The canned fish craze is still going strong and who knows? Maybe this newfound love for high-quality preserved seafood won’t die. I have to admit, things have gotten a little crazy on social media, but here, in the real world, there’s a lot to like in all the delicious varieties that are now more available. Most high-end canned fish comes from the Old World: Spain, Portugal, and especially Italy. However, a new voice, this time from Canada, has entered the fray. I recently tried my first Scout product and was impressed with the quality and commitment to artisanal canning.
About Scout
According to them website, Scout is the brainchild of Charlotte Langley, a chef from Prince Edward Island, Canada. She was inspired to revive the dying art of seafood canning after finding an antique canning machine. This was definitely a worthwhile effort in my opinion, especially in today’s world of conservation and sustainability. I’ve even toyed with the idea of starting a small canning operation.
PEI was once the spring mackerel ground of Gloucester fishermen in the 19th century. The “mackerel jiggers” of old kept their catch in brine barrels. Nothing was wasted and all edible fish were used in some way. Our American coasts were once lined with canneries: from the “sardine land” of the Maine coast, to the famous “Cannery Row” immortalized by Steinbeck.
The canneries are now largely gone, but the spark remains in places along both coasts. Fortunately, small artisan canning businesses are gaining more market share thanks to the growing popularity of canned fish. Social media allows even the smallest “mom and pop” operations to have an online presence and showcase their talent.
Chef Langley couldn’t have picked a more opportune time to start his canning operation. He began in 2014 to bring some of this traditional conservation back to North America. Lui teamed up with Adam Bent and Nate Dunn in 2018 to found Scout, and by 2020 their “Craft Can” line was already making waves.
Scout Product Lines and Sourcing
The company established itself in a relatively short time thanks to a line of unique and innovative seafood products. They Artisan cans they feature a delicious trinity of Canadian classics: lobster, mussels and trout. Other varieties like pink salmon and albacore tuna, but I’ve only seen these cans available online. This line has very nice box graphics that give off a real Canadian vibe and the little square boxes stand out on the shelf. Scout cans using good quality small, circular cans that are not breakable at all.
Scout recently introduced a line of Seafood snack for those of us on the move. These convenient snacks contain yellowfin tuna and a variety of crunchy, flavorful mix-ins like za’atar and chili peppers. They seem full of flavor but are not FODMAP friendly. I might be able to tolerate the za’atar variety and that still seems best to me.
Scout is committed to sustainability. They are transparent about their sources of lobster, mussels, salmon, tuna and trout. They use certified wild caught (MSC) Canadian lobster, Alaskan pink salmon, Pacific yellowfin and albacore tuna. ASC certified trout from Idaho Provisions on reverence it is used for the can I chose to review: scout trout with dill.
Scout’s Ontario Trout with Dill Review
I found the product unique and certainly of high quality. Upon opening the can I was met with flakes of skin-on trout in enough sunflower oil, loaded with dill. Straight from the can I found it very tasty and the fatty skin adds a bit of silky flavor too.
Scout was very kind in suggesting some serving suggestions, but I decided I would make a quick lunch for this can. I toasted some slices of Virgilio’s Italian bread (Fishermen’s Bread) and spread a little cream cheese on some and leave the other plain. Both options were pretty good, but I really liked the way the cream cheese blended with the fish and dill.
A delicious deviation from the standard lox and bagel – different enough to open your eyes and excite your taste buds. I plan to warm the can in hot water before opening it the next time I make it. I remember seeing it in Spanish bars before I dared to try them. It should bring out the flavors and have a good aroma.
Final Thoughts on Scout Canned Seafood
From the single I’ve tried so far; it’s easy to see the quality that Scout puts into their products. The trout was carefully placed in the can, which by the way is one of the easiest round pull-tops I’ve ever had to deal with. I wasn’t stuck “fishing” around the jar trying to get the last bits out. When you pay this much attention to the can itself, I trust you will fill it with only the best.
The Scout’s pricing puts them in the mid-range, making them quite affordable. The limited availability of each variety also ensures quality and more value for your money. My can of trout is $9 online, not exactly a can of tuna, but not as expensive as some fancy Europeans preserves.
Scout’s line of canned seafood would be a welcome addition to aa Seacuterie table or part of a tapas party. Canned fish snobs will love the unique variety of flavors, and you can feel good about getting it preserves closer to home.
