How black tobiko is made

Black tobiko starts as the roe of a wild flying fish, and it goes through several steps before it reaches your plate. Methods vary by producer, but the process generally looks like this.

1. Catching the fish

Flying fish are caught at sea, and tobiko comes from the females during their spawning season. Unlike sturgeon, which is farmed for caviar, flying fish are a wild-caught species.

2. Removing the roe

The roe is taken from the fish and separated from the egg sac. It is then rinsed to remove blood and membrane. Careful handling matters here, since the pearls are small and delicate.

3. Sorting

The roe is drained and sorted by size and quality. Producers typically look for pearls that are uniform in size, firm and free of damage.

4. Curing and seasoning

The roe is salted and seasoned. Producers use different recipes, and these may include salt, sugar and other flavorings. This is where much of the taste of tobiko comes from, since the roe itself is mild.

5. Coloring

Natural tobiko is orange-red. For black tobiko, the roe is colored, most often with squid ink. For other colors, producers use ingredients such as wasabi for green. See black tobiko vs orange tobiko.

6. Freezing and packing

Tobiko is usually packed and frozen soon after it is made, which keeps it safe and keeps its texture. It is shipped frozen and thawed shortly before it is served. See how to store black tobiko.

How it differs from caviar

Sturgeon caviar is made differently. The fish is farmed, the roe is carefully removed and lightly salted, and it is packed fresh in a tin and kept cold. It is not colored or heavily seasoned. Opus Kaluga Hybrid, for example, contains only sturgeon roe and salt. See what is black tobiko for how tobiko is used, and a beginner's guide to caviar.

Opus Caviar sells Kaluga Hybrid sturgeon caviar, not tobiko, and it is opening soon with same-day courier delivery across the South Bay. Join the list to be first to order.