Best canned salmon & mackerel, according to chefs
Three picks, each tied to a named taster and a public source — from Rodger Bowser, Danny Palumbo, Christina Chaey and Jordan Myrick. Recommendations come from foodandwine.com, sporked.com and bonappetit.com.
Fish · The ranking
- 1Top pick
Da Morgada Portuguese Mackerel in Olive Oil
Chosen by- Rodger BowserHead chef & managing partner, Zingerman’s Delicatessen · Ann Arbor
Bowser: tinned mackerel tastes “somewhere between the sweetness of tuna and the richness of sardines, with all of the tender meatiness you’d expect from both,” and very few tins top Da Morgada’s. Wild-caught, packed simply in olive oil.
- 2
Patagonia Provisions (wild sockeye salmon, Spanish mackerel)
Chosen by- Danny PalumboTaste tester, Sporkedsporked.com ↗
- Christina ChaeyEditor, Bon Appétit
Also chosen by- Christina Chaey · Editor, Bon Appétit source ↗
Sporked’s best salmon pouch, “hands down” (9.5/10): lightly brined and smoked wild sockeye, “fresh and unctuous.” Chaey calls its olive-oil mackerel (lemon-caper, Spanish paprika) her “favorite everyday tinned fish.”
- 3
Taku Smoked Sockeye Salmon
Chosen by- Danny PalumboTaste tester, Sporkedsporked.com ↗
- Jordan MyrickTaste tester, Sporked
“Very flaky and very good” (Myrick). Palumbo calls it “fancy canned salmon”: salty, smoky and fatty, and “the best canned sockeye salmon you can get.” Mail-order from the Juneau smokehouse.
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Questions, answered
- What is the best canned salmon & mackerel, according to chefs?
- MyTastr’s top pick is Da Morgada Portuguese Mackerel in Olive Oil, chosen by Rodger Bowser (Zingerman’s Delicatessen). Bowser: tinned mackerel tastes “somewhere between the sweetness of tuna and the richness of sardines, with all of the tender meatiness you’d expect from both,” and very few tins top Da Morgada’s. Wild-caught, packed simply in olive oil. Source: foodandwine.com ↗
- What are the other top picks for canned salmon & mackerel?
- No. 2 is Patagonia Provisions (wild sockeye salmon, Spanish mackerel), chosen by Danny Palumbo (Sporked); Christina Chaey (Bon Appétit). No. 3 is Taku Smoked Sockeye Salmon, chosen by Danny Palumbo and Jordan Myrick (Sporked). Each card above links to the original source.
- How does MyTastr choose these picks?
- Every pick is tied to a named chef, cookbook author or food expert and links to the public interview, panel or article it came from. We survey dozens, often hundreds, of top chefs, food writers and critics, and order reflects how often and how strongly a brand is recommended. Only organic recommendations count — paid endorsements don’t — and brands can’t buy a spot. Read how we pick.