Jose Gourmet Small Mackerel in Olive Oil
Yes Way, Jose!
Originally Published: Tuesday, April 4, 2023
Specs
Derpy fish.The Opposite of a Big Mac...
Is of course a small mac. Mackerel that is. Today’s tin is the Small Mackerel in Olive Oil from Jose Gourmet in Portugal. Jose is their official spelling, even though their press materials refer to the name José with the diacritic included.
There is high regard at the moment for this brand, with many people in the hobby (the one where you eat canned seafood) freely handing out accolades for their products, despite the relatively premium price tag. Their products are easily recognizable by their beige cardboard sleeve adorned with unique illustrations representing the product inside.
The mission statement on their website reads a like a frenetic dissertation from an etymologist that was later co-opted by a business-bro for his marketing finals. With their prices firmly in the range of “luxury goods”, it’s hard not to consume their product with a healthy side of cynicism. Does this highly stylized, hipster nonsense brand stand up to scrutiny?
A brand with big gentrification energy.You Got Lucky... This Time...
Fine. It’s good. I’m jumping the gun a bit here so let’s start from the top.
Opening a new tin is always a treat because you never know what’s going to happen. Even before setting eyes on the contents its aroma filled my sinuses. The fishy funk of mackerel with the brine of the sea wafted from the popped seal of the can carried by a warm, olive scented Mediterranean breeze.
Peeling the lid back revealed shimmery, metallic fillets of mackerel, packed to the brim. These fillets were packed belly side up, allowing the silver skin to reflect gracefully off the surface of the fragrant olive oil, reminiscent of shoals playfully dancing amongst open waves at sunset.
Removing the fillets from the container was a bit of a struggle because of how tightly they were packed. Once removed however, they manage to hold their shape very well. The steel-grey stripes that adorned the back of mackerel offered a satisfying visual contrast to their platinum undersides.
The flesh had a rosy blush colour to them and looked plump and meaty. A bold umami scent accompanied each fillet as they were lifted out of the tin, released from their oily prison.
Shut Up and Eat the Damned Thing Already
The first bite was a pleasant surprise. It’s always good to be pleasantly surprised. The flesh had a wonderful fatty content that coated the tongue. This was the natural fattiness of mackerel, and not the olive oil that preserved the fish. The texture was of the flesh was tender and soft, with a springy chewiness that is usually found in fresh fish as opposed to canned. It is rare to find preserved fish with such an appealing texture; it’s often the hardest property to preserve during the canning process.
Atop olive oil and garlic baguette crisps.The seasoning was subtle, relying on the natural fruit in the olive oil and a small amount of salt. The mackerel’s natural flavours were the most prominent and led the charge, followed closely by the olive oil with some nutty bitterness, and a small amount of salt brought up the rear and helped reset the palate for the next bite. There was a creamy, almost dairy like element to the finish that was not unlike fresh fior di latte. A curious kelp note wrapped up the whole tasting experience.
There were some small bones present in the fillets, but the canning process reduced them to an interesting texture, adding to the overall experience. I almost always opt to eat the bones in canned fish, and this was no exception.
The olive oil used was of a decent quality, and I would highly recommend enjoying the infusion left in the bottom of the tin with some bread or crackers.
Mop up all that fishy goodness.The Word on Jose
Long story short, I can get behind their products. This is a very enjoyable tasting with some nuances not found in other products. The preservation of textures is top-notch, and the quality of ingredients are reflected in the finished product. Their accolades are well earned.
However, it’s hard to ignore the aforementioned big gentrification energy, and at $11 CAD a can, it’s hard to recommend this to anyone looking for a quick snack. I recommend this product for special occasions or as gifts for a fancy host. It’s a bit out of reach for the every-day, not that it wouldn’t be fully enjoyable. The lower-luxury price bracket is a very competitive space right now for canned seafood (I bet you didn’t expect to read those words in that order today), but this product has enough going for it to at least earn half a star. Since I don’t give out half stars, I’m rounding it down to no stars (with an erratum of 1 star in Europe, since it seems to be more affordable there.)
I expect to see a lot more Jose products in my future… once my wallet recovers.