Red Caviar from a Well-Known Brand: A Decent Product, But Not the Top Pick

Hello everyone)

This year, I decided to take my caviar game to the next level and invest in a bigger jar. I figured, why settle for just one small jar when I could try caviar from different manufacturers? So, I opted for two smaller jars instead, just in case one of them wasn't up to par. As it turned out, both jars I bought contained keta caviar. I don't have any strong preferences when it comes to this type of caviar.

My choice also included a well-known brand, Putin, which I thought couldn't be that bad. After all, a popular and widely available option is often a safe bet.

My Experience with Red Caviar from Putin

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General Information

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Description:

Keta caviar stands out for its large egg size, reaching up to 9 mm. Its color palette ranges from golden to yellow-orange hues. Unlike other types of red caviar, all keta caviar eggs have a perfectly spherical shape with a visible spot, Keta caviar has a soft, creamy flavor.

Weight: 100 g.

Price: around 60 Belarusian rubles.

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Packaging

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The jar is designed in a combination of black and red colors.

One thing I love about caviar in glass jars is that you can visually inspect the contents before opening the package.Upon closer inspection, I noticed that the jar is made of high-quality glass, which is perfect for storing and serving caviar.

Ingredients:Keta caviar, salt, refined and deodorized sunflower oil, preservatives (sorbic acid, sodium benzoate).

I was a bit surprised to see vegetable oil listed as an ingredient, but I guess it's not uncommon. The oil is flavorless and odorless, so it doesn't affect the taste of the caviar and helps keep the eggs looking fresh. It's also used as a stabilizer. There are some preservatives present as well, which are pretty standard.

Packaging Nutrition Facts (per 100g):

Protein - 32g

Fat - 12g

Caviar is a high-protein product, but it's got a decent amount of fat too. The protein and fat work well together, if I'm being honest.

Nutrition Facts (per 100g):

245 kcal / 1030 kJ

I was a bit confused by the storage conditions, to be honest.

Store at a temperature between -2°C and -6°C.

It's not the storage conditions themselves that are the issue, but how they compare to other caviar products I've seen. Some of them say you can store it at a temperature below zero, but if it's above zero, the storage time is different. This product just says -2°C to -6°C, which is a bit confusing.

That being said, I did store it in the fridge at home, and it was fine. I'm not sure if the store had some special setup or what.

At home, my fridge is a bit warmer than the recommended temperature, and my freezer is colder. I did see a recommendation from one fish store (which sells caviar without preservatives) to freeze it for storage. Since I bought this product ahead of time, I stuck it in the freezer. It did freeze, but it thawed quickly and didn't seem to affect its appearance or quality.

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Appearance and Other Characteristics

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I guess the vegetable oil really does help stabilize the caviar: even after freezing and thawing, the appearance is still great. The eggs didn't break or become deformed.

Of course, the quality of the raw material is also a factor here. Each egg looks perfect, with no signs of damage or defects.

One thing I noticed is that there's a bit of a slime-like texture to the caviar - maybe that's just the oil doing its thing.

The roe itself is pretty big and more orange than red, which is a characteristic of keta caviar.

Interestingly, the second caviar I had on my plate was also keta, but it wasn't as orange as this one, even though it matched the description. And if you take a closer look, you can see a brighter circle in each roe - that's another keta thing.

The classic caviar smell is definitely present.

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***Taste, my impressions***

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First bite is always a tasting one, haha)

The keta caviar from Putilin turned out to be quite pleasant, without any bitterness. However, it's quite salty - I'd have liked a bit less salt.

On toast with butter, though, that saltiness kind of gets masked, and it doesn't feel as critical.

But I couldn't say the caviar is inedible. It's just that sandwiches are a more suitable use for it.

The roe bursts nicely in your mouth, just as it should.

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***Conclusion***

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Honestly, if this was the only jar of caviar I had, I'd be pretty happy with it. But since I've got it next to a cheaper alternative, it falls short in comparison.

What are some minor, but still annoying drawbacks?

the storage instructions are unclearit's over-saltedit's not the cheapest option, and to be honest, I don't see any significant advantages over the cheaper alternativeI'd still recommend it, though - it's a decent product. However, there are better caviars out there.

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My reviews of other caviars

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Caviar Red OOO "SeveroVostochnaya kompaniya LTD" Red Gold

Caviar Red Santa Bremor Atlantic Salmon "Chingai" 7 Seas

Caviar Red "Rybpromproduct" Atlantic Salmon Grained

Caviar Salmon Keta Kamchatka Caviar House

Caviar OOO "Victoria" Grained Salmon

Caviar Red Russian Sea Nerka Grained

Caviar Salmon Grained Santa Bremor (Herrings)