If you are using fresh salmon roe, skip this step and proceed to the next step of the recipe to make salmon roe cure brine.

If you are using frozen salmon roe, you need to make sure it is properly defrosted first.

Place the salmon roe in a plastic bag and defrost it in the fridge, not on the countertop. It's crucial to keep the salmon roe covered with plastic to prevent drying out and toughening of the fish eggs.

Bring 6 ½ cups of clean filtered water to a rapid boil in a suitably sized pot.

Start adding salt to the boiling water little by little. Mix it carefully to make sure it gets fully dissolves. Stop adding salt when it stops getting dissolved in the boiling water and starts forming a salt deposit at the bottom of the pot. You may not need to use the entire measured out salt or may need to add more if all the measured out salt gets dissolved.

Turn the heat off and let it cool down to room temperature. This should take about 1 hour.

For this step, you'll need three separate bowls. Start by mixing 1 cup of brine with 2 cups of fresh filtered water at room temperature and pour it into each bowl.

Carefully remove any impurities such as blood vessels, tissue, or debris from the salmon skeins and place them into the first bowl of water-brine mixture.

Working one skein at a time, separate the salmon roe from the skeins. One method is to place a wire mesh grill over a bowl and gently rub the split side of the salmon skein against the wires to release the eggs. Be cautious not to apply too much pressure to avoid bursting the eggs. Alternatively, use chopsticks or a fork to gently coax the eggs from the skein, rotating and applying gentle pressure until they release.

Once the majority of the eggs are removed from the skein, drop them into the bowl of clean brine and water mixture and proceed to the next skein. As you work, you may notice impurities and burst salmon eggs floating on the surface of the water, especially if using frozen salmon roe. Remove any floating eggs before straining the loose salmon roe over a colander.

Check the salmon eggs for any that are stuck together or have pieces of membrane attached. Separate them gently and remove any remaining membrane fragments.

Transfer the salmon eggs to the third bowl and let them soak in the water for about 10 minutes. This allows any remaining pieces of membrane and burst salmon eggs to float to the surface. Strain the salmon roe over the colander again to remove any remaining impurities.

This process ensures that your salmon roe is clean and free from impurities before proceeding with the salt-curing process.

Once you finished the previous step, submerge the salmon roe into the remaining undiluted salt brine right away. Let it soak for 5 minutes.

Then, strain out the brine using a colander.

Next, line a fine mesh strainer with several sheets of untreated cheesecloth. Place the strainer over another bowl to catch any drips from the draining salmon roe. Spoon the salmon roe onto the cheesecloth-lined strainer and gently fold the cloth over to contain the roe. Allow it to drain in the refrigerator for up to 2 hours.

Once the draining time is up, remove the strainer from the fridge. Gently tap and shake the strainer to encourage the drainage of any remaining brine. You can also use a wooden spoon to gently stir the salmon roe.

After completing the draining process, transfer the cured salmon roe into glass storage containers with tight-fitting lids. Before sealing, evenly divide 4 teaspoons of oil among the containers and add it to your freshly prepared homemade salt-cured caviar to enhance its flavor and texture. Store the containers in the refrigerator and always use a clean spoon when serving to prevent contamination and prolong its freshness.