What Are the Different Types of Caviar?

Though caviar is a luxury whose legacy spans centuries, continents, and cultures, it can also feel shrouded in mystery, giving it a reputation for being out of reach. Until recently, the Caspian Sea was the delicacy’s main global source, supplying the world with sevruga, osetra, and beluga from its native sturgeon. But a lack of transparency could make procuring a tin feel shady, and eventually, poaching, overfishing, pollution, and industrial development brought the prehistoric population to the brink of extinction.

The decline of wild stock has ushered in a new era of farmed caviar. This sea change in sourcing has resulted in a proliferation of novel varieties that may be unfamiliar to consumers, and require a relearning of an ancient treat. Here are the terms you should familiarize yourself with to find the roe that’s right for you.

The difference between roe and caviar

Roe is the generic term for fish eggs. Though caviar is defined as sturgeon roe, other fish eggs are delicious in their own right. Some popular varieties: salmon roe, large, orange spheres with jammy centers; trout roe, smaller and firmer, with a milder flavor; and paddlefish roe, wild-caught in the Mississippi and Tennessee Rivers, which some call sevruga-esque (though detractors find it muddy).

What are the most common types of caviar?

Different species of sturgeon yield different types of roe with their own characteristics, including color, size, texture, and of course, flavor. Whether you’re seeking plump and nutty pearls or grains that are firm and briny, there is a caviar for most every taste.

Sevruga (acipenser stellatus)

Harvested from sterlet and Siberian sturgeon, sevruga is a striking small-grain caviar that ranges from dark gray to jet black in color, has a firm pop, and tends to be salty, intense, and briny. Once caught wild in the Caspian Sea, high-quality sevruga is now cultivated in China, Bulgaria, Italy, and beyond.

Osetra (acipenser gueldenstaedtii)

An elegant medium-grain caviar with a smooth, nutty flavor, osetra can come in a range of colors, from gray to beige, dark green, and a rare radiant gold. Caviar from the osetra sturgeon once came primarily from the Caspian and Black Seas, but the breed is near extinction. Now, aquafarms such as Marshallberg in North Carolina, Galilee Caviar in Israel, and Royal Belgian Caviar in Belgium, are among the most reliable sources for quality osetra.

Beluga (huso huso)

The Russian beluga sturgeon is the world’s largest freshwater fish — the biggest on record was a 3,463-pound female, caught in 1827. Long upheld as the paragon of luxury, the beluga’s large, silver-gray eggs are known for their rarity and their lush, buttery flavor. Today, the species is nearly extinct, and the import of beluga products is banned in the United States. Sturgeon aquafarms in Bascom, Florida is the sole domestic farm that legally raises Caspian beluga.

Atlantic sturgeon (acipenser oxyrinchus)

This endangered breed once thrived along the East Coast of North America, from Florida to Canada. In the nineteenth century, they were so abundant that Russia imported Atlantic sturgeon caviar harvested from the Delaware and Hudson Rivers. Their stocks have drastically diminished, but they are an important reminder of America’s once-thriving native sturgeon population.

Hackleback (scaphirhynchus platorynchus)

One of few domestic wild sturgeon that can be legally fished for caviar, hackleback — also called shovelnose sturgeon — is indigenous to the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers. Their eggs are dark gray to inky black, with a firm texture and briny, complex taste.

White sturgeon (acipenser transmontanus)

Native to the West Coast, white sturgeon is North America’s largest freshwater fish. Its medium-sized roe is rich and earthy, with a clean finish. Though the breed is not classified as endangered, you’re most likely to find this caviar farmed. California’s Tsar Nicoulai brand is a favorite among chefs.

Kaluga (Huso dauricus)

This particularly large species of sturgeon is native to the lower Amur River of China and Russia, and is critically endangered. Farmed Kaluga are cultivated for their plump, firm eggs, which have a briny, nutty flavor and a nuanced richness. In the post-Caspian world, kaluga is considered an upscale caviar, an heir-apparent to beluga. Kaluga Queen in China is a top producer.

What is hybrid caviar?

The era of farmed caviar has led to cross-breeding sturgeon in pursuit of the finest eggs. One example is the Kaluga hybrid, a combination of Kaluga and Amur (Acipenser schrenkii) sturgeons, both native to the Amur River in China. The combination is a luxurious one — creamy yet firm, with medium-sized bronze beads, and a nutty flavor.

What is no-kill caviar?

No-kill means that the caviar  was harvested without slaughtering the sturgeon. This can be achieved surgically, or by massaging the eggs out of the abdomen of a live fish. While the latter method is considered humane, many experts believe that it creates a lesser caviar with a gummy texture and muted flavor.

What is pressed caviar?

Pressed caviar, otherwise known as payusnaya, is a paste made by compressing damaged caviar eggs into a pungent jam, traditionally a blend of sevruga, osetra, and beluga caviars. It’s an Eastern European favorite, popularly eaten spread on buttered bread. Some aquafarms, such as Calvisius from Italy and California Caviar Company, make their own versions.

What is malassol caviar?

Meaning “little salt” in Russian, this term describes the practice of curing fresh sturgeon eggs in a low percentage (3% to 5%) of fine salt, which gently preserves them while maintaining their subtle flavor.