mackerel Archives - Page 3 of 4

Wild Planet Smoked Mackerel in EVOO

I found this Wild Planet Smoked Mackerel in Extra Virgin Olive Oil intriguing because it emphasized the "smoked" aspect. Not so many other tinned mackerels do, even though they might list smoke flavor on the container. Unsmoked, mackerel can be a buttery, rich, tender bite of fish. I wondered what a truly smoked iteration might taste like.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 4/5.

What it lacks in visual appeal, however, it more than makes up for in taste. The contents are two fillets stacked, skin side down. A bit firmer than other mackerel tasted to date, but it's still acceptably tender.

The smoke flavor, naturally achieved, is forward, but not overpowering. I tried a couple of bites with just a few drops of Valentina hot sauce, and it made for an interesting flavor combination.

Recommended. I paid $5 at WF, but I see it's currently under $4 on sale for Amazon Prime members there.

The packaging lacks source information, other than to say "product of Latvia".

Main Takeaways

Good balance on the smoke
Firm but still tender enough
Good value, especially if on sale

Brand: Wild Planet
Description: Wild Smoked Mackerel in EVOO
Species: Scomber japonicus or Scomber colias
Country of Origin: Latvia
Source: FAO27, Northeast Atlantic
Skin/Bones: Yes/No
Net Wt: 3.9 oz.
Price Range: $5

La Narval Southern Mackerel

DeenLeave a comment

I remember, when I bought this mackerel at World Market, thinking, "What brand is this?" The WM website says something like "Don Gastronom", but that's nowhere on the box. The box says Southern Mackerel in Olive Oil (in Spanish and English). And "distributed by Conservas Artesanas Gallegas S.L.", with a web address that leads to a site identifying itself as "La Narval". Only then do I notice that name in some tiny print. So, who's "Don"?

Initial impression upon opening the can: 4.75/5.

A minor deduction for that free space you see at 6 o'clock that could'a had some more fish in it. Otherwise, very nice. I always like seeing distinct pieces of fish, as opposed to just chunks stuffed into a can. Clean aroma, really nice olive oil.

Mild and meaty fillets of chub mackerel, 4 pieces in total. No skin, but I thought I detected a couple of fine bones. Salt is on the ingredients list, and I thought it might have benefited by a just a pinch more.

I thought this, from the website, was interesting: "After being cooked in seawater, we dry it a little bit so that when it gets in contact with the sauce, it gets re-hydrated again increasing its taste and texture." Sauce?

I tried it plain first, then with a few drops of Espinaler. It was better without, actually. Good quality fish can be that way, standing just fine on its own. If you like canned mackerel, worth a try.

But again, who the heck is "Don"? I looked it up and, rather than a who, it appears to be an association representing a family of brands of Spanish foods, of which La Narval is one.

Main Takeaways

Meaty and mild flavor
Needed salt
Good value

Brand: Don Gastronom / La Narval
Description: Southern Mackerel in Olive Oil
Species: North Atlantic chub mackerel
Country of Origin: Spain
Source: FAO27, Northeast Atlantic
Skin/Bones: No/No
Net Wt: 4.2 oz.
Price Range: $5-6

King Oscar Mackerel in Olive Oil with Lemon

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Fully described as King Oscar Royal Fillets Mackerel in Olive Oil with Lemon. The quest for great lemon flavor in a can of tinned fish is realized. Only to be disappointed by the lackluster presentation.

Initial impression upon opening the can: Are you kidding me?

Just look at it. This is not what I've come to expect from King Oscar mackerel, or any King Oscar for that matter. An amorphous mass of fish debris. No planks of mackerel fillet, just clumps and shreds of pieces parts.

Visually, it's no more appealing than a can of cheap supermarket tuna in oil. I mean, come on, it says "Royal Fillets" right there on the can. Some might say, "Well, the lemon juice did that." While the acidity may have denatured proteins in the meat, it certainly didn't stir it up into mush.

The upside? The lemon flavor is actually quite good. The ingredients say spirit vinegar, concentrated lemon juice and natural lemon flavoring, along with some salt, are responsible for the flavor. It works. Not as great as squeezing your own fresh lemon juice, though. More like that from one of those plastic lemon-shaped squeeze-bulbs of reconstituted lemon juice. But compared to what many others call "with lemon" or "lemon flavor" that fall woefully short, this KO is actually superior in conveying a more-or-less realistic lemon juice flavor.

Only one can was available for me to try, so I may have to risk buying another to confirm if this messy fish presentation is just a fluke. At under $3 a can, I'm willing to give KO the benefit of the doubt.

Brand: King Oscar
Description: Mackerel in Olive Oil with Lemon
Species: North Atlantic mackerel
Country of Origin: Poland
Source: FAO27, Northeast Atlantic
Skin/Bones: No/No
Net Wt: 4.05 oz.
Price Range: $2-3

J-Basket Saba Kabayaki

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Found this J-Basket Saba Kabayaki at a local Asian Market. Most if not all of their tinned fish selections are seasoned in one way or another. Kabayaki, as you may recall, is grilling and glazing with a sweet/savory sauce. This saba (mackerel) was under $3. It appears to also be sold in an otherwise identical can branded Wel-Pac.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 3.5/5.

The can was packed reasonably full, with a little bit of space. Once again, the kabayaki treatment has given the fish a brownish beige tint. The aroma is not overtly fishy. Because of the preparation, the taste is about the same as the Choshita brand of saury/sanma I tried previously, but the fish is a bit chewier. There is some skin, and bones soft enough to not be crunchy.

I think when the various cans of kabayaki style fish I have on hand are gone, I'm probably done with the whole kabayaki thing. And I actually wonder if there are any Japanese tinned fish products that aren't pre-seasoned in some way. Honestly, I'd rather the taste of the fish. Good experience, though.

Brand: J-Basket
Description: Saba (Mackerel) Kabayaki
Species: Pacific mackerel
Country of Origin: Japan
Source: FAO61, Northwest Pacific
Skin/Bones: Yes/Yes
Net Wt: 3.5 oz.
Price Range: $2-3

Nuri Spiced Mackerel Fillets in Olive Oil

DeenLeave a comment

I guess I'm on a bit of a mackerel kick lately. These sounded good, Nuri Spiced Mackerel Fillets in Olive Oil. There needs to be a distinction made between "spicy" and "spiced". It seems that, in the world of tinned fish, "spiced" doesn't necessarily mean "hot". So, even though there are a bunch of red peppers on the label, that's not what's really going on here.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 5/5.

The score is based on a full packing of fish, a clean look to the olive oil, and the aroma of the spices wafting up from the just-opened can. A sip of the oil gives a subtle preview of the infused spices.

The meat is tender, the fillets breaking apart somewhat easily as they are extracted from the tin. The texture is reminiscent of tuna, but the flavor more mild.

Spicing Things Up

I have seen video of the Pinhais packing operation in Matosinhos, Portugal. The empty cans move down a conveyor belt with several ladies seated on either side. As the cans move past, they toss a variety of things into them: small, thin slices of carrot and cucumber; peppercorn and whole clove; and one small red chilli. Meanwhile, another lady is scissor-snipping bay leaves cross-wise into small strips, and one of those pieces is tossed into each can as well.

In Summary

Of all the spices, the bay and clove are most evident, the pepper not so much. They're all underneath the fish, so that's why you don't see them in the photo. An interesting flavor combination with the richness of the mackerel. These were good, I'd try them again.

Brand: Pinhais/Nuri
Description: Spiced Mackerel in Olive Oil
Species: Mackerel
Country of Origin: Portugal
Source: FAO27, Northeast Atlantic
Skin/Bones: No/No
Net Wt: 4.4 oz.
Price Range: $8

King Oscar Royal Fillets Mackerel in Olive Oil

DeenLeave a comment

Banking on the KO reputation, I tried this King Oscar Mackerel in Olive Oil. The presentation here is similar to the KO Mackerel in Sweet Thai Chili Sauce, chunks of meat.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 4.5/5.

Can packed full of large pieces of mackerel. Nice fish aroma. Not sure what those indentations are in the top of the meat, they weren't made by the can lid. It's not a grilled product, so I'll have to guess it's something to do with handling during canning.

A different presentation from the slices in the Cole's tried previously. And I found this to be more tender than that of the Thai Chili Sauce version, which I had likened to pulled pork in texture.

My intent was to taste this one with some Salsa Espinaler on hand in case I found it to be too bland, but am glad I didn't. The fish here is very mild and rich, and stands well on its own. At under $3 a can, a definite mackerel re-buy.

See it on Amazon.

Brand: King Oscar
Description: Mackerel in Olive Oil
Species: North Atlantic mackerel
Country of Origin: Poland
Source: FAO27, Northeast Atlantic
Skin/Bones: No/No
Net Wt: 4.05 oz.
Price Range: $2-3

Cole’s Wild Mackerel in Olive Oil

DeenLeave a comment

Tried this Cole's Wild Mackerel in Olive Oil to compare to the King Oscar Mackerel in Sweet Thai Chile Sauce. In contrast to the Cole's Mussels, they are packed in what appears to be completely olive oil. I know this because, for the second time in as many days, the recoil of the lid finally giving way resulted in a big sploosh all over my shirt.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 4/5.

Compared to the King Oscar, the texture is quite different, more tender. There are several slices of skinless boneless meat, which appear to be cut across the grain. That made them readily fall apart when trying to get them out of the can.

I ate this without condiments or crackers, in order to get a sense of the taste and texture. I'll try this one again with some Espinaler sauce or harissa. While very good, mackerel by itself can be a bit bland. Nutrition facts say 170 calories per can, which I find suspicious, being it's in olive oil. The King Oscar in olive oil (which I haven't tried yet) is listed as 240 calories at roughly the same serving size.

Brand: Cole's Seafood
Description: Wild Mackerel in Olive Oil
Species: North Atlantic chub mackerel
Country of Origin: Cape Verde, West Africa
Source: FAO34, East Central Atlantic
Skin/Bones: No/No
Net Wt: 4.4 oz.
Price Range: $3