This new bettergoods Smoked Tuna with Rosemary was purchased at Walmart at the same time as the new smoked rainbow trout. That one was very good, and I hoped this one would be as well. Same $4.97 price point and 4.41oz. portion.
Initial impression upon opening the can: 4.9/5.
The initial appearance isn't as appealing as the trout, bit I will give it points for being a solid hunk of tuna. The carton calls it "steak cut style", but the grain appears to be running contrary to that of a typical tuna steak. Nonetheless, it is a single, thick piece of tuna (take note, Natural Catch) with nothing hiding underneath.
The aroma is subtly smoky, as is a sip of the olive oil it's packed in. I don't see any rosemary leaves in the tin, and I don't get much of an impression of it from either the aroma or the taste of the oil. I would have expected it to be prominent.
Let's Eat
I was able to lift the "steak" from the tin intact. It is a firm piece of meat. After a nibble of the fish, I decided it would be prudent to pour most of the remaining oil over the fish, in hopes of maximizing any flavor of the seasonings. White pepper, black pepper, garlic, salt and "citric acid anhydrous" round out the ingredient list. Although it doesn't taste that salty, sodium is a whopping 920mg.
The meat is quite firm and resists being divided by a piercing fork. It does, however, flake when the fork hits the right places. It also feels a little dry, but I chalk that up to being smoked over actual hardwood, which has the same effect on much fattier salmon. Here, the meat is leaner to begin with, so pouring that packing oil over it was helpful.
Although not overstated, the smoke is the majority of what I'm getting. That and a note of tuna "tang". The tuna is yellowfin, so I'm not sure if that tang isn't really coming from the citric acid powder.
Once again, the carton says "naturally smoked with oakwood, and finished with rosemary for a fresh, herbaceous twist". I perceived a contribution from the trout's juniper berry, but here the rosemary seems lost under the smoke.
Main Takeaways
- Nice solid chunk of tuna
- Smoke not overpowering but dominates
- Rosemary lost in the smoke
I had hoped this one would be as good as the trout, but it wasn't quite. Kudos, though, for it being solid tuna and MSC certified sustainable.
Brand: Walmart / bettergoods
Description: Smoked tuna with rosemary
Species: Yellowfin
Country of Origin: Turkey
Source: FAO51
Skin/Bones: No/No
Net Wt: 4.41 oz.
Price Range: $5
