These Rugen Fisch Herring Fillets in Mustard Sauce came from World Market one of the last times I visited there. They were priced $4.29 on the shelf but rang up as $4.99. When I pointed out the discrepancy to the cashier, the only response was, "Do you still want them?" No apology or offer to adjust the amount manually to the posted price. My personal experience in retail and customer goodwill taught me that leaving a bad taste in a customer's mouth isn't worth 70 cents, a lesson World Market would do well to learn. Moving on.
Initial impression upon opening the can: 4.7/5.
The fish are obscured by a mass of gloppy mustard. There's an oily sheen which the package reveals is canola oil. The aroma is vinegary, mustardy. The look and feel is similar to the seasonal herring offerings at Aldi. Even in removing them from the tin, getting a look at the fillets themselves is not possible due to the copious amount of mustard sauce.
Digging In
Perhaps not a traditional serving style, but I put the fish over rice. The fillets tended to break apart lifting them from the can. It appears to be about four separate fillets, but they are glued together by the mustard. Prying them apart with a fork reveals skin left on all.
There was quite a bit of mustard sauce left in the tin, and I only felt the need to add less than half of it to the fish and rice, as so much had already clung to the fillets themselves. A net drained weight is not given on the carton.
As you might surmise, the taste is mainly of the mustard, which I assume is a German style, somewhere between plain yellow and Dijon. It is smooth, not grainy. The herring, not being smoked, is mild enough that its inherent flavor stood no chance against the sauce.
The taste is not overly salty. The carton lists 520mg. sodium, but is unclear if that's per serving (two per can) or for the entire contents.
If you don't mind the preponderance of mustard, this is a filling tin of fish. Even at the increased price, they still represented a decent value, although the ones from Aldi were less than $2 for the same size tin. And I liked them better.
Main Takeaways
- Generous portion
- Mustard overpowers the fish flavor
- Cheaper alternatives elsewhere
Brand: Rugen Fisch
Description: Herring Fillets in Mustard Sauce
Country of Origin: Germany
Source: FAO 27, Northeast Atlantic
Skin/Bones: Yes/No
Net Wt: 7.05 oz.
Price Range: $5
