King Oscar Cross-Pack Sardines (Sprats) in Extra Virgin Olive Oil

$4.50

In the world of sprats and sardines, the smaller and more delicate the fish, the higher the premium is placed on it. The Cross-Pack offers 22-38 fish per tin. The other King Oscar 2-Layer varieties contain up to 22 fish. These small fish are rare. And delicious.

22-38 fish

106g tin

Pictured in an olive and pimento tapenade on crackers with parsley.

In stock

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Description

Ingredients: Lightly smoked brisling sardines (Sprattus sprattus), extra virgin olive oil, salt.

Kosher OU

Product of Poland

Check out SlowJabroni exploring this tin of sardines and other tins selected by Dan for his Surprise Me.

See what Matthew Carlson has to say about these sprats and other King Oscar products.

Reviews

  1. jfeyes (verified owner)

    Loved these tiny “Deens”!!!

  2. Jeff (verified owner)

    When I want to introduce my ‘dine-curious friends to tinned fish, this is one of the first tins I’ll reach for. When I’m entertaining and want to put together some tiny bites and nibbles on crackers with an array of condiments, this is one of the first tins I’ll reach for. When I want to make a hearty and tasty sandwich, this is one of the first tins I’ll reach for. When I just want to enjoy some fish straight out of the tin, this is one of the first tins I’ll reach for.
    These sprats are light, tasty, easy-going for sardine newcomers, versatile for culinary explorers, legit for aficionados, a great option for the budget conscious, and consistently high quality for everyone.
    I always have a handful of these tins in my pantry, and I can’t image why you wouldn’t too.

  3. Jonathan (verified owner)

    These are really great for the price. At a small premium over the basic King Oscars, I found these lil guys to be a nice upgrade.

    I agree with the other review – these would be a good type to share with someone curious. The texture is just right, they’re tiny little fish that someone could take a bite out of without feeling intimidated, and the flavor is mild and pleasant.

    I’ll be buying these again in the future for sure.

  4. Hream McDan (verified owner)

    Fine for a beginner, absolutely. Semi-soft texture and very VERY mild. If you used this tin in a recipe then it would all but disappear, making it very approachable to someone new to the scene. If that’s what you are looking for then stop right here – you’ve found it! After trying this, then branch out into some more personality-forward tins.

    As for a more experienced sardine’r … I’d MUCH rather have Riga Gold or Belveder at this price since they bring SO much more flavor to the party. If you’ve had those, or Rugen Fisch smoked sprats, or any other upgrade tins (Fangst!) then you’re likely going to feel like these don’t have much of a taste at all. For me, I even needed to add extra salt and I honestly don’t do that very often. Being so mild can hold advantages to some, but to me, these are very easily forgotten. I want richness, I want to be punched in the mouth with flavor and this KO cross-pack doesn’t pack a punch. Sardine veterans will want to look elsewhere.

  5. wadematthewtroyer (verified owner)

    Can had 26 small sardines, with a really mild fishy flavor with a good amount of salt and umami flavor going on. Had some on wheat things and most on their own. These were really fun to eat per usual for small sardines, and they looked really pretty too, they are charming set of ‘dines. These will definitely be in my rotation and are well worth the price of entry.

    My first time trying any King Oscar sardines of any kind, I have to say I am really impressed. I always enjoy smaller sardines, especially on crackers, and these really hit the spot without being too soft or mushy which small sardines tend to be from my experience with other brands. They held their shape when being picked up by chopsticks.

    Excited to try some of the other sardines by King Oscar now!

  6. twa101 (verified owner)

    As a fan of King Oscar sprats, I was curious about their slightly elusive 22-38 wee ones. They were fairly mild smelling, shiny and very small in the tin. Very small. It’s one thing to see the estimated number on the wrapper knowing that their normal tin of sprats are 8-12 fish in the tin, and an entirely different thing to actually see them. There were 32 fish in this tin. I figured that they would be pretty delicate so I gently flipped the tin over and most of them came out in one fishy brick. The flavor was what you would expect from a regular KO sprat. A little bit fishy and very light on the smoke. Pretty mellow. The texture was very soft, a bit silky and just shy of mushy. This would be a good tin to introduce someone to sprats and sardines. These are so small that the spines are undetectable and the overall experience is pretty tame. If you like a firm fish, this is not your tin, but I rather enjoyed them. I sprinkled them with a bit of lemon juice and dried thyme which brightened them up a bit.

    They were very fragile and I would not recommend trying to cook them or use them as a salad topper. These are best suited for eating as is or perhaps as a canapé topper.

    If you’re a sprat brat, you really should try these as they are a different experience from your standard sprat.

  7. AK (verified owner)

    Reviews are on point: good clean beginner fish with nice texture, no perceptible bones, mild flavor. Size makes them great for presentation on a board.

  8. Greg Roddy (verified owner)

    So as a beginner in the sardine world I am tending to agree that these are a great intro into sardines. I was extremely pleased with the taste and texture of these and will certainly be ordering again. I guess at some point I will be trying some of the others listed once my taste develops but I can’t see not ordering these again….they were delicious. This was my second tin of King Oscar products and they seem like a very good quality product at a very reasonable price

  9. Lawrence Kalinowski (verified owner)

    delicious little bites. perfect for crackers. extra style points for the cross pack. flavor and texture reminded of tiny tots. which are my standard sardine — so plenty happy. great price point for the quality.

  10. Joe Warren (verified owner)

    Quite the braid! Reminiscent of tiny tots, as so many delights await! Somehow they fit 30 in there. Salty brine, the small size makes them both bite size and sponges soaking up the oil. First encounter with sardines that could almost be wrung out with how much oil each sopped up! Savory morsels, very mild, and a steal for what you get!

  11. Peter Kupchick (verified owner)

    Just enjoyed these for lunch. Right out of the tin they were ok but lacked the salinity and flavor of the spiced variants for obvious reasons. Texture was good. I made a Salad with them and used some of the oil in the dressing. Came out excellent (seasoned well). Could certainly incorporate these into other dishes and bites where the sardines play a background role flavor wise.

  12. newsletteracct (verified owner)

    My first time trying sprats and I quite enjoyed these – the flavor is much more delicate than other tins I’ve enjoyed. They’re the perfect size to scoop onto crackers – I ended up polishing off the whole tin in one go. Definitely a good beginner tin for anyone who might be squeamish about bones.

  13. randymatteson427 (verified owner)

    Put 10 into my cart on my first RTG order. Now I am wishing I doubled up that number. I reach for these 3-4 times a week. The little guys are fun to pluck out one by one from the tin and patiently enjoy the soft velvety texture. I have started to pour them directly over a bed of mixed greens and am sure to let as much of the EVOO drip out. I mix them into the salad with a few croutons – no other dressing needed. Very simple, extremely tasty and a totally satisfying lunch.

  14. luke (verified owner)

    These were delightful, I’m always hit or miss with king oscar. But there were a really wonderful upgrade from my normal experience with the brand. They were light and had a well balanced flavor, perfect for a quick snack on the go with some crackers and lemon juice. Love the smaller size of the individual fish. The oil itsellf was nice and had none of the astringent aftertaste that I sometimes get with King Oscar products.

  15. Ben Gradel (verified owner)

    The most affordable tin of fish I could have as a daily driver and be 100 percent pleased with. The small fish are the right sized for a single bite or to divide them up. The texture of both the meat and tails is what I look for in tinned fish, firm enough to hold together when eating with chopsticks but so soft they are easily taken apart with little persuasion of utensils. Best used as an ingredient AND as a stand alone meal. On a cracker or in a sandwich provides a meat texture I enjoy and takes on others flavors as though it were its own. The olive oil is tasty and acts as a great base to make dressings for whatever gets mixed in with the sardines. Neatly arranged in the tin these are easy to remove and plate and don’t have any strong or overpowering flavors or odors.

  16. Mike Turpie (verified owner)

    I had high hopes after the Dan family recommendation, and, well, everyone else’s, but these (my first King Oscar attempt) just didn’t do it for me. A bit fishy for my taste, and I really didn’t get any smoke. A little light on the salt as well. Tried with mustard, with hot sauce… just not for me. Perhaps Fangst ruined me for reasonably priced sprats.

  17. shs (verified owner)

    These are perfect for cooking with if want your fish to break down in the sauce—and I figure if you are cooking with such tiny sprats, you probably aren’t looking for a very meaty/chunky experience anyway. The price point is right too for something that is meant to flavor a dish rather than be the main component.

    There’s a terrific recipe from Epicurious/Bon App that I use these for involving spaghetti, fried capers, breadcrumbs, garlic, and dill. (If you do look up the recipe, I use half the amount of breadcrumbs.)

  18. legallydistinctfish (verified owner)

    A tin that I’ve enjoyed in the past and my opinion of them has not changed when trying the one included in this order. The plain olive oil lets the flavor of the sardines shine, even if the flavor is a bit one-dimensional. The texture is good, the smell is not bad at all for tinned fish, and the quantity of the fish lets me enjoy them for longer. Factor in the fantastic price, and these sardines live up to the name of “King”. Would recommend pairing with something with a bit of flavor as opposed to something like white rice.

  19. kyelmoore (verified owner)

    Got my RTG shipment in today, and was so excited I had to crack a tin seconds after unboxing. Decided to start with the KO cross-pack, since I’m a still a novice deen enjoyer.

    What a great tin. I had previously tried the white wine and caper tin from KO, and while they were pretty good, I enjoyed them a little less than I had expected to. I think the white wine and caper flavors played with the fishiness in a way I wasn’t crazy about.

    These guys were great though! Very mild fishy flavor, and the olive oil was present and adding a nice dimension. I’d describe this tin as very clean, middle of the road. I intended to add a squeeze of fresh lemon, but had plowed through the entire can before I remembered. Great for introducing someone who enjoys fish, but may not be sure about tinned sardines.

    The thing I’ve loved so far about both KO tins has been the texture. It’s been consistent. Not too firm, a little soft, but very pleasant to eat. Had a couple crunches I wasn’t expecting in this tin, couldn’t figure out if it was tail or bone? While it was surprising, it wasn’t unpleasant and I easily got over it.

    Phenomenal quality to price ratio. I highly recommend this tin.

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