Real Conservera Small Whole Mackerel (Caballitas) in Olive Oil

Reviews

1. 

   twa101 (verified owner) – October 5, 2023

   When I saw this come across the RTG latest tin feed, ranked #1 on the Mackerel list and #3 on the Overall list at worldbestfish.com, I just had to have it. $21 tin? Yes, I had a bit of sticker shock, and quite honestly, I’ve been afraid to open it. Are my expectations too high? Am I worthy? Am I crazy? So after a month of hanging around on my shelf, I decided to give it a whirl. Apparently, the producer recommends that you eat the product chilled, around 50º-55ºF, so I popped it into the fridge for about an hour. Upon opening I was surprised by a very strong briny smell. Also a little bit funky. This was letting me know it was SEAfood. I was also struck at how beautiful of a fish mackerel are. Sadly, my fledgling chopsticks and camera skills did not do these little babies justice. Giving one a try, I was surprised at the texture. I think chilling them firmed up the flesh a bit and they seemed slippery. The taste was a little bit stronger than I was expecting from a mackerel, but not as strong as a sardine. Not much salt, just enough to notice that it was there. These are very different than any mackerel I have tried before. They’re good, but I’m not yet sure if I really like them. I think most of it that since these are my first tin of whole mackerel, I have nothing to compare them to. Sort of like the first time I tried Rye whiskey, it was a barrel aged variety that was so complex in flavor that I didn’t know what to think. Perhaps I should have started off with a Nuri or Ferrigno whole mackerel first? I also wonder if I chilled them too long. I will be buying another tin to try again after I have sampled more of the genre. I also think that the next time I try these, I will only chill half of them so I can see what the difference in temperature makes.