🐟 Oil Packed #1

First review woohoo!

Hi there, thanks for subscribing to Oil Packed. I appreciate that you care about what I think of tinned seafood, and I’m happy to point you in the direction of sweet, sweet tins. You can expect a review from me twice a month or so - I promise not to clog up your inbox with my opinions. Anyway, here’s my first review:

Trader Joe’s Smoked Trout Fillets

Price: $3.99
Weight: 110g
Texture: Tender / Flaky
Taste: Sweet
Pair with: Sweet crackers, herby sauce

Whenever anyone asks for a recommendation on a good entry-level tin, I usually send ‘em to Trader Joe’s. They have a delicious, affordable selection of tinned seafood to choose from, and my favorite is easily the Smoked Trout Fillets. I love to have this tin on hand for anything between a quick lunch and a dinner spread. Its flexible enough to eat on its own, with crackers, or as part of a dish. This is easily one of my favorite tins of all time.

Trader Joe’s Smoked Trout is a lightly smoky, sweet fish. It’s packed in canola oil with roughly 2-3 wide fillets. The neutral oil allows for the trout’s mature flavor to be the star of the tin. The smokiness is warm like honey. The texture is tender without being mushy, and flakes apart easily. As for moisture, this has been one of the most consistently juicy tins I’ve gotten for less than $5.

This trout is delightful with a slightly sweet, soft cracker - I love it with Club Crackers. The sweetness of the cracker helps bring out the sweetness of the trout, resulting in a mouthwatering bite. I wouldn’t pair this with a crunchy vehicle like a potato chip or a hard cracker - it overwhelms the tender texture. Try this fish with a green, herby sauce like Trader Joe’s Zhoug Sauce (I mean, while you’re there, yknow) or chimichurri to contrast the sweetness for a dynamic snack. The only negative on this tin is the oil it’s packed in - the canola oil is somewhat thick, so you might have to drip the last bits of fish over the tin to avoid a mouthful of oil (unless that’s what you’re into).

All in all, this is an excellent, cheap tin. It’s significantly better than some of the swankier tins i’ve tried, and i’ll keep it as a staple in my cupboard forever. I’d recommend Trader Joe’s Smoked Trout to anyone and everyone looking to enter the realm of tinned seafood.

Rating: ★★★★

photos by Aaron Barton