skeins in a basket or over a screen (one that has large holes) egg side down. Let them drain about one hour depending on the size of the eggs. Reverse the skein and place in the basket or over the screen so the membrane is on the bottom and the eggs are on top. Leave in this position overnight.

If eggs are not dry enough, lay several layers of paper towels in the basket or over the screen and place the eggs - egg side down to absorb more water, or you could roll up in paper towels and place in the refrigerator overnight.


Step eight
When your skeins are nice and dry - not tough - lay them in paper towels and roll up. You can sprinkle a little bit of borax over the eggs before rolling up if you wish.

Place the eggs rolled up in new paper towel into a zip lock bag and refrigerate for a day or two, then place in freezer. Be sure to label fully.

Geez Surecatch

There are a lot of steps in that cure. I will have to give it a try though

Your cure uses both Borax and Salt. Don't they serve the same purpose?

Lead: It's not "my" cure. I learned it from my good friend, now deceased, Paul Beaupre. I really don't know if both salt and borax are needed. I just follow his recipe. I know Paul was a fanatic about his eggs and that when he wanted them just right, this is the cure he used. He felt he was doing us all a major favor when he gave me permission to reprint this . I suspect that tinkering with it could improve it, I just haven’t had the inclination to do so.

I can tell you the eggs done this way come out really nice. The key is to know how long to stir them to get just the consistency you want. He told me this is also a killer cure for single eggs, but I have never tried that.

Thanks Surecatch I will give it a go

surecatch
Can this brine be reused?

Irie1:

I never have, but don't see why not if its refrigerated or put in the freezer. Good idea. Let me know if you do.

How long can you keep fresh salmon eggs (in a coffee can) in the fridge before you brine them?

I caught a nice Lk. Ontario hen a couple of weeks ago. I used half of her eggs (the ones I haven't tied into egg sacks yet are still in a porcelain container--in the fridge...(gotta get more netting material)

Thanks!

SpongeBob

Not sure how long they will last but I have heard you do not want to store eggs in anything metal. Just FYI

Cure those pups up now

Lead thower - I do not believe borax and salt serve the same purpose when curing eggs. The Sugar is a hardner and the salt draws the moisture out. I don't believe the borax draws moisture out but rather it toughens the eggs. Salt is also a presevative. The main ingredient in the Sulfites and Nitrates is Sodium.

surecatch, thanks for the recipie. i have some silver eggs that came off the hump last weekend. ill give it a try and let you all know how they turned out. <img border="0" alt="[Goldfish]" title="" src="graemlins/goldfish.gif" />

forgot to mention i have used bobs recipie posted in the tips section. they come out very nice too!!!!

I tried Bob's recipe once, unfortunately I did not let the solution come to room temperature before I stuck the eggs in. Turned them into dried peas.

Dang thats alot of work!

Something that works great for me is:

First butterfly the skiens and let the dry overnite on cardboard in the garage.

Second sprinkle pro glow egg cure on them and put the in a ziploc bag in the fridge.

Third when you get home from work take them out of the fridge and dump out the juice.

Fourth put them back in the fridge overnite. they will re-absorb the remaing juice.

Fifth you can take them out and dry them a little more if you want firmer eggs or go fishing.


These eggs cast a mile repeatedly and milk out just dandy.

P.S They catch fish too!