What's Happened to Canned Tuna?

[AlaMoi]

the can of worms for this and many other topics has been invented by the revered activists.

and some of their 'points' are really quite valid.

 

my own experience in this issue is:  all the usual name brands now look like shredded tuna in glop, and taste like , , , oh....errr... taste like nothing.

in water, in oil, albacore, chunk, lite, light, dark, green, purple, organic,,,,, whatever.  tastes like nothing - certainly not what I recall from my kidhood.

 

mac&cheese, beans&franks, tuna noodle casserole.... comfort foods.  if you can make them taste like they used to.

I've been on a two year+ quest to make a decent tuna noodle casserole.  the failing element is the t u n a . 

so I'm following this on baited breath seeking out some really good stuff.  given the quantity we consume, more expensive for good stuff is not a deal breaker.

$20 shipping and handling for one can of tuna,,,, yeah - that's a deal breaker.

[Shel_B]

28 minutes ago, AlaMoi said:

[...] I'm following this on baited breath seeking out some really good stuff.  given the quantity we consume, more expensive for good stuff is not a deal breaker.  $20 shipping and handling for one can of tuna,,,, yeah - that's a deal breaker.

 

I've not tried this one yet, mainly because of the price ... https://safecatch.com/

Edited July 12, 2016 by Shel_B (log)

[Martin Fisher]

6 minutes ago, Shel_B said:

 

I've not tried this one yet, mainly because of the price ... https://safecatch.com/

 

 

 

I was looking at cans of this at our local Wegman's no more than 30 minutes ago!!!!

Safe Catch Elite Wild Tuna (5 oz.) $3.59

Safe Catch Wild Albacore (5 oz.)   $3.99

 

 

[blue_dolphin]

46 minutes ago, AlaMoi said:

so I'm following this on baited breath seeking out some really good stuff.  given the quantity we consume, more expensive for good stuff is not a deal breaker.

$20 shipping and handling for one can of tuna,,,, yeah - that's a deal breaker.

 

I use the Fishing Vessel St. Jude tuna that @Dianabanana recommended in this post, upthread. Nice solid pieces of tuna, sustainably caught, cooked once (in the can).   Looks just like the photo on their website.

I usually order 27 cans to fill a box and get the 10% discount.  Shipping adds 66 cents/can, to my address anyway. Last year, they offered a free shipping promotion around the holidays.

 

I appreciate that the big brands are trying to maximize yields and minimize waste but the methods they have chosen (precooking and blasting every scrap of meat off the fish) seriously degrade the product and adding a salty, soy-containing vegetable broth does nothing to repair the damage.

[gfweb]

Damnit. eGullet made me buy something again.

 

At least tuna is cheap (ish)

[Shel_B]

10 hours ago, DiggingDogFarm said:

https://safecatch.com/

I was looking at cans of this at our local Wegman's no more than 30 minutes ago!!!!

Safe Catch Elite Wild Tuna (5 oz.) $3.59

Safe Catch Wild Albacore (5 oz.)   $3.99

 

That's substantially less than what I'd have to pay, although I've only checked a couple of sources.  No Wegman's around here ...

Edited July 13, 2016 by Shel_B (log)

[SusieQ]

I was looking at cans of tuna just the other day at my local Safeway, and even the oil-packed tuna listed soy as an ingredient. I thought that was kind of weird. And when did they start packing it in vegetable broth even though it says water on the label? Someone else talked about fresh albacore from the West Coast. Yes, that raw albacore tuna is *most* delicious. I've had some of that pressure-canned albacore from locals in Oregon, too, and yes, it was also very delicious. 

[sartoric]

To chuck in an Australian perspective I just checked the can from last nights tuna patties.

The ingredient list is  81% line or pole caught yellow fin tuna, 17.5 % sunflower oil and extra virgin olive oil, sea salt.

The size is 185 g ~ 6 oz, and cost was AUD $3 although it might have been on special.

 

The brand is Sirena, to me it's as tasty as the tuna of my childhood. A favourite then was tuna and sweet corn mornay on toast, mmmm.

[liuzhou]

20 hours ago, btbyrd said:

Low quality brands taste bad because they're low quality.

Thank you for that deep insight.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

I just ordered Callipo as recommended by one eGullet member in the canned seafood thread.  Ortiz sounds interesting but I could not find it for delivery today, except for the considerably more expensive belly meat.  The recipe I am using calls for Italian canned tuna.

[Shalmanese]

"vegetable broth" is just the manufacturer's sneaky way of saying MSG.

[Shel_B]

2 hours ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

I just ordered Callipo as recommended by one eGullet member in the canned seafood thread.  Ortiz sounds interesting but I could not find it for delivery today, except for the considerably more expensive belly meat.  The recipe I am using calls for Italian canned tuna.

 

Belly meat (ventresca) is very good.  Everyone who eats canned / jarred tuna should try it at least once ... delicious!

[blue_dolphin]

1 hour ago, Shel_B said:

 

Belly meat (ventresca) is very good.  Everyone who eats canned / jarred tuna should try it at least once ... delicious!

Indeed!  Whenever I order from Fishing Vessel St. Jude, I always get at least a few cans of their canned tuna belly.  It is lovely stuff.  I always struggle to get enough into the recipe due to nibbling it right from the can!

Edited July 15, 2016 by blue_dolphin
to add link (log)

[huiray]

Indeed ventresca is very very good. Seconded that one should try it at least once, preferably just by itself (yum!) with minimal accompaniments that let the tuna shine. Still, the good canned/jarred stuff will sort of "dissolve" into the dish if used in a recipe where cooking and stirring is involved - so if one wants discrete chunks of tuna the (good) non-ventresca stuff is probably indicated. :-)