Caviar is one of the most perishable luxury foods in the world. A tin stored incorrectly, even for a few hours, can lose its qualities. Read the five golden rules for storing correctly below:
The Golden Rules of Caviar Storage
Temperature
The ideal storage temperature for caviar is in a special caviar fridge between -3°C and +3°C. This is colder than most domestic refrigerators run as standard. In a regular fridge it should be kept for a maximum of 2 weeks. The best place in your fridge is typically the back of the bottom shelf, where temperatures are coldest and most consistent.
Do Not Freeze. Freezing caviar is strongly inadvisable. While the flavour survives largely intact, the delicate membrane of each egg is destroyed by ice crystal formation.
Keep it Sealed Until Needed. Exposure to air begins to degrade caviar almost immediately. Keep the tin tightly sealed and open it only when you are ready to serve.
Consume Promptly Once Opened. Once the tin is opened, the clock is running. Exposure to oxygen softens the pearls and dulls flavour. Ideally, consume the entire tin in one sitting. If
Store Upside Down. A lesser-known tip from producers: storing the tin inverted helps distribute the brine evenly and keeps the pearls in optimal condition throughout their shelf life. Flip it right-side-up about an hour before serving.
Shelf Life
- Unopened, correctly stored at -3°C and +3°C: 3-6 months
- Unopened in regular fridge: maximum 2 weeks
- Opened, refrigerated and resealed: 24-48 hours maximum
- At room temperature: no more than 1-2 hours when serving
- Frozen: not recommended
Serving Temperature
Remove caviar from the refrigerator 5-10 minutes before serving and present it in its original tin nestled on crushed ice to maintain temperature.
At Fine Source, all our caviars are dispatched with full cold-chain packaging. Once it arrives, following these simple rules ensures you enjoy it exactly as it was intended.
