Sardines

Canned sardines – hand-packed, from named canneries

You can recognize a good can of sardines before you open it: the label shows a place and a house, not just a brand name. Here you will find sardines from twelve canneries that clean the fish by hand within a few hours of catching it, place it in the can, and cover it with olive oil – from Brittany and Vendée, from Portugal, the Basque Country, Cantabria, and Anzio near Rome.

Three types of canned sardines

Oil-packed sardines are the classic: whole sardines without heads, cooked and packed in olive oil – plain, with lemon, with chili, or in tomato sauce. From Portugal they come from NURI, Porthos, Jose Gourmet, Briosa Gourmet, and A Banca da Sardinha, from Brittany by la belle-iloise, and from the Basque Country by Jean de Luz.

Vintage sardines are caught at the end of the season, when the fish has reached around 12 percent fat, and mature in the can over years – like wine. The can bears the vintage. Ours come from La Perle des Dieux, La Quiberonnaise, Les Mouettes d'Arvor, and Pollastrini.

Sardines for frying are placed raw in the can, perhaps with Bordier butter or Piment d'Espelette – two minutes per side in the pan, done.

How to recognize good canned sardines

Whole fish, lying evenly next to each other, instead of pieces. Olive oil instead of sunflower oil. A short list of ingredients: sardines, oil, salt – nothing more is needed. And the origin and cannery on the can. In Brittany, the method is called à l'ancienne: The sardines are briefly fried or steamed after cleaning, dried, and then packed by hand. At NURI in Matosinhos, every can goes through 37 production steps, almost all by hand.

Those who prefer to eat without bones should opt for the boneless fillets from la belle-iloise or La Perle des Dieux. The small sardines (petites sardines, sardinillas) from Jose Gourmet, Briosa, and La Perle des Dieux are more tender and fit on bread or salad.

Sardines are not anchovies

Both are small schooling fish, but the sardine (Sardina pilchardus) is cooked and packed whole and mildly seasoned. The anchovy (anchovy, Engraulis encrasicolus) matures raw in salt and comes in the can as a strong, salty fillet. Anchovies and anchovies can be found in their own category.

Sardines in the kitchen

On toasted bread with butter and lemon, in pasta with fennel and pine nuts, on salad with potatoes and egg, or as a tapa straight from the can. The oil from the can is too good to throw away – as a dressing or for frying garlic for the pasta. Unopened, oil-packed sardines last several years and do not get worse, but rather more tender.

Read more about this in our guide The best canned sardines: what matters and in the post Vintage sardines – sardines that mature like wine, as well as Canned sardines: nutritional values and omega-3 and Preparing canned sardines: 8 recipes.

Frequently asked questions about canned sardines

Which canned sardines are the best?

Those with the origin and cannery on the can: whole fish in olive oil, hand-packed, with a short list of ingredients. In Brittany, Portugal, and the Basque Country, family businesses like La Quiberonnaise, NURI, or Jean de Luz have been doing this for generations. Vintage sardines from La Perle des Dieux or Les Mouettes d'Arvor are the best – fatty, tender, and better with time.

What is the difference between sardines and oil-packed sardines?

Oil-packed sardines are sardines that have been cooked and packed in oil – the classic canned content. Sardines are also available in tomato sauce, in marinade, or raw for frying. The oil is crucial: olive oil tastes better and allows the sardines to mature, sunflower oil is a sign of mass-produced goods.

How long do canned sardines last?

Unopened, several years beyond the printed date, vintage sardines ten years and longer. The oil penetrates the fish over time and makes it more tender. After opening, store in the refrigerator and eat within two days.

What is in canned sardines?

Sardines provide omega-3 fatty acids, protein, vitamin D and B12, and also calcium from the soft bones. As a small fish at the bottom of the food chain, they contain significantly fewer heavy metals than tuna. Those who have to watch their salt intake should opt for sardines in their own juice or in olive oil instead of in sauce.

How do you eat canned sardines?

The easiest way is plain on bread, with a little lemon and pepper. The bones are soft and are eaten with them. Oil-packed sardines fit in pasta, on salad, and on toast, sardines for frying go raw into the pan. The oil from the can is suitable as a dressing.