Description
Ingredients: mackerel (Scomber australascos), olive oil and salt.
Don Gastronom (La Narval) Mackerel Fillets in Olive Oil 4/6
$6.00
This is the tin that got me hooked on the brand.
I initially thought the price point was so low it was suspect. Then I had some Angelo Parodi and realized it was possible to do a really good mackerel at a really good price. And I ordered in samples of all their products. This was the first tin I opened. Definitely one of the best cost-to-quality ratio products I’ve found. Boneless and skinless fillets that are great as is or deployed into hundreds of possible uses. Use as you would tuna or as you would sardines. These are that versatile.
110g tin
In stock
Reviews
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twa101 (verified owner) –
This was my first Don Gastronom product ever, and I opened the tin to almost no smells at all. If I were blindfolded I might not have known it was a tin of fish. This can is packed rather loosely and the olive oil is very light in color. The taste was very mild, and the texture was buttery, reminding me a bit of the texture of lox. The oil was on a different level, by far the best oil I’ve had in a can of mackerel. The only downside was that I would have preferred a little more salt, but I’d rather a tin be under salted than oversalted. At $6 a can, it punches way above its weight and should change its name to Don Gastronomnomnom. I think this is a must try tin for anyone who likes mackerel at a price that won’t break the bank.
Pat Hachey (verified owner) –
My first mackerel! Its moist but firm; it definitely has a nice chew to it. The flesh is flaky and can be cleaved into distinct striations. At first the flavor is mild then it comes to the fish and the oil, with low salt levels, but then the pieces at the bottom have really saturated in the oil. Really high quality stuff! Especially for the price. Has me really looking forward to not only trying other mackerel but also other Don Gastronom stuff.
Orion Maier (verified owner) –
My first canned fish ever. These mackerel fillets had a light/medium fishy flavor that was complemented very well by the olive oil they were canned in. I’m not too sure if they would’ve been as enjoyable if they had been canned in water, but I’ll have to see for myself. The filets flaked apart with a little effort but can easily be enjoyed as whole filets straight from the can. I would definitely buy these again as a great intro to canned fish for some of my friends.
Lauren Giunta (verified owner) –
Based on Dan’s description, I’m wondering if he knows something I don’t know about this tin because it was not my favorite. Fairly dry filets in pretty tame oo. Lower on salt as others have mentioned. This was one of the first tins that my partner & I couldn’t get through in one sitting. I think I’m realizing that fileted mackerel is just not typically my thing, the exception being the King Oscar tins. Not sure if it’s because the mackerel is from colder Polish waters, or because of some more nefarious commercial processing method that I’m yet unaware of, but I’d grab a plain oo KO mack tin over this one any day.
newsletteracct (verified owner) –
This mackerel is a delightful blank slate for any number of preparations. Solid and flaky, I put it in crackers with avocado mash, minced shallot, and cherry tomatoes. I frequently turn to tinned seafood with spices and sauces as a shortcut to a flavorful meal, but at $6 the quality of the fish in this tin is certainly nothing to complain about.
Evan V (verified owner) –
This is a great tin and I think it’s one of the best price to quality tins of mackerel I’ve had. Firm fish, beautiful fillets, great fish flavor but not in any sort of “fishy” way. I just eat this out of the tin with some bread and salt, soaking up the tasty olive oil with the bread, as it doesn’t need anything else to really enjoy it (some lettuce and pickles on the side are nice too). If you like mackerel, or just want to try mackerel, this is a great tin.
josephraa (verified owner) –
I ate this tin recently with a bowl of brown rice seasoned with chicken/garlic/ginger flavorings and a generous portion of momofuku extra spicy chili crunch and chopped green onions. It worked great in the bowl to add some extra protein without making the whole bowl taste like fish. I broke the fillets up into small bite-sized chunks and mixed throughout the bowl. Very enjoyable and great texture. I did try a bit by itself before deciding to use in the bowl and I wouldn’t say I was wowed by it, but it’s def on the better end of mackerel tins I’ve tried (I think I really like horse mackerel better generally though). If you like mackerel, this is a solid tin for sure.
Peter Kupchick (verified owner) –
Lovely tin of Mackerel. This stuff pairs so well with pickled red and pearl onions. Ate on a crostini with the fixings, could use a little extra salt to bring out the flavor. Would certainly recommend.
Hream McDan (verified owner) –
Have to say that this tin was just … okay. It’s not a great candidate to eat straight from the tin as the texture, moisture, and seasoning leaves a little to be desired. Dense, firm, needing salt, and borderline dry (did *not* cause hiccups however). I look for mackerel to be generally a better version of canned tuna, but I’d say this one falls short of that goal. I do think that the dense-not-chewy texture would be nice in a tuna salad application if that’s what you’re looking for, and perhaps that is why the reviews here are so wildly different. If you like to eat mackerel as an ingredient in a larger dish, you just might adore this Don Gastronom … otherwise, I’d recommend that you instead try the entire mackerel line by Ocean’s.
Craig Weingarten (verified owner) –
First review for this site and first time eating tinned Mackeral. Wasn’t sure what to expect so went with a very basic set up – Breton GF crackers, shallot, fresh dill sprig, lemon. Served with a mineral water and Klugman v Urgesi @ Wimbledon.
None of it disappointed. Lovely. The mackeral was clean, firm, and easy to eat. Maybe too easy. It lacked a bit of flavor compared to sardines but maybe that’s ok. I would absolutely stick this in my pantry when I just can’t make a decision.
Yousif Al-amin (verified owner) –
This was my first time trying tinned Mackerel and was included in a surprise box from Dan. I was really surprised when I looked it up to see that it’s only a $6 tin – the fish was really high quality, super meaty. Definitely a little on the drier side, I had them with beans in kimchi sauce on toast and loved them; for me, these need to be paired with something a little juicy or saucy versus being eaten straight out of the tin like some other tinned fish. Of the varieties I’ve tried, this one seems the most versatile in terms of potential uses, I see it as a sort of blank canvas that can easily be doctored and turned into a fish salad or incorporated with other ingredients to fully bring out the flavor. My first foray into Don Gastronom but it will not be my last!
emosberger (verified owner) –
OK so I wanted to try some plain mackerel fillets in olive oil without any additional spices or seasonings so this seemed like a worthy candidate. I’m glad I did!
Cracking open the tin I was presented with an almost imperceptible aroma – this would make for a good inoffensive office tin. There were four beautiful fillets packed tightly in the tin. I had one by itself – the meat was firm and the taste was very mild. I placed the remainder of the tin onto some salad greens and it really made for a nice lunch. As others have mentioned, this is a nice tin if you want a “clean slate” with work with some other ingredients.
matt.hogue13 (verified owner) –
It seems many of the reviewers have hit the nail on the head with this one… so let me add one more! “Mild” is about the only word that comes to mind when eating this tin. Good, firm, quality filets that could’ve used a little more help from the oo they were bathing in. I’m almost exclusively a straight from the tin eater, and this tin begs to be incorporated into a broader dish.
Emma Armstrong (verified owner) –
My first time trying tinned mackerel as well as don gastronom products! Overall I enjoyed this, it was loosely packed in oil, and looking back at other reviews next time I will make sure to keep the oil for vinaigrette or emulsion sauce. I found the flavor very mild and the texture was quite smooth although firm and heaps better with added salt. Definitely, a great pairing for a saltier cracker, or to add protein to a sandwich or pasta. I ate it with smoked maldon salt which was a great match!
tarynmgawronski (verified owner) –
Okay, this is my favorite Don Gastronom tin yet! I feel like this really encompasses the way just a simply prepared tin of fish can be so well executed. The oil was very rich and the quality of the mackerel was perfect. Very flakey, big pieces of meat, and not super fishy tasting. I do love the tins with smoke or flavor, but there is something to be said about just a solid classic tin. Out of all the mackerel tins I’ve tried, I think this is by far the best one based on quality, flavor and price. I ate this straight from the tin, with a pinch of salt and pepper added but I also think this would be great incorporated as a dip or as a sandwich.