Are Canned Sardines Raw Or Cooked?

If you are curious about diving into the world of tinned fish, you may have some questions like, "Are those small containers of canned fish actually cooked?" The answer is yes! In fact, all canned food is cooked, and you can even eat them straight out of the tin.

The traditional way of canning sardines is done largely by hand. The process begins by bringing freshly caught fish straight to the factory. They first go through a salt water soak, which makes the flesh firmer and easier to work with. Then, the heads are cut off and the internal organs removed. After a good cleaning, the sardines are steam-baked in large ovens. The cooked fish are cut to fit the shape of the can, topped off with something like water, olive oil, or tomato sauce, and then they are pressure cooked in a sterilization chamber at around 235 degrees Fahrenheit for close to an hour. That is hotter than the temperature of boiling water, and it is the key final step in ensuring that the tinned fish are shelf-stable and bacteria-free.

Larger-scale operations follow very similar steps, but automate many parts of the process with machines. However, the sardines likely travel to larger factories packed in ice rather than being canned within a day of being caught. There is also more attention placed on tempering the sardine's natural taste, so they can be used in a wide variety of products.

Canned sardines can be enjoyed alone or used as a component in composed dishes. In general, they have an oily texture and pronounced fishy taste, and you can also purchase varieties that have been smoked before canning. Most commonly, canned sardines still have the bones and skin, though there are some options without. However, there is really no need to pick them out. The bones are so soft that they are nearly indiscernible.

If you buy a product packed in a yummy sauce or spiced olive oil from specialty companies like "Shark Tank's" Fishwife, you need not do much more than pop open a can. Serve them cold or heat the opened tin under the broiler, and pair the sardines with crunchy toast, seedy crackers, some tangy pickled stuff, and spreads like mustard or upgraded store-bought mayo. Throw them in a sandwich with some lemon-dressed arugula, or use them as the punchy protein to finish a grain salad.

Canned sardines with a more neutral flavor like those packed in water or vegetable oil are great for incorporating into fish salads and pastas. Pair them with something like lemon juice, parsley, and buttery Castelvetrano olives or shallots, fresh cilantro, chopped chilies, and a hint of rice vinegar. You can also use them in either tomato- or lemon and olive oil-based pasta sauces alongside ingredients such as garlic, capers, onions, red pepper flakes, and fresh herbs for a preparation that is at once meaty, savory, and bright.