Sturgeon
Sturgeon [family Acipenseridae]

Sturgeon is an ancient fish, highly successful and little changed for something like 200 million years. Today most species face extinction due to the absurd prices show-offs and "gourmets" will pay for their eggs (caviar), and from degradation of habitat. Sturgeon are the largest fish found in fresh water with the Russian Beluga (A. Huso huso) reaching 19 feet and and over 4500 pounds while the more slender Pacific White Sturgeon (A. Acipenser transmontanus) reaches 20 feet and 1800 pounds. The photo specimen (smoked, not yet positively identified but possibly Atlantic (A. Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus)) was 27 inches and 1.6 pounds, typical for whole smoked sturgeon found in markets serving Russian communities. Sturgeon is not kosher.

Russian caviar, particularly Beluga, should be avoided - the fish are critically endangered and the trade is largely controlled by Russia's murderous organized crime syndicates. Purchasing or eating it makes you an accessory to crime and contributes materially to species extinction. Pacific White Sturgeon and Lake Sturgeon (A. Acipenser fulvescens) are the only commercially important sturgeon not listed as "Threatened" or "Endangered". Top grade "chef approved" caviar is produced in California where the white sturgeon is heavily farmed (the meat is sold through markets serving Russian communities). Lake Sturgeon are caught wild, mostly in Canada, and also produce marketable caviar.

More on Varieties of Fish (big page).


Sturgeon steaks As California gradually establishes itself as a major producer of high grade caviar, there is a growing amount of sturgeon fish available. As with veal in the dairy business, male fish have to be disposed of, and if they can bring in some income, raising them for sale is a good idea. Also, in harvesting caviar, the female fish is killed, making for yet more fish available.

The problem here is, Americans are not all that adventurous where fish are concerned and sturgeon is just not yet within their comfort zone, nor is it in the comfort zone of the supermarket chains. The big fish eaters, Filipinos and other Southeast Asians, are completely unfamiliar with Sturgeon.

Here in Los Angeles the situation is a bit different. We have the largest Persian population of any city outside Iran and enough Russians to reinstate the Tzar. We have enough people from the Caspian Sea region that several of the ethnic markets here stock fresh sturgeon. Of course smoked sturgeon, as in the photo above, is easily available as well - if you know where to look.

Surgeon is, in my opinion, an excellent eating fish with medium mild flesh and good texture - firm but it will still flake apart. It reminds me of shark, a fish with which it shares a number of physical characteristics, though they are not that closely related.

Buying:   Sturgeon can be found in markets serving Russian and Persian communities. It's a large fish, so it's sold mainly in the form of steaks, as in the photo to the left. These steaks were 5-1/2 inches high, 3-1/2 inches across and weighed 11-3/8 ounces each.

Skin:   The skin shrinks only moderately when heated and has no strong or off flavor. It is good to eat if you like gelatinous things as I do. It reminds me a bit of catfish skin which is also often left on when cooking, only thicker. You must, however, be aware that some bony armor plates will be found embedded in the skin.

Cooking:   Sturgeon remains very firm when cooked. I usually cook steaks by poaching in an aromatic court bouillon - about 20 minutes because they're quite thick. I'm sure they could also be grilled like shark, and they should work fine baked, broiled or steamed, and especially cut into chunks for soup.

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