Paddlefish caviar

What is paddlefish caviar?

Paddlefish caviar is the roe of the American paddlefish, Polyodon spathula, wild-harvested from the Mississippi River basin. The paddlefish is a relative of the sturgeon — both sit in the order Acipenseriformes — but it belongs to its own family and is not a sturgeon. Paddlefish caviar is the most affordable Acipenseriform roe USA Black Caviar carries.

Paddlefish caviar is genuinely American. The roe comes from wild US waters under managed harvest, not from an overseas farm, which makes it the domestic entry point into fine caviar.

What does paddlefish caviar taste like?

Paddlefish caviar tastes nutty and earthy, softer and less briny than sturgeon caviar. The pearls are small and steel-grey to charcoal, with a gentle pop. Paddlefish caviar suits a first taste, because its earthy profile is forgiving on blini, egg or a potato.

• Colour: steel grey to charcoal
• Texture: small pearls, gentle pop
• Flavour: nutty, earthy, softly saline

Is paddlefish caviar pasteurized?

Yes, USA Black Caviar’s paddlefish caviar is pasteurized. Pasteurization gently heat-treats the sealed jar, which gives paddlefish caviar a longer shelf life and lower cold-chain risk than fresh malossol tins. The trade is a slightly firmer pearl and a more settled flavour.

Pasteurized caviar still ships cold and is best kept refrigerated. [TBD — confirm the exact pasteurized shelf life with the supplier before stating it.]

How much does paddlefish caviar cost?

Paddlefish caviar at USA Black Caviar costs about a third of sturgeon caviar per ounce, as of August 2026. The 100 g jar is the single paddlefish product, and the table lists its current price from our catalogue.

Paddlefish vs sturgeon caviar

Paddlefish caviar is a sturgeon relative, not a sturgeon, and it costs about a third as much per ounce. Sturgeon caviar — Ossetra and Kaluga Hybrid — has larger, firmer pearls and a brinier, more complex flavour. Paddlefish is nuttier, earthier and gentler, and it is the better first tin for a smaller budget.

How much paddlefish caviar do I need per person?

Allow 12–15 g of paddlefish caviar per person as an appetiser, or 30 g per person when caviar is the centre of the course. A 100 g jar therefore serves six to eight people as an appetiser, and three to four as a main event.

Where does our paddlefish caviar come from?

USA Black Caviar’s paddlefish caviar is wild-harvested from the Mississippi River basin in the United States. Paddlefish is managed under US conservation rules, and the order Acipenseriformes is listed under CITES Appendix II, so every lot is documented for source and harvest.

Contains fish (paddlefish roe).

How to serve and store paddlefish caviar

Keep paddlefish caviar refrigerated at 28–32 °F (−2 to 0 °C), and eat it within 48 hours of opening. Never freeze paddlefish caviar, because freezing ruptures the pearls.

1. Chill the jar in the coldest part of the refrigerator, not the freezer.
2. Rest the unopened jar on crushed ice for 15 minutes before serving.
3. Serve with a mother-of-pearl, bone or horn spoon. Metal reacts and taints the flavour.
4. Serve plain, or with blini and crème fraîche.
5. Reseal and refrigerate any remainder, then finish it within 48 hours.