Moldy eggs... BUMMER!

[Jennie@ifish]

Okfine! NOT!
I got a hen a while back, bought some expensive neat o egg cure, and I did them up...
They were so beautiful, and wet, just like I like um for chinook.
They turned to mold!!! I can't believe it!
I am an old borax girl from way back. I always did eggs perfectly that way.
I have done it with cure twice now, and I ruined them both times!!!
Did I not use ENOUGH cure? Did I not let them dry long enough?
If I can't figure this out, I'm going back to dry eggs.
You know, the dry borax ones are so nice, cuz you can clean your hands easier, but I love the colors of the newer cures.
Are my eggs totally ruined? There is mold around the sides. If I cut that out, can I recure them to make them work? Or does a little mold ruin the whole batch?
Somehow, I think I'll fish with less faith, thinking that the mold scent would deter the fish.
I am so sad.... Please help!!!

[img]images/icons/frown.gif[/img]
Jen

[Chris Nordling]

Hey Jen,

I'm no expert, but my eggs definately catch fish. I think that your eggs may be a lost cause, especially if they got that moldy stank to them. If not, you could re-dry them, and add some borax powder to them, in an effort to dry them out more. I've had this work on occasion, and it's worth a shot at saving your prized eggs. I'm not sure what type of cure or curing method you used. Usaully I do mine by "jar method", and routinely drain and rotate the eggs during the curing process. I also found that an extra day upside down in the jar will also help eliminate excess mold causing juice. One last tip, try to seal your container air tight for storage. If you happen to freeze them, this will help in the thawing process.
Of course most of this is probably repeat info to you, but I thought I would try.

Chris [img]images/icons/cool.gif[/img]

~ Team U.S.A. ~

[Jennie@ifish]

No, it's not repeat info.
Like I said, I have always used borax, so I'm a bit uneducated. Bill has always done the eggs his way. This was my (failed again) experiment, and I bet Bill will want to take it over again.
But dangit, if I catch another hen this year, I'm going to do my own, and try again until I get it down!
Thanks for the info, I appreciate it tons!
Jen

[Thumper]

Buy Amerman cure, follow the simple directions. Even a woman can do it!

[Jennie@ifish]

OK, no more cake for you buddy!
[img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[alwyze fishin]

stick with what you know work.

borax

borax

borax

It works for me

[Salmonator]

Jen, two questions. Were they kept in the fridge the whole time and how long since you cured them? I've only had eggs mold once and it took almost three months in the fridge to do it. I think if you know it will be at least 4 weeks until you use them i'd freeze them, or better yet use your vacuum jar attachment then freeze them... Joe

[ 10-31-2001: Message edited by: Salmonator ]

[Jennie@ifish]

A week and a half, in the garage. It is very cold here in the canyon, sun doesn't reach us.
Plus, the bait fridge was full!
Never again...
I'll learn, I'll learn...
Now that Thumper made me feel like an idiot woman!
[img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]
J

[ 11-02-2001: Message edited by: ****** ]</p>

[Salmonator]

I can't even begin to laugh because I wouldn't be able to stop

[Tanner]

Sure Cure Baby. It is all I use anymore for chinook and my eggs always go down.

[FISHNFOOL]

just dry-em out a little more--mold or no mold they will work---as long as combined with a sand shrimp and some scent----I recently caught 3 bucks on rock hard eggs that cut into squares they were so hard from over curing. a friend gave them to me---they worked great. 41# 19# 36# all in 5 days of fishing. REMEMBER THE SAND SHRIMP THOUGH!!

[Trout,myster]

Borax and brown sugar, Jennie. I've used eggs that were in my freezer for 3 years using this cure and they are in excellent shape. Tried all that other "candy" cure and had the same similiar results as you did. Either watery, rotten, moldy, or just garbage eggs. BTW, the 99.999% borax out of the grocery store works just fine as opposed to the powdered stuff from the bait shops.

Fixed the cartoon and replaced with your picture Jen. :grin: Cure Rite Quick Cure is really good stuff.

[bigb8bigfish]

Okay Jennie, seeing that you whant to try a wet cure, the best I've found is "CURE-ALL" mfg. by KENDACO, out of astoria, next best is shure-cure, but did not do to good with pro-cure. If you want to stick with a dry, might I suggest the Siberian cure. For being a dry cure it has some pizzzzaaaazz to already. And don't forget to drop in a little anise to your wet cure. Not tooo much or the enticement may be overpowering. By the way ******, you wouldn't happen to sell Mary K., I love the makeover and a couple of my friends could use it. It might help on their fishing.

"DO THE WILD THANG"

[dawhunt]

Jennie if your bait fridge is so full you can't get more eggs in there,I WOULD BE HAPPY to take some of your EGGS !!!! to give you more room,I promise to put them to good use :grin:
Bob

[fisheromen]

I use pro-cure and have had eggs last a full year in the fridge without any problems before using them using their "jar method". Has a nice color and good, lasting texture if you dry them out a bit the night before fishing.

[will_e_fish]

I am asking more info on egg revival. Seems I have caught alo of hens. I used Pro Cure dried them as per directions and put them in zip locks in the bait fridge. Not long after went fishing with some and discovered they were juiced out and mushed. Sort of loose but yet has some clumps of skeins left. More juice than I am used to. So what do I do with all the juice? I am redrying the rest in the fridge. Also gonna try spome with borax as well. A good guy at Joes said "Shure Cure" he had bad luck with Pro Cure. Wish Joes had Amerman I would like to try that.
I had a pile of them that were nice and gonna hate thinking I wasted them. I would appreciate any feedback. Oh yeah I beat my self up pretty good over this and keep saying next time.... borax, and no Pro Cure!
will_e_fish

[Ramstrong]

Now Bill, I'd have been happy to help you out with all of those extra eggs :grin: Actually, when I'm not tinkering with home made cures, I use pro cure Redd hot double stuff. My results haven't been too bad just ask RT or Thumper. I use the jar method and less cure than the instructions (just eye it) and a secret addative. I think it's more important to handle the eggs properly than what cure you use. Bleed all hens promptly, keep the fish cold, make sure the skeins are as close to blood free as possible. Also I've personally found I get a better result when I fillet my skeins and then set them out (skein down) on paper towell covered newspaper to tack up for a while. Then I cure them and go stick some piggies.

Made that post and didn't answer your question. I think that when eggs are cured in a sulphite cure, they're cured. There's no way I know of to revive a bad cure job. Have the membranes totally disintegrated or are the eggs just wrinkled but in the skein? I've cured eggs that the skeins disintegrated. It normally happens when I'm experimenting though. The only thing I could think of is that the batch was over cured. Like I said earlier, I'd rather under cure than over. If you did wreck the whole batch, chalk it up as a learning experience. If you need some eggs I think I have a quart jar I can spare. That should at least be starter eggs for you.

[ 11-05-2001: Message edited by: Ramstrong ]</p>

[Thumper]

Will_E_Fish........Do whatever Ramstrong says. His eggs are very serious business. If you have lots of money I can even tell you what his secret ingredient is.....

[will_e_fish]

Ramstrong & Thumper thanks the eggs are serious too me and I usually threat them with great respect. The overabundance and the fishing distracted me. Errr well I am trying to rationalize,OK make excuses. I beleive I got a bad batch of Pro Cure (guy who works @Joes said he was burnt by it), as the Skiens partially disintergrated and the eggs wrinkled. Is it possible some broke? Where would the extra juice come from after the were dry and put in zip locks?
One more item I am going to get the Food Saver vac sealer. You said you freeze them before sealing right?
Jack and Ryan I appreciate your concern and replies. These eggs are useable not the primo ones I have done in the past, but I am confident I will get a winter steelie or 2 and maybe a late silver at NF Lewis. Ryan if I get more eggs they might have your name on them.
will_e_fish

[Chris Nordling]

I agree with Ramstrong. Jar method, redd hott double stuff. Use less than recommended, and try to "rub" a little into the skein with some rubber gloves. I routinely empty the juices the first few hours of curing. Also leaving the jar upside down in the fridge while storing will help absorb some of the juices. If you prefer to air dry them, this is also a good option. Just remember to try and bring only the eggs you and some leech friends might use up in a day. I find that by cutting the skeins down and then storing them in useable quantites help a lot in cutting down on wasted eggs. I've recently been curing eggs with a Pro Cure borax mix and like the texture of the eggs. Only trouble is that so far only the jacks seem to like them. Hopefully I'm able to disprove this theory very soon. I really think this wure could be the way to go for me. Good milky eggs, and tough yet satisfying too.
Just remember to handle your hens and eggs genlty, especially this time of year. Bleed hens right away. In doing so , you should be rewarded with some good eggs.

Tight lines,

Chris

~ Team U.S.A ~

[Johnny Mac]

Jen, Pro cure has always been good to me, and yep..they have some good colors.

The mold is NOT from, or a product of, the specific cure you are using though. Remember, mold is from airborne spores that land on your eggs and multiply into nasty hairy stuff that nobody likes, including fish. Not sure how you dry your eggs, but I know people that use a few layers of cheesecloth. I use an old towel. Anything that can let the eggs breathe but keep the mold spores out should be good.

That sucks about your eggs.

[hustlerrjim]

save the excess juice off your eggs and soak any dried or moldy eggs in the juice this will revive them and they work exellent,if the get to rotten keep them seperate, and give them to your egg bumming freinds

Jenny, go here to feel better about your moldy eggs! :grin:

http://www.ifish.net/cgi-local/ultim...c&f=1&t=008109

Rick