pilchards Archives

Safe Catch Wild Sardines in Olive Oil with Lemon

These Safe Catch Wild Sardines in Olive Oil with Lemon were a new item at a local independent supermarket. New enough that I wasn't able to find an image of the carton online anywhere. Not even on the Safe Catch website, which makes no mention of them selling sardines at all. Puzzling.

I thought the "bone-in with skin" banner was odd. Usually, that's assumed if other than boneless/skinless.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 4.8/5.

Some husky pilchards. No scales apparent, and the skin is in reasonably nice condition. Fresh aroma from the can. A sip of the oil hints at the lemon.

Let's Dig In

There are five fish total in the deep tin. A slice of lemon in the bottom still retains some brightness of flavor. The fish tended to break in two somewhat as they were lifted from the can. I poured the remaining olive oil in the tin over everything, hoping to maximize any lemon flavor.

The first bite is both good and bad. The meat is tender, almost too tender to the point of maybe mushy, but not quite. It's acceptably moist, but not what I would characterize as juicy. The bad part is the clump of scales stuck to the roof of my mouth, but it only happened one more time after, so not a deal breaker. There was also some random detritus I couldn't identify that kind of diminished the overall experience.

I thought they could have been a little saltier, sodium is an average 310mg. It might have also perked up the lemon, which was subtle but detectable throughout.

At the $4.39 price point, I expected a little better processing, e.g. the scales and detritus. Hopefully, it's just not a representative sample can.

Main Takeaways

Tender, moist fish, but maybe borderline mushy
A little more lemon flavor would have helped
Some unwelcome scales and mystery bits

Brand: Safe Catch
Description: Sardines in olive oil with lemon
Species: Sardina pilchardus
Country of Origin: Morocco
Source: FAO34, Eastern Central Atlantic
Skin/Bones: Yes/Yes
Net Wt: 4.4 oz.
Price Range: $4-5

Casablanca Sardines in Tomato Sauce

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These Casablanca Sardines in Tomato Sauce came from the same market as the Casablanca Spicy Sardines with Hot Peppers. I guess they were also $1.99 as, for some reason I recorded that I had purchased two tins of those instead of one of each. Then I apparently stashed these way, and forgot about them until just now.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 4.8/5.

More huge pilchards. Nicely packed, though, not roughed up at all. At least this time it wasn't one of those stiff, hard-to-open tins. Which also makes me wonder how many canneries Casablanca uses. Closer inspection shows these with a BB date of only six months away, odd for a product that had just been stocked by the market.

The aroma is fresh, and a taste of the tomato sauce reveals a brightness of flavor. The sauce is a basic one, being only water, tomato paste and sunflower oil.

Let's Eat

Lifting them out of the tin, they want to break in two. Stuffed under one of the two really large pilchards is one smallish one, also a bit "fall-apart-y".

I noted a few scales in the transfer to the bowl, but nothing major. After whisking it up a bit, I poured the sauce remaining in the can over everything.

The fish are incredibly tender, with melt-in-your-mouth level texture. Nice and moist as well, with a good sardine flavor.

Not really salty at all, only 210mg. sodium for the entire tin. But I didn't feel compelled to take any measures to address it.

I think the age on these has proven that vintage sardines are a valid concept. If kept at moderate ambient temperature, tins with a couple years on them can be a premium experience. Even better when the tin is only $2.

Main Takeaways

Tender, moist fish
Just okay tomato sauce
Bargain price

Brand: Spice N' More Corp. / Casablanca
Description: Sardines in tomato sauce
Species: Sardina pilchardus
Country of Origin: Morocco
Source: FAO34, Eastern Central Atlantic
Skin/Bones: Yes/Yes
Net Wt: 4.4 oz.
Price Range: $2

Eva Adriatic Sardines in Olive Oil

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These Eva Adriatic Sardines in Olive Oil were purchased at the same time as the Eva Adriatic Sardines in Vegetable Oil with Lemon. These were $1 more, presumably due to the olive oil. Let's see how they fare.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 4/8.5.

Not too bad looking. Skin a little rough. Tails, as expected, and a few fins. No scales apparent. The aroma is a bit fishy, maybe a little less fresh than I'd like. A sip of the olive oil is unimpressive, and has taken on hints of the fishiness.

Let's Eat

There appear to be six fish. They want to break up a bit getting them out of the tin. I flicked off the tails as I went. That's just my preference, they're not prickly. I poured most of the remaining olive oil over everything, more to enhance mouthfeel than for flavor.

Working my way through the lot, I note they are tender but not mushy. They are also sufficiently moist. I did, however, end up encountering a few scales as I went

I'm finding them a little bland, though. For better or worse, the fishy aroma hasn't translated to the taste.

Again, I find myself wishing they were a little saltier. To that end, I added a little Lao Gan Ma Fried Chili in Oil to the last fish. It's not excessively spicy or salty, really, but it added a little oomph that was lacking. I also realized the last fish was actually two stuck together, so a bonus there.

I'm not terribly disappointed in these, they were worth the try. I'm glad I already went back and bought four more tins of the lemon variety, which were a dollar cheaper and far better, IMO.

Main Takeaways

Tender, moist fish
Good seven count
A little bland, needed some salt

Brand: Podravka USA / Eva
Description: Sardines in olive oil
Species: Clupea pilchardus (Sardina pilchardus)
Country of Origin: Croatia
Source: FAO37, Mediterranean Sea
Skin/Bones: Yes/Yes
Net Wt: 3.5 oz.
Price Range: $3

Sultan Sardines in Oil – Mild

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These Sultan Sardines in Oil - Mild came from the Mediterranean market I've been getting a bunch of new sardines from lately. I've had several Sultan varieties already, but these were the latest to appear on the shelves there. That these are called "mild" is odd, almost like the versions with peppers are considered the default flavoring.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 4.8/5.

Some big ones. It almost looked like only two, but there were two more underneath in the deep tin. They're nicely packed, with skin largely unbroken. The aroma is of fresh sardine. A sip of the oil is, well, "mild", having no real flavor to it. It's sunflower oil.

Let's Dig In

The fish extract from the tin largely intact. No scales, but a fin or two here and there. I poured most of the oil over the fish and rice.

Piercing with a fork, they are quite tender despite their size. On the palate, the meat is soft and moist.

There's kind of an earthy flavor to them, but maybe it's just me having gotten used to sardines with some kind of added seasoning.

I thought they lacked salt, the sodium being an average 380mg. for the can. I briefly thought about adding something to ratchet it up a bit, but being three fourths of the way through the tin, decided to just leave it be.

Main Takeaways

Tender fish despite their size
Generous portion
A bit bland, needed salt

Overall, I'm glad I tried these; they were worth the $3 price tag. Also glad I only bought one tin to try. I think I'll stick to the versions with hot peppers in olive oil and the ones with tomato and hot peppers.

Brand: Sultan
Description: Sardines in oil - mild
Species: Pilchards
Country of Origin: Morocco
Source: FAO34, Eastern Central Atlantic
Skin/Bones: Yes/Yes
Net Wt: 4.41oz.
Price Range: $3

Eva Adriatic Sardines in Vegetable Oil with Lemon

DeenLeave a comment

These Eva Adriatic Sardines in Vegetable Oil with Lemon were a new item at the local Mediterranean market. I've made a habit of checking there regularly for new tinned fish, and have made several interesting discoveries. Let's see how these are.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 4.9/5.

Nice looking, packed in tight. Skin a little roughed up but that's OK. No scales evident. A few tails, but that's to be expected from canneries in this area. A lot of sardines from Italy caught in the Adriatic and packed in Croatia also seem to come with tails left on. They're soft enough to either ignore or remove with the flick of a fork.

A sip of the oil has a nice, subtle but real lemony flavor. It's soybean oil, not really a problem, and it helps keep these at $2 a can.

Hauling them out over rice, they are tender and a bit fall-apart-y. There are seven fish total in this modest 3.5oz. tin. I've found this to be the case lately with sardines packed in Croatia. Looking online, these used to be 4oz. so a little shrinkflation going on. But still, 7 fish.

I poured the remaining oil over everything, using my fork to strain out any skin or other debris left in it. There's a real lemon slice there, and it retains some brightness of flavor.

These are quite tender, and the lemon flavor has infused everything well enough to give a good flavor experience throughout the entire can's worth.

Not too salty, the sodium listed is 410mg. I thought everything was well-balanced.

$2 for actual pilchards with lemon is an unbelievable bargain.

Main Takeaways

Tender, flavorful fish
Good lemon flavor throughout
Super bargain for sardines with lemon

I'll be checking back for more of these. Hopefully, they won't run out before I get there. I also got some Eva Adriatic Sardines in Olive Oil, slightly higher in price, that I'm looking forward to trying.

Brand: Podravka USA / Eva
Description: Sardines in vegetable oil with lemon
Species: Clupea pilchardus (Sardina pilchardus)
Country of Origin: Croatia
Source: FAO37, Mediterranean Sea
Skin/Bones: Yes/Yes
Net Wt: 3.5 oz.
Price Range: $2

Casablanca Spicy Sardines with Hot Peppers

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These Casablanca Spicy Sardines with Hot Peppers came from a local Middle-Eastern market. I've learned to check there regularly, as I've found several selections I haven't seen elsewhere, and they seem to get new things frequently. Moroccan sardines at $2 a tin felt like a challenge worth taking.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 4.5/5.

It's one of those stiff, scary-to-open cans with the squiggly ridges on the lid. Fortunately, I get it open without incident. It's just two huge pilchards, which I've come to expect from inexpensively-priced Moroccan sardines. Skin is a little roughed up. The oil is tinged red from peppers, I assume, but I don't see any yet. The aroma is a little fishier than I'd like. A sip of the oil, listed as sunflower, has a heat that doesn't hit until the back of the throat. I see some bones sticking out from the tail end of the loins. No scales or fins, though.

Let's Eat

Heaving them out over rice, I find two bright red peppers underneath. There's a few tablespoons of the oil left in the tin, and I poured most over the fish and rice.

I think what I like least about getting overgrown pilchards is the sense that I'm butchering a side of beef rather than enjoying some little fishes. Nonetheless, the meat is tender and moist, not mushy, and reasonably melt-in-your-mouth in texture.

The fish flavor, like the aroma, is a bit stronger, but not off-putting. The pepper flavor is low but steady, no real complaint there. They don't seem all that salty, and the carton confirms a low 200mg. sodium. I didn't feel compelled, however, to add anything salty to make up for it.

Main Takeaways

Why couldn't they be smaller
Tender, meaty fish regardless
Maybe could have used some salt

Brand: Spice N' More Corp. / Casablanca
Description: Spicy sardines in olive oil
Species: Sardina pilchardus
Country of Origin: Morocco
Source: FAO34, Eastern Central Atlantic
Skin/Bones: Yes/Yes
Net Wt: 4.375 oz.
Price Range: $2

Brunswick Skinless Boneless Sardines in Olive Oil

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It occurred to me that it had been a long time since I had returned to where the journey started, with some skinless boneless sardines. Back then, I ordered King Oscar's by the case, usually consuming them as an evening snack with saltine crackers. This tin of Brunswick Skinless Boneless Sardines in Olive Oil was laying around in my stash, and I was moved to revisit this style of tinned fish. For old times' sake.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 4.9/5.

There's that aroma, somewhere between sardine and tuna. The olive oil has a golden hue. There appear to be five fileted loins total.

Let's Eat

My recollection of these was that, although tender and meaty, they were a little bland. With sodium a little on the low side at 290mg, they weren't all that salty. Seemed like a good opportunity to investigate how they would taste with chili crisp.

I first became aware of the condiment chili crisp while watching a youtube sardine reviewer. It would also be from where I learned of Salsa Espinaler. For the purposes of this review, I chose a rather spicy version of chili crisp, Chuannan Chili Oil Crisp, which you can learn more about at the link.

I was concerned this bold version of chili crisp might overpower the sardine flavor. The one the youtube reviewer had was a far tamer brand called Lao Gan Ma. But I found the heightened spice level of the Chuannan complemented the fish and vice versa. And since chili crisps are often combined with rice, the three together made for a tasty, umami-filled experience.

Main Takeaways

Tasty sardines
Nostalgic flavor
Needed some spicing up

Brand: Brunswick
Description: Skinless boneless sardines in olive oil
Species: Pilchards
Country of Origin: Morocco
Source: FAO34, Eastern Central Atlantic
Skin/Bones: No/No
Net Wt: 4.4 oz.
Price Range: $2-3