I stumbled across this bettergoods Smoked Rainbow Trout with Juniper Berry at Walmart today. New items tend to show up after a store reset, when it's easier for a retailer to allocate shelf space for them. For those unfamiliar, bettergoods is a Walmart house brand positioned as a cut above others like their generic Great Value. For $4.97, it seemed like a no brainer.
Initial impression upon opening the can: 5/5.
That's a nice piece of trout. Not skimpy on the seasonings, either. The immediate aroma is smoky, as is a sip of the olive oil.
Time For Some Trout
The filet is wedged in tight, so an edge had to be sacrificed to get it out in relatively one piece. It's a firm chunk of fish.
There was a good bit of oil left in the tin, and I poured about half over everything.
A taste of the fish is encouraging. The smoke is just right, the carton says "naturally smoked with oakwood and finished with juniper berries for a fresh, herbaceous flavor twist". So now I'm not sure if juniper berries are an ingredient as the front of the carton implies (or as I infer), or if they're part of the smoking process. Either way, they're contributing something subtle that's elevating the trout above just hardwood smoked.
Trout is a lean fish, so I ended up adding a little more of the packing oil to moisten things up a bit. That's not to say the fish was dry, just that that's how trout is. The meat is firm, but flakes easily.
It's not very salty, the carton lists a low 240mg. sodium, and that's fine. In addition to black pepper, sugar is also listed, but I get no sense of sweetness. Also, juniper berry is listed as the last ingredient, so now I'm even more confused as to whether it's part of the smoke, the seasoning, or both.
Main Takeaways
- Firm, meaty trout
- Well-balanced smoke and seasonings
- Generous portion, priced right
No artificial preservatives, no additives, ASC certified, there's a lot to like here. They also have a smoked tuna "steak cut style" seasoned with rosemary that I'm eager to try next.
Brand: Walmart / bettergoods
Description: Smoked trout with juniper berries
Species: Oncorhychus mykiss
Country of Origin: Turkey
Source: Farmed
Skin/Bones: No/No
Net Wt: 4.41 oz.
Price Range: $5