How Much Is Dried Sea Cucumber per Jin? A Detailed Guide to Selection and Storage

Sea cucumbers freshly caught from the sea will, if not eaten in time, self-digest within 6-7 hours due to autolytic enzymes until they disappear. That is why many people choose to buy dried sea cucumber. Although dried sea cucumber is less nutritious than fresh sea cucumber, the nutrients it contains are easier for people to absorb, and it is convenient to store, making it very suitable for users who like to eat sea cucumber. So how much is dried sea cucumber per jin? How do you store it? How do you select it?

How much is dried sea cucumber per jin?

Sea cucumber is divided into light-dried sea cucumber, salt-dried sea cucumber, sugar-dried sea cucumber, freeze-dried sea cucumber and so on. At present, light-dried sea cucumber sells best on the market and also has the highest price. Pure light-dried sea cucumber is about 6000 yuan per jin, ordinary light-dried is about 4000 yuan per jin, salt-dried sea cucumber is about 2000 yuan per jin, and sugar-dried sea cucumber is not recommended for purchase. At the same time, sea cucumber is generally counted by the number of heads, and the head count represents the size of the sea cucumber. The fewer the heads, the larger the sea cucumber and the higher its nutritional value, so the more expensive the price.

As a tonic, sea cucumber is very expensive. For ordinary people, if it spoils due to careless storage, the loss they bear is not something that one or two jin of eggs can compare with.

How do you store it?

1. Storing dried sea cucumber in a dry and ventilated place is enough. Because the flesh of the sea cucumber has already dried out, and the surface is still wrapped in a layer of salt, which blocks the air, it will not spoil.

2. To avoid affecting its quality and taste, for short-term keeping it is best to put it in refrigeration; for longer-term storage, it is best to put it in frozen storage, and thaw it before eating. This is the safest storage method.

How do you store rehydrated sea cucumber?

1. Ice cubes: put the rehydrated sea cucumber among ice cubes (place the ice cubes on plastic foam), change the ice cubes once a day, and it can be stored for more than one month.

2. Superior stock: put 500 grams of superior stock, 5 grams of salt, 5 grams of chicken essence and 150 grams of fish gelatin powder (which can play a coagulating role) into a pot and bring to a boil, add sea cucumber rehydrated to 80 percent done while hot, and once cooled it will naturally solidify. The sea cucumber is then wrapped in the solidified superior stock. Wrap the solidified superior stock in plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator. The effect is very good, and it can be stored for 1-2 months. Moreover, the umami flavor of the superior stock can fully penetrate into the sea cucumber. When using, take it out and steam it until cooked, and the taste will be even more delicious.

3. Rehydrated sea cucumber cannot be stored for long, preferably no more than 3 days. During storage, soak it in cold water, change the water 2-3 times a day, do not let it touch oil, or put it in a refrigerator that does not freeze.

4. Put them individually in small plastic bags and store them frozen.

Other storage methods for sea cucumber

1. Ready-to-eat sea cucumber

Store at 0-4°C for 90 days. If not eaten after opening the bag, it needs frozen storage. If it exceeds 90 days, it can be frozen for storage and can be stored for 12 months, but its taste will change somewhat, and the nutrients will not be lost.

2. Individually frozen sea cucumber

Store for 12 months under frozen (-15°C) conditions.

3. High-pressure sea cucumber

Store for 12 months under frozen (-15°C) conditions.

4. Freeze-dried sea cucumber

Seal and place in a dry place, 36 months at room temperature.

5. Salted sea cucumber (semi-dried)

Storage method for already rehydrated sea cucumber: put the already rehydrated sea cucumber individually into small plastic bags and place them in the refrigerator for frozen storage.

Storage method for not-yet-rehydrated salted sea cucumber and semi-dried sea cucumber: not-yet-rehydrated salted sea cucumber and semi-dried sea cucumber must be placed in the refrigerator for frozen storage, and must never be stored at room temperature.

How do you select dried sea cucumber?

1. Observation: high-quality dried sea cucumber has a black-gray or gray color, a complete and regular body shape, uniform individuals, basically consistent size, is firm and glossy, has straight and complete spine tips, a small and clearly neat cut, dense and clear feet under the belly, no impurities and no off odor.

2. Smell: the same sea cucumber grown in different seas will smell somewhat different, so when buying sea cucumber you should carefully sniff the smell with your nose. Sea cucumber with the smell of fresh seawater and salt, and without a sweet taste or medicinal smell, is of better quality.

3. Touch: dried sea cucumber is hard as an individual, not easy to break open, relatively light in weight, feels like charcoal when tapped, and is elastic when thrown to the ground. Inferior dried sea cucumber breaks easily and sheds salt crystals or impurities, feels heavy, and has no elasticity or echo when tapped or thrown to the ground.

4. Cut open: cut the dried sea cucumber crosswise and its interior is clean with no salt crystals, no internal organs, sand and so on; the wall thickness of the cut section is uniform, the flesh is dark brown, and the luster is bright. The gelatinous layer of inferior dried sea cucumber is thin and uneven in thickness or even broken, and the tissue morphology is aged.