These Bar Harbor Natural Smoked Wild Kippers came from Whole Foods, where they were on sale. Amazon Prime membership reduced the price even further, to $3.28.
Initial impression upon opening the can: 4.9/5.
About as expected for kippers, aka kipper snacks. The aroma is both smoky and a little fishy, but not in a bad way. A sip of the salted packing water reveals the fish has imparted some flavor that gives the impression of a seafood broth. The bronze appearance confirms the claim of natural wood smoke. I see what appears to be bones protruding from the middle, but it turns out just to be a bit of fin.
Let's Eat
I'm able to coerce the entire contents out over rice in one big chunk. It's the typical four fillets, about 5 inches long each, skin on. Getting it all out of the tin in one piece meant the packing liquid all came out, too, but I had intended to pour some over the fish anyway.
The flavor is no surprise. Smoky, salty, mild fish. The salty packing liquid has kept the meat moist, or perhaps "made" it moist. This tin conforms to the usual form factor for herring. A little light at 6.7oz, but the drained weight is listed at the typical-for-herring 130gm, about two-thirds of the net weight.
Most tins like this are labeled as two servings, but this one calls it only one. I usually consume an entire can regardless, so it doesn't matter to me. It helps to be a little extra hungry.
Having said that, I need to find a different way to enjoy kippers/kipper snacks than just basically plain. Although I appreciate natural wood smoke whenever possible, in this case, it became a little fatiguing towards the end of the tin.
The salt level is listed as 364mg. for the entire can. That's about average, and I didn't find it to be a problem. A little extra saltiness is to be expected with kippered herring, though.
Well, that makes three cans of herring in a row, and I'll have to say the MW Polar Smoked Herring with Pepper was the all-around winner of the bunch. Now, to see what else is in the stash for next time.
Main Takeaways
- Generous portion
- Good smoke flavor, but a little fatiguing towards the end
- Priced well, even not on sale
Brand: Bar Harbor Foods
Description: Natural smoked wild kippers
Species: Clupea harengus
Country of Origin: Latvia
Source: FAO 27, Northeast Atlantic
Skin/Bones: Yes/No
Net Wt: 6.7 oz.
Price Range: $4-5