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Tag: hot sauce

Published on Leave a comment on Chicken of the Sea Sardines in LA Hot Sauce

I purchased these Chicken of the Sea Sardines in LA Hot Sauce at the same time as the versions in lemon sauce and Mediterranean style, with the intention of comparing them. I chose instead to follow the motto "one can at a time", and review them separately.

Chicken of the Sea Sardines in LA Hot Sauce can
Chicken of the Sea Sardines in LA Hot Sauce open can
Initial impression upon opening the can: 4.25/5.

A little messy on the presentation, but the can is packed acceptably full, with little slosh. Meat is reasonably tender with bones not noticeable and none of the prickliness sometimes associated with sprats. The sauce is in ways reminiscent of Louisiana style hot sauce, which is milder than others such as Tabasco. The sauce is not as piquant/vinegary and face sweat-inducing as that of the recent revision of the Northern Catch Sardines in Hot Sauce.

Closer examination of the label shows these could either be sprats or herring, making one wonder if the distribution is random or regional. I think herring in this sauce could actually be quite good. The label on the can is adhesive paper on the lid only, which makes me think the fish content could be seasonal, like sprats today and herring maybe in six months.

Not bad for the price, as supermarket sardines go, but not necessarily memorable, either.

Main Takeaways
  • Visually kind of a mess
  • Tender fish without the prickly tails sprats sometimes have
  • Not exactly LA hot sauce, but not bad

Brand: Chicken of the Sea
Description: Brisling Sardines in Louisiana hot sauce
Species: Sprattus sprattus
Country of Origin: Poland
Source: FAO27, Northeast Atlantic
Skin/Bones: Yes/Yes
Net Wt: 3.75 oz.
Price Range: $2

Published on Leave a comment on A Tale of Two Aldi Sardines in Hot Sauce

Well, they went and messed with it again. You may remember my enthusiastic review of these some time ago. When I went to restock last week, there were absolutely no sardines on the shelf. Zero, zilch, nada. This week explained the absence. They changed them from pilchards to sprats, and from harissa to something more akin to an actual hot sauce.

I bought three cans anyway. Then I went to another Aldi and bought all of the old type they had left, about a dozen cans. Then I went home, and opened one of the new cans to assess the situation.

Aldi Sardines in Hot Sauce
Aldi Sardines in Hot Sauce
Initial impression upon opening the can 3.5/5.

They now come in a printed, unboxed can. As mentioned above, they're now sprats. They are also now 3.75 oz. vs. 4.25 oz. Shaking the unopened can, you can feel the slosh. There was space enough left for probably two more fish, so it was possible for them to have remained 4.25 oz. Shrinkflation indeed.

Taste-wise, they aren't bad at all. The sauce ingredients are quite different. Rather than the mild, warm heat of harissa, they now have an utterly piquant sauce. Not burning fire hot, but that kind of vinegary heat that sets your face and scalp to sweating. They're either very tender or mushy, depending upon your point of view. Trying to lift individual fish out of the can with culinary tweezers resulted in most breaking in half.

They are now a product of Poland rather than Morocco, and are sourced from FAO27 (Northeast Atlantic) rather than FAO34 (Eastern Central Atlantic). Looking for nutritional facts, I found none, only a notation to write to the address listed on the can.

I suppose I can live with these. Still 99 cents.

Brand: Aldi/Northern Catch
Description: Sardines in Hot Sauce
Species: Sprats
Country of Origin: Poland
Source: FAO27, Northeastern Atlantic
Skin/Bones: Yes/Yes
Net Wt: 3.75 oz.
Price Range: $1

Published on Leave a comment on Northern Catch Sardines in Hot Sauce

We got ourselves a real sleeper here, folks. Northern Catch Sardines in Hot Sauce, an Aldi exclusive. Sometimes it's just one of those things: You're there. It's there. The price is a no-brainer, 99 cents. Put it in the basket, already. I had seen a review of these from about 4 years ago, and at the time they were herring. Today, they're pilchards sourced from Morocco.

Northern Catch Sardines in Harissa
Northern Catch Sardines in Harissa
Initial impression upon opening the can: 4/5.

At first, I wasn't sure these were sardines, they were so big. Two (sometimes three) big fat ones squeezed into a can and swimming in harissa! Usually, I prefer my pilchards smaller, more like in the 3 to 5 per can range, but at 99 cents I guess I can't be too picky.

Hot sauce here is a misnomer. The down list ingredients say "natural hot flavor (capsicum, etc.)", but it's not hot. This is a mildly spicy, vinegary, unctuous (in a good way) sauce. This is the kind of stuff you would want a whole bottle of to put on that can of plain sardines you just bought. At 150 calories, the only thing keeping me from having two cans was the 660mg. sodium. Can't have everything, I guess.

Update July 2025: Sadly, these have been changed again, and are now brisling sardines in a much bolder sauce.

Brand: Aldi/Northern Catch
Description: Sardines in Hot Sauce
Species: Pilchards
Country of Origin: Morocco
Source: FAO34, Eastern Central Atlantic
Skin/Bones: Yes/Yes
Net Wt: 4.25 oz.
Price Range: $1