mackerel Archives - Sardeenz!

Maria Organic Mackerel Fillets with Organic Piri-Piri

These Maria Organic Mackerel Fillets with Organic Piri-Piri came from Caputo's a few weeks ago. It's been a while since I cracked open a can of mackerel, and I also wanted to compare this one to some from Minerva I had about six weeks ago.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 5/5.

Some really pristine looking mackerel fillets. I don't see any piri-piri pepper (yet), and the oil is a greenish gold rather than the expected tinge of red from the pepper. The aroma isn't revealing anything about the fish or the seasoning. A sip of the oil is similarly ambiguous.

Let's See What We Have Here

There are three hefty fillets. Each pulled from the tin intact. And there's the lone piri-piri pepper. (That Minerva I had before was spiced with the traditional pickle, carrot and pepper.)

A substantial amount of oil remained in the deep can. It's organic EVOO, and not wanting to let it go to waste, I poured it all over everything. Initially perhaps a bit of overkill, but in retrospect not.

The meat is firm but tender and flakes readily. The flavor is mild with only a very slight "tang". The salt level is enough to be complementary without being obtrusive. I'm ambivalent about experimenting with any condiments, but ultimately decide against it.

The thing that's lacking, though, is any real input from the piri-piri. In some cases, one lone pepper can really fire things up; in others two or three might do nothing. I don't suppose the heat potential of any pepper can be realistically assessed in the canning process.

I finished the fish, then ate the pepper, seeds and all. No flavor to it whatsoever. Fortunately, the mackerel stood on its own quite well, so the disappointment over the spiciness was minimal.

Main Takeaways

Beautiful mackerel fillets
High quality organic EVOO
Piri-piri spice MIA

Breaking down the carton for archiving, I noticed the date stamp indicated it was packaged December 2023. I was a bit surprised this can purchased in January 2026 had taken that long to sell.

Brand: 100 Misterios / Maria Organic
Description: Mackerel Fillets with piri-piri in organic EVOO
Species: Scomber japonicus
Country of Origin: Portugal
Source: FAO27, Northeast Atlantic
Skin/Bones: No/No
Net Wt: 4.2 oz.
Price Range: $8-9

Briosa Gourmet Spiced Mackerel Fillets

DeenLeave a comment

These Briosa Gourmet Spiced Mackerel Fillets came with an order from International Loft about two months ago. I don't know why it took so long to get around to cracking the can. I had previously reviewed their spiced sardines around that time, and found them worthy. Would these be as impressive? Let's find out.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 5/5.

Some beautiful mackerel fillets. The aroma of spice hits the nose immediately. A sip of the oil has a spiciness reminiscent of a Spanish red vermut. A nibble of the fish has, as hoped, a mild, fresh fish taste.

Let's Dig In

Lifting the fillets from the can, they are firm and remain relatively intact. There are five fillets, or at least separate pieces, in total. Some tend to split lengthwise as they are transferred to the bowl of rice.

Underneath, there is the trinity of carrot, pepper and pickle. I taste the latter, and it indeed appears to be a pickle, not just a slice of cucumber. This time, there are two small cloves, maybe three, as I think I ate a tiny one with the last fragment of fish in the can. The pepper appears to have expended the bulk of its heat, infusing it into the olive oil.

About two tablespoons-worth of the red-tinged oil were left in the tin, and I poured the majority of it out over everything.

The meat is firm yet tender, flaking readily. I marveled as I ate how in-balance everything was and how complementary it was to the fish. The spices, the heat, the salt level all in a just-right combination. None overpowered the other nor the flavor of the fish, and the heat remained steady and subtle throughout. At no point did I consider adding any hot sauce or chili crisp. I can't think of anything that would have improved upon it just as it came from the tin.

Mian Takeaways

Mild, meaty mackerel
Well-balanced spices
Generous portion

A definite re-buy.

Brand: Conservas Portugal Norte / Briosa Gourmet
Description: Spiced mackerel fillets in olive oil
Species: Scomber sp.
Country of Origin: Portugal
Source: FAO27, Northeast Atlantic
Skin/Bones: No/No
Net Wt: 4.2 oz.
Price Range: $6-7

Minerva Mackerel Fillets in Spiced Olive Oil with…

DeenLeave a comment

I leave the title open-ended because it's quite confusing. The package I bought says "Minerva Mackerel Fillets in Spiced Olive Oil with Vegetables". But if you look for it online, you'll find anything but. Some packages say "with pickles". Others are in Portugese, but still clearly say pickles. Some wrappers have UPC codes; others, depending on vendor, do not. But, according to the ingredient statement, they are all apparently the same. This would be my first experience with mackerel from Minerva.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 5/5.

These look great. The can is packed as full as can be reasonably expected. Slices of cucumber and carrots (pickled?) are nestled between the three fillets.

A sip of the slightly orange-tinted oil is largely neutral, not really spicy at all, but with a hint of a vegetal note. A nibble of the meat is mild, as one would expect of mackerel.

Digging Deeper

The fillets extracted from the can largely intact, a lone, small piri-piri pepper under the last one out. There was a little over a tablespoon of the oil left in the can, and I poured it all over the fish and rice.

The heat from the rice made the spice in the oil bloom a bit, but it never reached a point I would call hot nor even piquant.

The fish might have been a tad dry, but the addition of the oil mostly solved it. I thought a little more salt might have helped. Still, they were tender and flaked easily.

The vegetables had no discernable acidity or saltiness, so I wouldn't really call them pickles. The pepper also lacked any spiciness, but I suppose any it might have had was diffused into the oil.

So, the confusion continues. Pickles? Vegetables? The wrappers, in all their various iterations, say "olive oil, carrot, cucumber, piri-piri chili pepper, salt". If I had to guess, those that say pickles pre-date the ones that say vegetables, based on observable "best by" dates.

Main Takeaways

Good quality mackerel fillets
Spiciness not in evidence
Generous portion

One final observation. I looked at multiple vendor websites, trying to find an image of a wrapper that matched mine, but could not find one. Not even from the place I bought them. What I did find, however, was puzzling: prices all over the map. Under $7 at one place, $8 where I bought them, and $14.50(!) elsewhere. That last one is just crazy, especially considering the cheapest vendor will pay the shipping on orders over $25. That most expensive vendor offers several customer perks, but apparently they come at a cost.

Brand: A Poveira/MInerva
Description: Mackerel Fillets in Spiced Olive Oil with Vegetables
Species: Scomber colias
Country of Origin: Portugal
Source: FAO27, Northeast Atlantic
Skin/Bones: No/No
Net Wt: 4.25 oz.
Price Range: $7-14(!)

Ati Manel Mackerel Filets in Olive Oil

DeenLeave a comment

I got these Ati Manel Mackerel Filets in Olive Oil from Caputo's a few months back. After trying a variety of different tins in the interim, it seemed like a good time to revisit mackerel. You may remember my experience with another Ati Manel mackerel did not go so well. This time, I'm sure it will be different.

Initial impression upon opening the can: Relief.

Some gorgeous mackerel filets. There's no discernable aroma coming from the can. The oil is transparent, and a sip of it is neutral.

A small bite of fish reveals a rich, mild flavor with none of that "tang" for which tuna is generally known. And I think that's what attracts me most to mackerel. The texture is firm but still tender at the same time, the meat flaking readily.

Mackerel Three Ways

I'm able to pry the filets from the can mostly intact. There are four in total. There was about a quarter inch of oil left in the can, and I poured about half over the fish and rice.

One filet I ate plain, just to assess flavor and salt level. The meat is not juicy per se, but at the same time not dry. The saltiness was very subdued, almost undetectable, which ended up being a good thing, as I was about to kick things up a bit.

Bring On The Umami

I added two different toppings. Upper in the photo is some garlic furikake. I thought its delicate flavors and relatively low salt level made for a delicious combination.

Below that is some Fly By Jing Xtra Crunchy Sichuan Chili Crisp. It's quite a bit saltier, and I probably should have used less. I scraped a good bit of it aside after the first bites, leaving only a little on the fish. That was an improvement, as it spiced up the fish without totally overpowering its flavor.

Overall, a good can of fish. A little pricey at $8, but certainly worth it.

Main Takeaways

Rich, mild flavor
Firm but tender
Generous portion of intact, whole filets

Brand: 100 Misterios / Ati Manel
Description: Mackerel Filets in Olive Oil
Species: Scomber japonicus
Country of Origin: Portugal
Source: FAO27, Northeast Atlantic
Skin/Bones: No/No
Net Wt: 4.2 oz.
Price Range: $8

Angelo Parodi Mackerel Fillets with Pepper & Ginger

DeenLeave a comment

I received these Angelo Parodi Mackerel Fillets with Pepper & Ginger with a recent order from International Loft. The flavor combination sounded interesting, as I had not seen ginger used before. Fingers crossed.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 5/5.

Very nice, appetizing-looking, skinless and boneless fillets of mackerel. The aroma from the can is of fresh fish, tuna-like. I'm not getting a sense of the seasonings yet. A sip of the oil is also unrevealing, save for a subtle hint of heat.

Tasting a bit of fish on its own, it has a robust flavor. The texture is firm, again reminiscent of tuna. But not in a bad way. The salt level is about right. The olive oil is of good quality.

Time to Eat

Angelo Parodi Mackerel Fillets in olive oil with Ginger and Pepper over rice

Pulling them from the can, the fillets remained mostly intact. A two inch-long pepper appeared, but I saw no ginger. Could it be powdered or?

I poured the rest of the contents over the fish and rice, hoping the heat would make the spices "bloom" a bit.

I arranged things nicely for a photo, then started to dig in. As I ate, I noted the spices remained as undertones to the fish flavor. A background heat, but also a certain something I could only attribute to the ginger. It wasn't in-your-face, but I can only characterize it as something you'd miss if it was no longer there.

Halfway through, a sliver of ginger appeared from nowhere. I tasted it, but its inherent flavor had apparently been subdued by the canning process. It still had a crispness to it, however.

I liked this, even if the spices weren't as intense as anticipated. The pricing was quite reasonable, the vendor being the direct importer likely having much to do with that.

Main Takeaways

Good quality, flavorful mackerel, even without the seasonings
Subtle spices didn't wow me as I had hoped
Still a bargain

Brand: Angel Parodi
Description: Mackerel Fillets with Pepper & Ginger
Species: Scomber sp.
Country of Origin: Italy
Source: FAO34, Eastern Central Atlantic
Skin/Bones: No/No
Net Wt: 4.4 oz.
Price Range: $4-5

Matiz Wild Caught Mackerel in EVOO

DeenLeave a comment

So far, I've tasted and reviewed over a dozen tins of mackerel in various forms. Fillets, chunks, whole. Spiced, smoked, sauced, plain. Sometimes, I knew what I would find before I opened the can, Other times, for better or worse, I didn't. The carton description on this Matiz Wild Caught Mackerel was kind of vague, so let's see what I got.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 4.9/5.

Nice looking fillets. I wasn't sure if I was getting fillets or whole fish. The carton didn't give as much as a hint one way or the other.

The can is packed reasonably full, although it's a little on the light side at only 3 oz. net weight. The EVOO has a nice golden/green hue. There was nothing in the way of a fish aroma I could detect. A sip of the oil was also neutral. I wasn't getting any of the notes I would have liked to from a good EVOO.

The meat was firm enough for the fillets to remain intact when gently stabbed with a fork. Yet they also flaked readily when prompted to do so.

Time To Eat

I decided to try this plain, in order to best assess the quality. I figured if I thought it needed something to help it along, I would decide that as I went.

The taste was mild with a hint of a tuna-like tang, but it wasn't a huge negative. The problem lay in the fact that it was a bit dry, even to the point of a little mealy, which I was not expecting. I also thought a little more salt would have been in order. It didn't seem to be the 310mg. the carton listed. Ultimately, I finished the can with no embellishments.

Final Thoughts

The carton says the fish are sourced from the Atlantic, Pacific, and Mediterranean Sea, then hand packed in Galicia. There was no indication on the carton or can as to which FAO fishing area this particular can's content was from.
I think the carton oversells the fish, describing it as, "a rich, fatty fish, with a firm yet tender texture and mild, buttery flavor." I could only agree with a small part of that assessment.
Looking back, I note there have been other mackerel fillets I apparently liked better. Several, most in fact, cost the same or less than this one. And in all cases, the net weight was at least one third higher.

Reasonably priced in lot quantities at Amazon.

Brand: Connorsa / Matiz
Description: Wild Caught Mackerel in EVOO
Species: Scomber sp.
Country of Origin: Spain
Source: FAO N/S
Skin/Bones: No/No
Net Wt: 3 oz.
Price Range: $5-6

JOSÉ Gourmet Smoked Small Mackerel in Olive Oil

DeenLeave a comment

I chose this JOSÉ Gourmet Smoked Small Mackerel in Olive Oil as part of a recent online order not really knowing what I would get. There was no photo. The description didn't say fillets, but all the smoked mackerel I'd had before was either slices or chunks of fish. Perhaps "small" should have been a clue.

Initial impression upon opening the can: Oh, no...

OK, maybe that assessment was a little premature. The last whole small mackerel I had was not that impressive. Its seasonings were lackluster, and the loins of fish still had most of their fins.

Pressing on. The aroma and taste of a sip of the oil were both smoky, the latter quite distinctively. The carton doesn't specify method, but it was clearly derived from natural wood smoke. I want to say it was borderline acrid, but hoped it didn't translate to the fish that way.

Extracting a fish from the can, the skin is remarkably iridescent, shifting color from charcoal to gray to blue to bronze as it moves in the light. I know that's not really germane to the flavor, but interesting nonetheless. A bite of the fish is firm, but doesn't seem dry, at least not any drier than typical smoked fish.

Out onto rice, you can see they were substantial in size, even though described as small.

Trying to pierce them with a fork, they were resistant to being divided up into bites crosswise, but did readily split open along the spine.

Unfortunately, the smoke flavor was just strong enough to predominate, and by the end had become a little fatiguing on the palate. I also thought they might have benefited by a little more salt.

So far, I've been a fan of everything JOSÉ Gourmet I've tried, but this may be the exception. YMMV.

Main Takeways

Nice looking fish
Not as small as expected
Overly smoky

See it at Amazon.

Brand: 100 Misterios / JOSÉ Gourmet
Description: Smoked Small Mackerel in olive oil
Species: Scomber sp.
Country of Origin: Portugal
Source: FAO27, Northeast Atlantic
Skin/Bones: Yes/Yes
Net Wt: 4.2 oz.
Price Range: $10