Both salmon roe and caviar refers to the eggs that are found in the masses of fish. With salmon refering specifically to salmon eggs. All roe can be used to make caviar.
The biggest difference is that salmon roe cannot be made into ‘black caviar’. Instead salmon roe can only be used to make red caviar.
This is because only the roe/fish eggs from a sturgeon fish(source), which is an already endangered marine species, can be used to make the really expensive black/beluga caviar.
But sometimes there’s no difference linguistically between “roe” and “caviar”. Due to the fact that in many countries, the word ‘caviar’ can simply be meaning any type of roe that is considered a delicacy.
Differences Between Salmon Roe and Caviar from Appearance
The first noticeable difference if both fish eggs are served to you is their color difference. Since the eggs come from different types of fish.
The red caviar comes from Salmon eggs which gives it the name Salmon Roe or Ikura Roe. With a bright orangish hue, varying between pale yellow to dark red in color.
While the black caviar comes from sturgeons, as its name applies the fish eggs have a dark black color to them. The black caviar is not always specifically from beluga fish, they can also be from the other 27 species of sturgeon fishes.
Salmon Roe may vary in size, averaging between 5.6 mm to 8.3 mm. In comparison, black caviar are usually smaller in size. But some black caviar are extremely large with a pea-size appearance.
Salmon Roe vs Caviar in Terms of Price
The biggest factor that is affecting the pricing of the Salmon Roe vs Caviar(Black Caviar) is the fish supply.
It is well-known that the Black Caviar/Beluga Caviar is from the most expensive fish eggs in the world. This source saids that this ‘’black gold’ can be sold regularly for USD 25,000 for just a kilogram of the fish eggs.
On the other hand, the red caviar/salmon roe is priced for about a couple hundreds of dollars per kilogram. Which almost makes the salmon roe very cheap in price in comparison to the Beluga Caviar.
This big difference in price is accountable for the many years it takes for the two types of fish to reach maturity. It takes about 2 to 8 years for a salmon to reach maturity. While it can take up to 20 years for a beluga sturgeon to reach maturity.
Meanwhile, the sturgeon fish species is also declining in its population. With its population of adult sturgeon estimated between 18,000 to 21,000(Source). And due to their declining population, the US has made it illegal to import Beluga Caviar and Sturgeon into the country.
Meanwhile, the supply of Atlantic salmon worldwide ranges from around thousands to nearly a quarter million(source).
Although in recent years the salmon population has significantly decreased. Which might cause the pricing for salmon roe to also increase in the future.
Taste Difference for Salmon Roe vs Caviar
For those who never tried salmon roe or caviar you should have an expectation for what it will be like experiencing their flavors for the first time.
Their high pricing doesn’t always reflect their quality. Since not everybody will favor the taste of fish roe. Also there will be differences each time you experience the two roes, due to quality and preparation differences.
Both these fish eggs are similar in the aspect that they contain a rich amount of umami/glutamate. For those who never heard of this term, Umami is a subtle flavor that can heighten the taste and flavor of foods. So this way the dish will be more delicious for your taste buds.
Umami is independent of the four traditional tastes like sweet, sour, salty, bitter. It can only be personally savored by your taste buds to be understood. Umami is also similar to MSG in its taste experience, that’s why MSG that has been added to a dish activates our taste receptors like no other.
You can find the subtle taste of umami in foods like the cheese of pizza, cooked/stir fried mushrooms, cured meat, soup, and many kinds of sushi rolls.
Both the salmon roe and caviar have this briny and salty taste to the fish eggs. It may be an acquired taste for most people to take time to get used to.
Although, many times there will also be a subtle sweetness to the taste of the salmon roe/caviar. With a hint of a fishy smell and a slippery/slimy texture.
Generally caviars including salmon roe shouldn’t be super salty or slimy. But the problem here is that fish eggs can quickly spoil, that’s why it is harder to find really fresh fish eggs.
Though the fresher the caviar and salmon roe the less salty it will taste. Along with more sweetness when the roe pops as you bite it in your mouth.
Comparatively, both the two roes have a subtle umami to them. Though the salmon roe in particular is a little more salty. While the black caviar roe is slightly more firm in its texture with less saltiness.
Preparation for Salmon Roe vs Caviar
There are different preparation processes for salmon roe vs Caviar.
For ikura roe/salmon roe, the preparation in Japanese culture includes marinating the fish eggs in salt, sake, or soy sauce(source).
Although there are variations for different households, the eggs are almost always cured in salt or brine.
The same goes for making black caviar from beluga fish eggs. After taking out the eggs to separate them, the roe are similarly added a bit of salt to give it flavor.
However, the really high quality black caviar roe only has about 3% salt content(source). Just enough salt curing so the eggs won’t spoil easily. But not too much, which will cause the walls of the roe to break apart.
