Trying to balance out the species distribution in my tin backlog with another all-sardine week! This time they are all from Portugal, but featuring flavors I hope offer sufficient diversity.

Here is my ranking for the week:

1. Santo Amaro - European Sardines in Tomato Sauce & Red Piri Piri Pepper - Hands down the largest pilchards I have eaten, actually had to break out the fork! I usually prefer smaller, firmer fish but these had nice texture and flaked easily over the stir fry eggplant I served them with. Historically, tomato tins have not been my favorite, but the piri piri in this one gave it juuuuust enough warmth to pique my interest. These chonkers are solid, would eat again.

2. Manná - Sardines Roe in extra virgin olive oil - Very different from every other tin this week, a unique experience for the adventurous! Roe is contained in pale, elongated sacks with bright red vasculature. The sacks are delicate and break apart easily. Roe itself has a remarkable texture I find hard to describe, the eggs are so small they almost feel grainy. Aroma is more fishy than most tins but flavor is quite mild. I found it easily overshadowed by the usual acid and herbs I enjoy with sardines, so tbh I’m not exactly sure the best way to use this one. Any roe lovers out there with suggestions for me?

3. Varina - Sardines in oragano and ginger olive oil with black pepper and coriander (Chef Noelia Jeronimo) - I love the art on these boxes and the flavors in this series sound so unique and exotic! However, while the fish is good quality, the spices in this one are very, very subtle. Enjoyable, but I had hoped for more pizzazz.

4. Berthe - Sardines in olive oil with truffle flavouring - These fish were just beautiful in the tin, glistening and with an oil color that gave them a gold tint. Texture left something to be desired, and unfortunately I didn’t get much truffle from the oil. They were tasty in my pasta dish, and the sauce pictured made up for the lack of truffle.

5. La Rose - Sardines in Olive Oil with Pickles - Three jumbo fillets that along with veg turned to mush when extracted from the tin. Oil was fine, but nothing I would want to use in a sauce or recipe. Flavor on the fish was about on par with what you can get in bulk at Costco in the U.S. and I paid $8 for this tin… So I’m going to say you can definitely *do better.

* Small caveat to say the pickled mushrooms I paired these deens with are absolute bangers. All their ferments are great. If you happen to be in the DMV area, look for Oksana’s Produce Farm at your farmers market!

Our friend Bean needs a new guardian who can offer him a home without other cats. If you or someone you know might be able to help, please share his profile and feel free to DM me on Reddit if you prefer not to deal with the Adopt-a-Pet application.

https://www.adoptapet.com/pet/48514791-bowie-maryland-cat

I dug and would recommend all these tins, it was hard work deciding on the order this time around!

Here is my ranking for the week:

1. ABC+ - Horse Mackerel in Brava Sauce - Probably the best sauce I’ve had so far in a tin, and also my favorite horse mackerel! A brief web search says brava is usually a tomato-based sauce, but I think the primary flavor in this one is roasted red pepper. Do not waste a drop of the stuff! It would be great over pasta, but the S-tier meal would be a sandwich featuring toasted roll and arugula. It’ll be messy, and delicious. I was on the fence about whether to warm this one, but chose to go in room temp and I think it was the right decision. Nice firm fish works well here, managed not to get lost in the sauce. As it were. 🤪

2. José Gourmet - Stuffed Squid in Ink - Perfectly seasoned, bouncy mouthfeel threads the needle between chewy and tender with no trace of grit. Great straight from the tin, but recommend using the leftover ink in something because it’s too good to leave in the bin—I had mine on a slice of buttered toast.

3. Sardinha - Sardine in olive oil with curry - I had in my mind that this would be a curry sauce, but turned out to be more of a mild curry infusion of the oil. Fragrance was more apparent than taste, but the oil was good quality and I used it to dress some fried cabbage to good effect. Fish were on the large and firm end of the spectrum, not a combo you find every day. I found the spines surprisingly crunchy, which is okay by me!

4. Fisherman's Kitchen - House-Smoked Chinook Salmon - I’m not especially savvy about salmon, but this was my first chinook, which is exciting because I got to eat another Pokémon! The 6.5oz tin is a rarity among gourmet tins these days, and it provided for a generous and meaty portion. Smokey and slightly sweet, with a texture that flakes into bite-sized pieces. Worked really well in the chowder I used it for.

5. Wildfish Cannery - Toasted Garlic Wild Lingcod - Tin is heavily seasoned, to the point that I would have a hard time enjoying this one on its own. This skin-on fish flakes apart with the greatest of ease, and there were some delicious fatty bits that are a treat. Garlic is mild and I found the fish a bit bland, but I enjoyed it on a slice of toast with unsalted butter.

I’ve been baking my own grain-free bread and it’s finally gotten good enough for me to be confident making sandwiches. If anyone is curious about that journey, let me know and I’ll happily opine in the comments.

My Whole Foods was doing samples of the goat Gouda with a discount and I thought it was really tasty. Regular Gouda is a great melting cheese, so I thought I’d try it—successful experiment if you ask me! Tuna melt protip is to grate some of the cheese into the mix but use most of it thinly-sliced directly on to the bread for optimum cheese pull.

I prefer mayonnaise to butter for the pan-side of the bread, I find it gives a better color. My method uses medium heat and a nonstick pan. Flip the sandwich a few times to melt the cheese through.

Here’s what I used in my tuna this time. It varies, but I always measure with my heart:
* Flaked tinned tuna, avoid chunk and prefer packed in olive oil
* Finely grated melty cheese
* Minced onion for crunch, alternates include celery or parsley stems
* Mayonnaise
* Mustard
* Fresh dill
* Capers, used these instead of salt
* Lemon zest, the goat Gouda is somewhat tart and so is the mayonnaise so I didn’t find much acid was needed
* Celery seed
* White pepper
* Cracked black pepper

Here is my ranking for the week:

1. Adriatic Queen - Sardines in Olive Oil - Sorry y’all, I have a lot to say about this one, so you’ll just have to bear with me… First thing, u/silveranalog made a post last week about deens with pico de gallo that had my mouth literally watering, so I knew I had to try it. Do yourself a favor and spend 5 minutes cutting up the veg, the prepared stuff you might find in the refrigerated section will NOT do it justice. Hands down one of my favorite preparations of all time. Ok. Second, this tin didn’t need any dressing up. I picked it up at a tiny European market for $4.99 and if I’m being honest, I did not expect much. But this is a phenomenal tin for that price and can absolutely stand on its own. Nice firm fish with tails on. Look at the GORGEOUS color on the inside in my last pic! I usually don’t show my meals half-eaten but could not resist in this case. And the oil was great. I took a little sip from my spoon and I think if you’re not prepared to spend $20+ to get something exceptional, this is about as good as it gets. If I ever eat through my tin backlog I will try to source an entire sleeve of these things. DO NOT SLEEP on Central European* tins if you’re looking for an affordable daily driver that will keep you coming back for more.

2. Cole's - Smoked Trout with lemon & cracked pepper - I have a complicated relationship with lemon. On one hand, fresh lemon is brilliant for balancing the inherent fattiness of tinned fish, but on the other, I never end up feeling like there’s any acid or lemon flavor left when it goes in during canning. But in this case, the lemon provides some really nice contrast to the smoke, giving this fish a clean flavor by contrast to other trout I have tried. The oil also benefits from the subtle flavors here, I’d recommend using that up for sure! Fish is delicate, which is to say I had a bit of trouble getting it out of tin intact.

3. Polar - Smoked Brisling Sardines 2 Layers in Olive Oil - Lighting in my pictures doesn’t do it justice, but I adore the beautiful golden color of these smokey sprats. Tails left intact and on the firmer side as brislings go, which I appreciate. Really enjoyed them with tomato and sorrel microgreens I picked up at the farmers market on an open-faced sandwich. Small brag to mention that I finally dialed in my technique for baking grain-free bread this week! ☺️

4. Sea Sisters - Norfolk Whelks in Kimchi Sauce - The kimchi is nontraditional, but had good flavor and just enough heat to let you know it’s thinking about you. I enjoyed the sauce so much that I poured the remainder over my cucumber salad! This was my first time with whelks, and while I do enjoy a chewy bite, these might flirt with my limit. I also encountered a modest amount of grit and one bite with something crunchy which definitely tested me. Overall, it’s a fine tin and if the flavors pique interest you should absolutely try it.

5. Agromar - Red Scorpionfish Pâte - Mostly grabbed this one because it’s a species I hadn’t seen before. The pate was nicely seasoned, but could have been from any number of fish as far as I could taste. Not a particularly expensive tin, would perhaps be a good addition to a seacuterie board.

\* Mediterranean? Balkan? Listen, I’m no geography expert, but I’m sure u/DreweyD will be along shortly to drop some encyclopedic knowledge revealing exactly what region Croatia is part of. 🇭🇷😁

I like to set up little food challenges up to keep myself engaged and interested in cooking. My current thing is trying one meat-free meal every week, because it forces me to try new things! This one wasn’t strictly vegetarian because I added a tiny bit of fish sauce, but the intent was still there. I cook based on vibes and whatever I need to use up so apologies that the recipe is imprecise! 😅

Kung Pao Tempeh

Fry minced garlic and chili in oil until fragrant

Tear package of tempeh roughly directly into pan, fry until edges begin to char

Add sauce to the pan to create steam

Mine was kind of random: tamari, rice vinegar, fish sauce, tomato paste, some miso

Add green beans and scallion, stir briefly and cover for 3 min so the beans begin to soften in the steam

Uncover and stir-fry to desired firmness on the green beans

Add roughly chopped fresh coriander and remove from fire, stir to wilt in the residual heat

Here is my ranking for the week:

1. Seabear - Smoked Oysters From The Pacific Northwest - Channeling my inner u/Tinned_Fish_Tyler to describe these delightful morsels as “roast-ey toasty” because the texture is what really sets them apart. Modest in size but tin is well-packed. Smoke is mild and I didn’t really perceive any sweetness despite sugar in the ingredients, which is a plus for me. These don’t appear to be available online, so if you see them stock up!

2. Aiko Chan - Seasoned Sardine (blue can) - I’m not sure what they are seasoned with, but great flavor! I could have easily enjoyed them straight from the tin but ended up lightly frying with garlic, ginger, and green onion—which was also delicious. The fish are cut into bite sized steaks and packed in water, which makes them a bit unique for my pantry.

3. Great Lakes Tinned Fish - Smoked Whitefish in organic sunflower oil - Nice meaty fish with a pleasant smoke. I could have done without the sweet finish, but enjoyed this tin on some avocado toast with pickled onion.

4. Les Mouettes d’Arvor - Mackerel in Mustard & Crème Fraiche - I don’t eat (much) bread, but this one really calls for a nice crispy baguette to sop up the extras. Or use it as a gravy on mashed potatoes… point being, have a plan because the sauce is the best part! Recommend warming via water bath. My tin had one relatively large fillet, with plenty of room for it to swim in.

5. Miss Can - Codfish with Garlic - As I learned the hard way during my first tin-venture, Portuguese cod can be a whole thing. This one at least calls it out as bacalhau on the packaging, which means a dried and salted preparation, and therefore probably not especially palatable as a standalone meal. However, salinity can vary between brands, so be sure to try a bit and adjust seasoning accordingly. I had mine with a modified Batatas à Murro, using roasted radish instead of potato. This was a robust and tasty meal, though I must say the toughness of salt cod just isn’t my favorite. I’d also recommend adding garlic if you’re looking for that note specifically, because whatever was in the tin didn’t survive canning so far as I could tell.

Picked up this jar of imported “caviar spread” at a Greek festival recently and thought y’all might enjoy. If I try it on toast again I will use less because it’s pretty salty. Tasty nonetheless!

Anybody have serving recommendations?

Here is my ranking for the week:

1. Nuri - Extra Spiced Sardines in Olive Oil - Extra spiced don’t play, this was basically the ideal amount of heat for me but I’m a bit kinky that way. Texture on the fish was also top tier, as one would expect from the brand, and I poured the oil over my cauliflower fried rice to savor every drop. I also greatly enjoyed the intact pickles. I think it’s virtually impossible to tin them without becoming somewhat mushy, but the whole chili peppers gave this delightful, slightly tart, pop when bitten into and I loved it. No notes!

2. Island Creek - Razor Clams in Olive Oil Garlic and Chili - I used the emulsion trick and results were pretty good, though I may have added a bit too much lemon juice for optimal froth. The oil on its own isn’t quite as garlic and chili-ey as the littleneck clams by Island Creek, which are an absolute top tin. I punched up the sauce with some fresh grated garlic and red pepper flakes which did the trick. The clams themselves are excellent, really thread the needle between tender and chewy—an important detail if like myself you forget to cut them into manageable bites! The best part, however, is that I didn’t detect even a hint of grit. So far I haven’t had any other razor clams that were cleaned this well, so this tin help correct a bias I had developed against them.

3. Fangst - BRISLING No. 2 The Nordic sardine smoked over beech wood - Perfect smoke gave the fish a brilliant color and flavor. Tails left on is a perk and I just loved the texture of the skin. I realize it’s a small thing, but I also really appreciate how easy these tins are to open. Improvised a hearty salad from two different recipes and it was really a home run for me. Marinated celery is the perfect compliment to a smokey sprat!

4. Polar - Tiny Shrimp without vein - This was a /u/Tinned_Fish_Tyler gift and I really dig it! They are large by canned shrimp standards, and sturdy, so no need to worry about them turning into paste when mixed. I don’t see myself having this one straight from the tin, but as an ingredient, I can imagine using it in all sorts of dishes. The one I chose this time was a simple shrimp salad and it definitely won’t be the last time I make it. 😋

5. Fishwife - Smoked Rainbow Trout - Solid tin, fish didn’t flake apart quite as easily as I would like but found the smoke flavor pleasing. Didn’t get a great shot of it, but the underside of this fillet had a defined fat line (gray layer under the skin), which I personally love on salmon. Grilled the bread in tin oil and it turned out super yummy. Subbed my homemade turmeric onion pickles for red in this recipe and I think it paired perfectly with the labneh.

Q: What is the recipe?

A: I never stick to them, but here’s my inspiration.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DMS2GcSiiIH/

https://ostarecipes.com/recipes/u4xhLbEDq3rzYlzAuG0x

Q: Any tips?

A: The first recipe calls for tuna packed in oil, and that’s probably a good suggestion. I thought I could add a bit more olive oil to make up the difference, but the fish was thirsty and turned out a bit dry in the final product. I was also craving some heat for the cream sauce, and would add red pepper flakes next time. Subbed edamame for peas in the cold salad and I thought they added a really interesting texture contrast to the crunchy celery.

Q: Why so much tuna?

A: These tins of Wild Planet albacore predate my current obsession with collecting, when nearly all of my tins came from Costco. They were dangerously close to best-by so I finally buckled down and made a plan for them.

Q: Bean-based pasta with edamame in one dish… what in the fartmaxxing is going on here?

A: Fiber has many well-established benefits, one of them is demonstrating just how secure you are in a relationship.

Here is my ranking for the week:

1. Les Mouettes d’Arvor - Sardines in EVOO with Organic Espelette Pepper - Delicious. Espelette is not a spicy pepper, so temper expectations for heat, but just LOOK 👀 at the gorgeous golden color it imparted on the oil! Loved these medium-sized fish, clear of scales but with part of the tail left intact. They were firm with slightly crunchy spine, which is my preferred texture. I enjoyed them plain with no embellishment, easily one of my favorite French tins.

2. Trader Joe's - Lightly Smoked Mussels - Picked these up for $2.50 and I gotta say, I think this tin punches way above its weight. Texture of the meat is good and they are clean, no sand detected. Smoke is subtle, so I’d say “lightly” is an apt description. Liquid in the tin is about half oil, half liquor (or whatever you call the water mussels give off when cooked) so not really worth saving. I’d happily eat these from the tin with hot sauce, but especially for use in a recipe, I think these are a real winner!

3. Alalunga - Hake Cheeks in Salsa Verde - I made an error prepping this one and feel a bit funny rating it as a result, because it definitely was not my favorite. The box clearly states this one should be warmed, and after opening, I can see where the sauce would be more appetizing that way. I have a lot more exposure to Mexican cuisine than Spanish, so my assumption about what “salsa verde” would consist of was way off; this sauce has no heat and very little acid. The cheeks were perfectly bite-sized and firm enough to stay that way under chopsticks. I have had excellent tins from Alalunga, and excellent hake from other brands, so I think this one deserves a mulligan.

4. Bar Harbor - Wild Petite Sardines (herring) - Herring is, admittedly, not one of my favorite fish. But I was optimistic since these are prepared “sardine style” and did ultimately find that made them more appealing. It’s a pretty tin, with clear top and double-layer cross pack on the fish. No smoke on these that I could detect, and the fillets were very tender, bordering on bit mushy. I would buy again, but not at the price I paid.

5. Ati Manel - Horse Mackerel in Olive Oil and Basil - Stinky, herby, chonkers is how I would describe these fish. Which sounds like a put-down, but it’s honestly not because I love stinky foods. I thought the flavor was well balanced and really the only detractor is I feel horse mackerel doesn’t offer much that other species don’t do better.

BONUS: Wegmans - Anchovies in olive oil & salt - I made a loaf of flaxseed bread this week and wanted to try it with Marco Pierre White’s “perfect sandwich” but the only ‘chovies I had on hand were those I keep for cooking (it’s my secret ingredient for amazing beef dishes). Turns out these are actually great, and the strong flavor complimented the super dense bread perfectly. I will absolutely use them in dishes I usually reserve for more expensive tins in the future, such as Caesar dressing.

Hi fish friends! I’ve been hiatus for a minute, but the time has finally come and this post marks my 100th tin reviewed for the series! I normally use RNG to decide what to eat, with some parameters to ensure no duplicate brands and a variety of species. But this week I hand-picked every tin! These are all things I am genuinely excited to try and THINK should be absolute bangers.

Here are my ranking for the week:

1. Güeyu Mar - Chargrilled Sardine Tails - I have so far rated over a dozen tins of sardine 4 of 5 stars on my spreadsheet, but this is the first to get a perfect score from me. There is no sauce or added flavors to hide behind here, just really beautiful fish drenched in an olive oil I literally sipped on after finishing. I wish I had taken a picture of the inside of the fillet because they were a lovely pink with a robust spine. All tails means these are pretty firm, but unlike some, I didn’t find them the least bit dry. Was expecting (perhaps hoping) for a bit of actual tail—I like the extra texture when it’s not completely trimmed off—but didn’t miss it at all while eating. Anybody who has followed these reviews will know my affinity for eating deens straight from the tin with fresh herb, lemon, and capers; and this one absolutely reinforced my belief that it’s the best way to enjoy them!

2. Carmelo - Smoked Oysters in Olive Oil - u/salmonscented acquired this tin on my behalf since it’s not available in the U.S. and now I’m in a real bind because it’s the best oyster I’ve had… Now don’t get me wrong, the Pacific Northwest canneries produce some exquisite oysters, but they tend toward added sugar, which is an issue in my case. Carmelo nailed the texture with these, and the chonker added some real intrigue because it was completely different with a consistency almost like cod liver. Smoke was also spot-on, definitely there, but not overpowering. However, what really sets these apart is the quality of the oil. It’s hard to find oysters in really nice oil here and this was so yummy that I poured it off for use elsewhere.😋

3. José Gourmet - Spiced Small Mackerel in Olive Oil - I have become rather skeptical of “spiced” tins, but there was a whole chili in the can and oil actually had some nice heat! Most of the mackerel I have tried has been boneless and skinless, but these smaller fish were packed sardine-style which was a nice change of pace. I enjoyed them as I would a tin of deens and they were delicious.

4. Sea Sisters - Smoked Rainbow Trout with Chili Oil - This gift from u/Tinned_Fish_Tyler is a very fine tin. I really enjoyed the pellicle and penetration of the smoke, made for a texture I haven’t encountered before. Oil is high quality, used it to fry my eggs and tomato slices, but it’s light on chili and heavy on salt. The fish is over seasoned to eat straight, so you’ll want a bit of bread or something else to cut it with.

5. ABC+ - Algarve Style Cuttlefish - Would have been great for tapas save for one critical flaw (imho): grit. I loved the flavors and the oil was very nice, texture chewy but in the way cephalopod aficionados live for. I just can’t get past a tin that leaves me with sand between my teeth. Damn shame.

Theme: May the Fork Be With You

Clockwise from bottom left:
*Chilled Tunataun and Utinni Bean Salad (Italian tuna salad with lupini bean)
*Marinated Mon Calamari (Di Pasquale’s of Baltimore, octopus salad)
*Spiced Mudhorn Eggs (Lebanese-style deviled eggs)
*[center] Stuffed Rodian Peppers (goat cheese stuffed peppadew)