I thought this Cole's Smoked Rainbow Trout would make a good follow-up to the Trader Joe's smoked trout I just tried and reviewed. The jargon on the can was enticing. "Farm-raised, boneless rainbow trout", "smoked using an aromatic Applewood blend", "hand-packed in extra virgin olive oil". Sounds like a tri-fecta, no?
Initial impression upon opening the can: 4/5.
Cracking the can open, the presentation is skin-on. Quite a bit of headroom with oil and no fish, though. There is no overt aroma of smokiness. In fact, there's none at all. A sip of the oil is similarly free of any hint of smoke. It is, however, a nice, neutral olive oil with an aura of quality about it.
Peeling back the skin to get a look at the meat, there is no evidence of smoke contact. Given the hard sell on the can about Applewood, this is perplexing. I wanted to try this as soon as possible after the Trader Joe's in order to make a well-informed comparison. But it appears this won't really be apples to apples. A taste of the meat reveals its mild taste and texture. But still no smoke.
Dumped out over rice, the skin, which had stuck to the can, peeled back to further reveal the delicate, flaky white meat.
Digging in, the flavor of the fish really comes through. The skin adds nothing really beyond a slightly fatty mouth feel to the bites that include it.
The can lists 300mg. sodium, but it feels far lower. Maybe that's a good thing, as about the only positive I can say about the whole experience is that the intrinsic trout flavor really shines through.
Unfortunately, though, no smoke. $4 at Walmart if you want to try it.
Brand: Cole's Seafood
Description: Smoked Rainbow Trout in Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Species: Farm-raised rainbow trout
Country of Origin: Chile
Source: FAO N/A
Skin/Bones: Yes/No
Net Wt: 3.2 oz.
Price Range: $4