Conservas Pinhais canned fish
Pinhais sardines and the cannery’s delicious secret-recipe tomato sauce are what the 103 year old cannery is best known for, and Pinhais tinned sardines in olive oil, spicy olive oil, tomato sauce and spicy tomato sauce is what Pinhais devotes itself to mostly producing. However, Pinhais mackerel, also sourced from Matosinhos fish market and canned on the day of the catch accounts for a small part of Pinhais’s production too and is of the same signature quality as the sardines. Choose between Pinhais mackerel and mackerel fillets in olive oil, tomato and spicy tomato.
Where is Pinhais tinned fish from?
Pinhais canned fish is from Portugal. The tins of Pinhais sardinhas are canned at Pinhais cannery in Matosinhos, outside Porto. Pinhais was founded on 23 October 1920. However, the Pinhais branding dates from 1926. Before that brands were not registered and tinned fish only had the name of the cannery and the type of fish inside on the tins. Pinhais tins are aimed at the domestic, Portuguese market. Whereas Nuri - its other line - is for the international market and was launched in 1936.
Are Pinhais sardines wild-caught?
Pinhais sardines are wild caught in the Atlantic and the cannery sources the best of the catch each morning from Matosinhos fish market and cans them by hand the same day.
What makes Pinhais canned fish different?
Pinhais has kept the canning process artisanal and much less machine reliant than other canneries. The fish is prepared by hand, as are the locally sourced bay, cloves and chilli. There are 37 steps involved in the production of each tin - from choosing the best fish at the morning market to brining the sardines and pre-cooking them to improve flavour (not all canneries pre-cook the sardines, choosing to economise with time at the expense of flavour), right through to hand-wrapping the tins and tapping each one to check the correct quantities of ingredients are present. Pinhais artisanal sardines are different because the best fish go in the tins and rigorous quality control ensures each Pinhais tin is to the same high standard.
How can I eat tinned sardines?
Sardines are oily fish so add some acid to cut through the fattiness. Lemon, vinegar, pickles, tomatoes, olives. Mash canned sardines on toast and add a squish of lemon, thinly sliced shallots and salt and pepper. Add them to vegetable tray bakes; they won’t dry out but the skins will crisp up. Try tinned sardines in pasta dishes, the tomato and spicy tomato sauces can work as pasta sauces. They’re a good way to beef up salads with a protein too.
