Recent Experiences With Tinned And Canned Seafood

Tinned European Sardines

Right before the world shut down due to Covid-19, there were several articles online telling me that tinned seafood is where it’s at. I don’t mean your typical can of tuna, but the tins with the peel back top that contain anything from sardines to baby octopus. Many of these species are plentiful and sustainably harvested, and due to being smaller and lower on the food chain, have little to none of the methyl-mercury found in larger fish..

Tinned seafood, or “conservas” have always been more popular in Europe, especially Southern Europe, than the US. Growing up Sicilian-American there were always tins of tuna, mackerel, and shellfish in various oils or sauces. Some of it was good, like the tuna in oil, some were way too “fishy” tasting for me, some tasted like the can, and some were never opened at all.

Over time my tastes have changed, I used to eat sardines when I was younger, now I don’t. I also used to hate anchovies but now I consider good quality anchovies on a traditional pizza divine. But overall, like many of you I find the tinned and canned seafood section of the supermarket a little intimidating, if not scary. Who knows what’s in there until you peel back that lid!

Then Coronavirus hit and the world changed. Currently, food shopping is a dystopian nightmare of empty shelves, scared customers and staff. Toilet paper, milk, eggs, flour, meat have all been subject to shortages for various reasons. Add canned tuna to that list as well, good luck finding an un-dented can of solid white albacore. So with everyone trying to limit shopping visits and the Internet telling me I’m missing out, I figured I should take a closer look at tinned seafood.

The views expressed below are just my opinion and probably say more about my tastes than the products themselves. Considering most of these products are very affordable, and are long lasting sources of protein, I recommend trying these or other brands for yourself.

My Tinned Tuna Experience

Taste of Portugal brand tuna

The tin of Ortiz brand ventresca de bonito that The Fish Society sent me a while back is still my gold standard for tinned seafood. That tuna belly in olive oil was silky smooth. Since I did that post I’ve noticed the Ortiz brand in various local shops and supermarkets. If you are new to tinned seafood this is a good choice: a familiar tuna taste but so much better.

Taste of Portugal light tuna in oil

I recently got a tin of light tuna (skipjack) in oil by a company called A Taste of Portugal for about $2 at the supermarket. With a large Portuguese population in Gloucester there are usually lots of tinned options in the specialty aisle.

When I opened the tin I was greeted with a strong aroma of tuna and four small loin pieces in olive oil. I ate them out of the tin with a piece of my wife’s home baked bread. Overall, it was OK but I think next time I want to try another brand so I can compare.

My Tinned Smoked Seafood Experience

Someone I know recommended I try smoked oysters, which many people seem to eat right from the tin. This seemed the least gross option compared to some of the flavor combos I’ve seen suggested online. I picked up a tin of Crown Prince Naturally Smoked Oysters in olive oil. I discovered after opening the oysters were small, with a greenish tinge, which apparently is normal for this species. These oysters are raised in China, but not all Crown Prince products are Chinese imports. Other than that, all I can say about the oysters is they tasted like metal and I will never try them again.

My Tinned Sardine Experience

Tinned pilchards in oil

Next I tried some Season brand European sardines in olive oil. Unlike many domestic brands, these were true sardines (Sardina pilchardus) aka “pilchards” instead of juvenile herring or Pacific species.

Upon opening the tin I immediately understood the phrase “packed like sardines” – the tin was completely stuffed with the fish. Packed so tightly I couldn’t get a whole sardine out of the tin, they kept breaking apart with my fork.

sardines with capers on toast

That said, it did nothing to make these more appealing – it looked like cat food. A couple of bites alone and then some more atop sourdough toast and I had enough. Oily, mushy, and just fishy enough that I did not enjoy the experience. For a little bit more I could have had a can of Italian bigeye or yellowfin tuna in oil.

A Look At Shelf-Stable Smoked Salmon

Copper River smoked sockeye

Not sure this counts as tinned seafood, but it’s close enough. I had this box of shelf-stable Copper River Seafoods smoked sockeye salmon in my cabinet for a few months, seemed like a good time to open it up and see what’s inside.

Based on the reviews I read about this smoked salmon, it sounded like a good product. The salmon was in a sealed foil pouch that oozed lots of oil when opened – make sure you do this over the sink.

The piece of smoked wild sockeye looked and smelled good, but when I tried to remove it from the pouch it fell apart. I made a big mess getting the fish out and in hindsight, should have cut away the whole bag with scissors.

salmon spread sandwich

To be fair, it was good tasting smoked salmon but shelf-stable smoked fish apparently is very delicate, and not what I look for in a hot smoked fish.

I ended up taking advice from the back of the box and made a type of spread/mousse with mayonnaise, sour cream, dill, lemon and capers. I let it chill before making a sandwich, which was tasty, but a lot of work. I probably won’t buy it again, but would keep in mind for an ingredient in a crowd-pleasing dip or on canapés.

Reliable Canned Tuna

Prime Fillet Tuna in water

When in doubt I can always rely on a can of albacore tuna in water, or yellowfin in oil. On my last trip to the supermarket I got a can of Genova brand yellowfin tuna in oil as well as two cans of Bumblebee brand Prime Fillet solid albacore. During the current pandemic, Bumblebee seems to be selling plenty of cans of tuna, every time I shop it is in short supply.

bumblebee tuna salad

Bumblebee is my go-to brand and I find the Prime Fillet is worth paying a bit more for the quality and consistency. I had the good fortune to be invited out to visit the Bumblebee cannery in California last fall and after an impressive tour by VP Kevin McClain I stand by my choice in canned tuna. The quality and price of the Prime Fillet fit my budget, plus their product tracing and testing programs are impressive.

Last week I opened both cans of tuna, added celery, lemon juice, spicy mustard, mayo, salt, pepper and some dill to make enough tuna salad for days worth of lunches. Usually I just opt for a blob of mayo but tuna fish sandwiches are always better when you make the extra effort and go for tuna salad.

Although I’m not done trying various tinned seafoods, I think I’ve learned a bit more about what I will like to try next. It’s obvious that tuna, in many forms, is my favorite canned or tinned fish but admittedly that’s a bit tame. For the sake of research I’m going to have to try to get out of my comfort zone. Maybe I’ll finally opening up that tin of smoked kippers in the cabinet…

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8 comments

  1. My grandmother was addicted to canned sardines, and as a child I developed a love for them. Of course, I love fresh sardines even more, but in a pinch a slice of baguette, a smear of horseradish sauce, and a fat sardine is my idea of a delicious snack. However, everyone else in my house think they smell like cat food so I have to eat them only when alone. I also love using canned salmon for my mom’s salmon loaf recipe. I think it brings back memories!

    Liked by 1 person

  2. Dont you just hate when canned food taste like the can!? Me too! I feel like I’m being poisoned. What do you think of canned Cod Liver? It’s healthy and tastes delicious . But I know that’s really subjective because people really need to like the strong oily sardine flavor to appreciate Cod Liver

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  3. […] The last time I delved into the world of conservas – aka canned and preserved seafood, it was a mixed bag. For one, I’m just not a huge fan of the canned sardines I’ve tried. Then again I wasn’t a huge fan of the fresh sardines (pilchards) I tried many years ago in France’s Ile de Noirmoutier. Maybe it’s not the product…maybe it was me! But the world of preserved seafood is no longer a secret here in the US. Not exactly mainstream yet, but conservas are showing up on menus, cooking shows and specialty shops. Even the use of the term conservas has become a US English loanword for high quality canned seafood…sort of like how we all started using charcuterie for any plate of cold cuts. […]

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