Time for some sprats. These King Oscar Sardines in EVOO with Hot Jalapeño Peppers are one of several flavored brisling variations the producer sells. Some are packed 8-12 fish, packed in a single layer. Others, like these are "12+" fish (used to say 12-22), packed in two layers. These promise to be hot. Let's see if they are.
Initial impression upon opening the can: 4.9/5.
As expected, we have the interlaced packing typical of King Oscar sprats. No mushy glop of fish here, they look nice and firm. The skins are mostly intact. The aroma skews heavily to the jalapeño, of which there are a handful of slices placed on top. The wrapper says lightly wood-smoked, but it's hard to tell over the scent of the pepper.
The oil is tinged a greenish color, but I suspect that's less to do with the EVOO and more to do with the green of the peppers. A tentative sip of it gives a subtle amount of heat on the tongue.
Digging In
Extracting them from the can, they are not as firm as they look. Almost fused together, each is reluctant to remain intact as I pry them apart. They are tender, but I wouldn't write off the "fall aparty-ness" as being mushy. It's hard to tell, but I think there are 14 fish total, 8 on top with 6 underneath.
Being sprats, they still have tails, but they're not prickly, as can sometimes be the case. These are from Poland, and it's those from Latvia that often exhibit tails that can be a little scratchy.
I ate these straight from the can. I've always viewed sprats/brisling more as the snack sardine, rather than something I'd make a meal of. Working through them, I noted the heat level was very steady, enough to leave a tingling sensation on the lips and tongue, but not enough to irritate the back of the throat.
The salt level is just right, about that to be expected from the 330 mg. listed on the wrapper.
Honestly, I don't know if I'd buy these again. My heat preference with sardines skews more to piri-piri peppers or the Sichuan pepper of a spicy chili crisp. But, if you like jalapeño, these might be the ticket for you.
Main Takeaways
- Good sardine flavor
- Moderate heat from the peppers
- Not really getting any smoke flavor
As with their sprats in EVOO, these were also $3.58 at Walmart, which I think is a little high. In quantity from Amazon, they can be had for quite a bit less.
Brand: King Oscar
Description: Brisling in EVOO with hot jalapeño peppers
Species: Sprattus sprattus
Country of Origin: Poland
Source: FAO 27, Northeast Atlantic
Skin/Bones: Yes/Yes
Net Wt: 3.75 oz.
Price Range: $3-4