Northern Catch Archives

Northern Catch Smoked Oysters with Red Chili Pepper

Picked up these Northern Catch Smoked Oysters with Red Chili Pepper at Aldi on a whim. You don't really see any variation in smoked oysters beyond some brands-- Roland comes to mind-- that grade and sell them according to size. Northern Catch, the Aldi exclusive brand, has two versions of smoked oysters, a regular smoked and this one "with red chili pepper". Both retail for under a buck and a half.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 4/5.

As with most canned smoked oysters, the aroma is about the same. There was the red pepper, right there on top. I counted 12 oysters in this particular can, whole as per the package, and about medium size as canned smoked oysters go. Texturally, about average for smoked oysters. Some were "meatier" than others.

Like the regular version, these are packed in cottonseed oil. The pepper imparted only the slightest heat to the contents. I might not have realized it was there had I not known beforehand. Tasting the pepper, I was surprised it didn't infuse the oil or oysters more, as it was rather piquant. All things considered, however, hard to beat at the price.

Brand: Aldi/Northern Catch
Description: Smoked Oysters with red chili pepper
Species: Crassostrea Gigas
Country of Origin: China
Source: Farmed
Skin/Bones: N/A
Net Wt: 3.0 oz.
Price Range: $1-2

A Tale of Two Aldi Sardines in Hot Sauce

DeenLeave a comment

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.

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

Northern Catch Sardines in Mustard

DeenLeave a comment

My first exposure to sardines as a kid was to the ones packed in mustard. It was a tangy yellow mustard that I'm sure for some people was the only thing making them palatable. The mustard on these Northern Catch Sardines in Mustard is a little different. It's like it can't make up its mind to be good old French's yellow or Gulden's brown. It was more like a mixture of the two, but in a sort of bland way.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 2.5/5.

Again, like the Northern Catch Sardines in Hot Sauce, there are just two big old pilchards. Plus maybe a chunk of another. Initially, it was hard to tell under all the goop. There's a bit of a tangy smell covering any aroma of fish there might have been.

I got these at the same time I bought the ones in hot sauce. While not as pretty as that particular can, this one was packed quite full. The meat was comparatively drier as well, but not terribly so. Also, 880mg. sodium. I probably won't get them again. There are plenty of other choices out there (I was about to say "plenty of other fish in the sea", but caught myself).

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

Northern Catch Sardines in Hot Sauce

DeenLeave a comment

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.

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