Proteins are essential constituents of a healthy diet. And fishes are a major source of lean animal protein. Essentially the sea water fishes acknowledge the category of tasty protein. Sardines are consumed at large scale. But the price is quite high. So, anchovies are a great substitute. Anchovies taste good and can be preserved for quite a time.
Anchovies are small fishes, basically green in color with blue reflections. Longitudinal stripes and silver fins impart the bluish reflection. They have slick and slender shapes. But it is not possible for everyone to go out to sea to catch these and cook them to savor the taste. Enlisted below is the list of brands which serve best-canned anchovies.
Anchovy Review Center 2021
| Image | Anchovies | Rating |
|---|---|---|
 | #1 - Wild Planet, Wild Anchovies in Water | 99% |
 | #2 - Crown Prince Flat Anchovies in Olive Oil | 94% |
 | #3 - Agostino Recca Fillets of Anchovies | 88% |
 | #4 - King Oscar Anchovies | 82% |
 | #5 - Ortiz Anchovy Fillets in Oil | 78% |
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#1 – Wild Planet, Wild Anchovies in Water
This brand of canned anchovies is different from your typical anchovies. William Carvalho and Bill McCarthy founded this company back in 2004. They had the vision to sustain the marine habitat and harvest seafood simultaneously. Wild Planet offers white anchovies. White anchovies are sourced from the waters off Morocco and sometimes from Peru. The anchovies are then sorted and cut into anchovy filets and canned at their facility. The white anchovies are small. And they have tempting texture. The anchovies are clean and have a mild flavor. You can taste these small but nutritious fishes straight from the can. Another way of serving them is to add them to tapas platter. White anchovies Crostini are yet another delicious recipe that surely will make you crave for more these saltwater fishes. They can be seasoned with pepper or garlic and lemon. The delicious anchovies are packed fresh in a concealed package and these canned anchovies are readily eatable.
The current offerings of this brand’s anchovy can provide you with anchovies in extra virgin olive oil. So you can just microwave the can and enjoy the rich taste of these small fishes in oil cooked form. The anchovies are also available in plain salted water in an easy to open can which imparts the true taste of anchovies. The water or olive oil does not reduce shelf life. Instead, they fill up the can to remove the air content in a can. This gives them an advantage over their rivals Roland anchovies fillets.
What we like about it:
Wild Planet provides you with one of the best anchovies found on planet earth. They are environmentally aware and hence the catching practice is designed so that the net will capture only the targeted fishes. The available lines of anchovies are a plus to this brand’s canned anchovies. The protein content is also neat with 19g. There is also an unsalted version of the can for those who usually avoid salt to relish the real flavor of the anchovies.
#2 – Crown Prince Flat Anchovies in Olive Oil
Anchovies with low fat are provided by this brand. It is one of the most popular anchovy brands. The method of preparation selected by this probable best anchovy brand is pretty conventional. And they have been practicing the same for years. The method of preserving is generally salt curing. So if you are looking for best quality anchovy in olive oil, Crown Prince is a great choice. The anchovies are perfect to serve with salads and pizza. The anchovies are stuffed in a case. The case contains twelve anchovy filets and packed with olive oil. The anchovies can then be used on a pizza. The Crown Prince Case usually has pulled up lids and the ingredients are anchovy fillet, olive oil, and salt. The anchovies are generally caught off the Morocco coast which hosts the best anchovies in the world. The other recipes where the anchovies can be used are eggplant curry or tomato relishes. And indeed they taste much better. Apart from that, the can serves ready to eat anchovies as well.
But once you open the pull-up the lid, there is a chance of spoilage. And once these fish spoil, the stinking smell might upset you to try them again. So for better consumption of these fishes, it is recommended to put them in a refrigerator. But if you have not opened it, then you can simply keep it in a cool place. The olive oil acts as a preservative in that case.
What we like about it:
Crown Prince is a great brand in supplying the best anchovies in the world in a can. The cans are ergonomic in nature which makes the case easy to open. The anchovy fillets are dipped in olive oil which serves both the purpose to ready to eat and instant cooking option in a single pack. They get well with salads, sauces, and pizza. Each serving of this canned anchovies share low calories. In addition to calories, the protein content for each serving is also impressive.
#3 – Agostino Recca Fillets of Anchovies
Now all this time we have been mentioning anchovy fillets. But what is anchovy fillets? Agostino Recca brings the answer to you. Anchovies are generally small in size and hence they are cut along the length from head to tail. Agostino Recca is one of the anchovies’ brands which have excelled in providing these sea anchovies to you in a perfectly designed can. They are the ones providing jarred anchovies to consumers. Agostino Recca is an Italian brand. The brand has a great experience in serving best quality anchovies which are caught from the coast of Italy. The company uses modern equipment to cure the anchovies. This helps to moderate sodium content in the canned anchovies which give this brand an upper hand than most of its competitors in the marketplace.
The packaging is designed to keep the fishes fresh and free from air. The glass container has a rubber seal along the can with metal top locking. Once you cherish these anchovies in oil which goes well with a variety of cuisines, you will keep on buying them in bulk. They can be used in the continental sauces, meats balls or just sprinkle some of the oil on to your cheese pizza and the taste does the trick. Agostino Recca reaches out deep into the ocean to find the best anchovies, tender and fresh, serve your appetite.
What we like about it:
The anchovy in a can is an exclusive product. The Italian history of serving salmon and tunas in fresh and mouthwatering flavors is what distinguishes the anchovies. It is a simple anchovy in a jar product with fresh, slender and tasty anchovies. The price is also on the lower side. And each and every fillet of the jarred anchovies is made from best anchovies in the world. The fillets are tasty and contain a moderate level of sodium.
#4 – King Oscar Anchovies
King Oscar has also earned a name in providing high-quality gourmet fillets of best anchovies. The basic ingredients of the can constitute anchovy fillets, olive oil and salt like any other brand of canned anchovies. The fillets in the pack are slick and are a perfect addition to the pizza toppings. King Oscar brand is very sensitive to the quality of their food products and hence, no added preservatives are allowed to these boneless fillets. The rich taste imparts a great savoring flavor to different recipes as well. The anchovies are fished from the Atlantic Ocean. The anchovies over there are a little bigger in sizes than the other counterparts.
The best anchovies in the world can also be found near the coast of Argentina and Peru from where King Oscar gets its fishes. The fillets are found in the pack of four and are both ready to eat as well as available for cooking. King Oscar can be used whenever and where you would want to have them. Unlike some, this brand’s jarred anchovies do not stink and thus leading to no wastage. The canned anchovies have a great packaging in a tin can with pull and roll lid like its rival Trader joe’s anchovies’ cans. But the low price and value for money give King Oscar a comparative advantage in the market.
What we like about it:
The cans contain a small number of anchovies and the price is low which empowers a consumer to try these anchovies’ brands. It is a pack of four and hence a family can eat them all at once. Even if you don’t like the taste, you don’t need to throw them out because the serving will be of very small quantity. The ingredients help King Oscar’s anchovies to microwave and eat directly from the can. The product has low calorie and low sodium content.
#5 – Ortiz Anchovy Fillets in Oil
Ortiz anchovies are yet another popular brand in jarred anchovies. The brand is Spanish and competes with the Wild Planet brand in terms of the taste and packing. Most of the European restaurants prefer their anchovies for cooking. The jar is packed with anchovies in oil and weighs almost the same as other brands. If you are looking to cook the anchovies at home, Ortiz anchovies are the best choice. And you should definitely try them. It not only makes you a good cook but also saves you a load. You can simply add these sea fishes to different cuisines to enrich the taste and make your guests woo at your culinary skills. The anchovies have a mild flavor and devoid of any added preservatives apart from olive oil and salt. You can add these in pasta sauce with some walnuts paste and Spanish virgin oil. It not only makes the delicacy taste wonderful but also saves you loads of money that you may have spent luxuriously in a restaurant.
They can also be served with broccoli or base them with onions and peppers. It provides a depth in the flavor of the saltwater fish which is also high in nutrition. The protein content is noteworthy with low calories. The jar of anchovies’ filets is designed in conventional jar container. The cap on the top of it is made from metal with internal threads that match with the external threads of the jar body providing an airlock packing.
What we like about it:
We prefer good quality anchovies. And if you do the same, you will come across different brands on the internet. Ortiz provides you the same but the amount of the salt in the jar is perfect. In Spain, Ortiz is known for selling premium products. So if you appreciate the quality texture of canned anchovies, then you can opt for this brand. The price of the jar is a bit higher on the scale but it surely is value for money.
How we choose the top canned anchovies in our list
Selecting top 5 anchovy in a can required a great deal of extensive literature survey. The exploratory research was done to find out what are the available products on the market. We browsed popular online shopping sites and any accompanying websites to get a good knowledge of the products. We made a list of best anchovies’ brands and checked with other websites for cross-reference. The brands which appeared on two or more sites were taken into consideration.
The following aspects were considered for the selection:
- Aesthetics: The packaging, vision of the provider and nutrient constituents were inspected. As the anchovies are considered for diet, the nutritional value should be concomitant with the diet plan and flavor as well. Each serving should provide with nutrients and calories within the limit. The vision of the manufacturer defines the goal in which a product is made. If the vision is not clear, the product will not find its way. But if the goals are clear, the business will strive to provide the best The packaging should be attractive, easy to handle and also be informative.
- Technical Processes: It determines the process through which the anchovies were fished and the source from which they were collected. It is very necessary that the practices adopted are certified and the process does not screen out essential nutrients.
After checking these aspects, we had gone through the customer reviews and feedbacks for different brands available on the internet and thereby we came up with the comprehensive review of best-canned anchovies mentioned above.
Different types of canned anchovies
Canned anchovies brands exclusively use different anchovies to prepare them in cans. Based on the extensive research, the anchovies are classified into the following categories:
- European anchovy: These have an abundant population in the Mediterranean Sea. Most of the anchovies are found near the coasts of Croatia, Morocco, and Spain. They have distinguishable features like cleft mouth and angular gape behind eyes. They can grow to a maximum length of 21 cm.
- Anchoa anchovy: Anchoa anchovy is generally the genus of anchovies containing more than 35 species. They are small fish ranging from 6 cm to 22 cm. They have a silver lining on the body beneath the scales.
- Long Fin Pacific anchovies: These species is profound in the Pacific. But these anchovies are found in shallow coastal waters and have a pretty fresh taste. The flavor is mild and goes well with sauces.
- Rio Anchovy: The most common anchovy found near the coasts of Brazil in the southern Atlantic. These fishes are very salty as they incubate in saline waters. This version of anchovy goes well for the unsalted version of canned anchovies.
- Short Anchovy: These are found on the western coast of Mexico. The anchovies have a relatively long body but compressed. Due to high salt content, curing is done to prepare an anchovy in a can. Most of the brands do not prefer to use them as the durability depends on added preservatives. But additives only preserve the fillets for a longer Also, it influences the taste of anchovies to some extent.
Why you need the best anchovies in your Kitchen
- A healthy diet requires the intake of balanced carbohydrates and proteins. But red meat has high protein which may further deteriorate health conditions. The healthy substitute for proteins is fish. And buying and cooking a fish might be a little hectic. So canned anchovies provide the solution of ready to eat fishes. Just make sure to have your jar opener or can opener handy.
- Anchovies are a rich source of protein and adding them also helps you to reduce weight. High proteins trigger the sensation of fullness and thereby your calorie intake is limited. Anchovies are also low in fat and calories. The majority of the anchovy fats are healthy. These are called Omega 3 fats. Every can or jar would state the information regarding omega 3 fat. This helps in reducing inflammation and the risk of cardiovascular problems.
- The anchovies are also rich in vitamins like vitamin A and B which are very essential for healthy living, improving cholesterol level and bone growth. Anchovies are a healthy source of these vitamins. And a jar of canned anchovies will help you achieve them for yourself as well as your family members.
- The canned anchovies are versatile in nature and can be used in various ways. One can directly eat the fillets from the can or one can simply use them in other dishes to enhance the taste. They can be served with salads, seasonal vegetables, and continental dishes.
- A jar of these anchovies can save you from embarrassing situations like unexpected arrival of guests. Just cook these anchovies and serve them with lemon garlic with some broccoli or make a pizza in your pizza oven and add the oil on the top. Your guests will appreciate the taste for sure.
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