American Hackleback v The Paddlefish

When inspecting any form of caviar, the first and most important thing to ask is whether it came from a sturgeon or another species of fish. Since American Hackleback sturgeon caviar isn't classified among the world's best caviar varieties like Beluga, Kaluga, and Sevruga, its legitimacy is called into question. True caviar, as you may know, must originate exclusively from sturgeon.  Hackleback, on the other hand, makes the cut as a real caviar product, coming from the Shovelnose Sturgeon of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers in the Central United States.

Hackleback caviar is commonly regarded as a legitimate caviar variant, with many of the same desirable characteristics as the more well-known eastern varieties. It is not, however, comparable to caviar from the east. The Shovelnose sturgeon is one of the tiniest sturgeons in the Acipenseridae family, although it grows to a large size when compared to other popular fish species.

The Hackleback caviar's appearance, texture, and flavor are very remarkable, garnering comparisons to the Black Sea and Caspian Sea classics. The pearls have a distinctive black charcoal color and are typically significantly smaller than their eastern counterparts. The beads have a wonderful buttery flavor with a hint of sweetness and nuttiness on the palate. American Hackleback sturgeon caviar is one of the most popular roe products in the United States, thanks to its extensive availability and domestic production. It also has a large international market.

On the other hand, Paddlefish caviar is not from a sturgeon species. Although the Paddlefish is regarded as a primitive fish with a clear evolutionary relationship to the other species of sturgeon, it is actually a member of the Polyodontidae family of ray-finned fish. The Paddlefish is perfect for throwing large parties or experimenting with roe in the kitchen because the beads are tiny and crisp with a steely grey surface. The flavor of Paddlefish roe is pale in comparison to American Hackleback sturgeon caviar or other high-end caviars. The flavors are earthy and herbaceous rather than sweet and buttery. These flavors match nicely with traditional accompaniments, but they may not be worthy of taking center stage at a tasting.