Golden whitefish caviar

A surprisingly easy preparation that's perfect for festive occasions

Bonneville whitefish — native to Bear Lake and found nowhere else in the world — spawn in December, and these fighting sportfish are a fun, delicious catch. Once cleaned, Bonneville whitefish fillets are very similar to commercially harvested lake whitefish caught in the Great Lakes, as opposed to the bonier Rocky Mountain whitefish, which are found in Utah rivers.

If you catch a female whitefish full of eggs, consider yourself especially lucky, as the mild-tasting roe makes a beautiful golden caviar with little effort. Caviar is typically made from sturgeon eggs and is black, with a strong fish flavor. Golden caviar, made from whitefish roe, is much lighter in flavor and appearance.

Golden whitefish caviar

This festive caviar is easy to make, but you must be careful about how you handle the eggs (see step 1).

Ingredients

• 1 quart (4 cups) cold water
• ½ cup kosher salt
• Harvested Bonneville whitefish eggs

Directions

Step 1

When cleaning your fish, gently remove the skein (egg sac), keeping the eggs within the skein. Do not wash the skein or allow the eggs to become loose by rinsing with water. Do not use any loose eggs to make caviar.

Step 2

In a large bowl, add ½ cup of kosher salt to a quart of cold water and stir to dissolve.

Step 3

Working over a mesh strainer, gently remove eggs from the skein. Immediately place the eggs in the strainer, and dip them into the saltwater mix for about 10 minutes.

Step 4

Remove the eggs from the saltwater, draining off as much of the water as possible. Spoon the prepared caviar into a lidded glass container. Keep refrigerated for up to two weeks.

Serving suggestion

Enjoy your caviar on crackers over the holidays!

Emily Wright

Emily Wright is a fisheries biologist in DWR's Northern Region whose work mainly focuses on Bear Lake and its unique fishery. When she isn't working, she enjoys being in the mountains camping, fishing, hiking and skiing with her family.