In Praise of Pilchards, Sardines, Jacket Potato, and All Things Tinned Fish

I recently joined Matthew Carlson’s Patreon – the Matthew Carlson of Canned Fish Files. It didn’t feel like “supporting a creator” so much as quietly joining the international brotherhood of people who think carefully about what comes out of a sardine tin. He opens tins on YouTube, plays synths, talks about texture and brine, and somehow makes it all feel perfectly reasonable.

Since I’ve now outed myself to him as a long-term tinned-fish loyalist, it seems like the right time to write down where this started: my mum’s kitchen, student life at UEA around 1990, pilchards on jacket potatoes, and how sardines moved from “cheap student fuel” to a permanent part of my adult diet.

Mum, Mustard, and the Smell of Tinned Fish

My first sardines were not eaten in a seaside town or on holiday in the Mediterranean. They were eaten under a buzzing fluorescent tube in my mum’s kitchen. Her standard move was sardines on white bread with mustard and onions. That was the entire recipe: open the tin, tip the fish onto bread, add mustard and sliced onions, and get on with the day.

If you grow up around that smell, you either decide fish from a can is the enemy, or you accept it as normal, even comforting. I ended up in the second camp. From there it escalated: sardines in olive oil, sardines in tomato sauce, sardines with chili, and eventually pilchards – essentially bigger sardines, usually in a thick tomato sauce, and not remotely shy about announcing their presence.

UEA, 1990: Pilchards, Jacket Potatoes, and Student Food

By 1990 I was at the University of East Anglia, living the usual student life: not much money, odd hours, and a shared kitchen that always smelled faintly of burned toast and damp. Food followed a familiar pattern. Beans on toast. Cheese on toast. Beans and cheese on toast if you were really pushing the boat out. Jacket potatoes with whatever was in a tin and on sale.

Somewhere in that rotation, I hit upon jacket potatoes with pilchards in tomato sauce. A large baking potato, cooked until the skin went crisp and the inside turned fluffy, split open and filled with butter, then flooded with hot pilchards. Sometimes cheese on top if I had it. Eaten out of a bowl while trying to revise and stay awake.

It was cheap, filling, salty, tomato-based, a little fishy, and very hard to beat. Years later I found Jenny’s Pat Phoenix jacket potato recipe on Silver Screen Suppers and realised that my slightly desperate student meal was not that far removed from something associated with Pat Phoenix of Coronation Street fame. That felt like a small retroactive upgrade in status and I’m happy to claim it.

Sardines and Pilchards, in Plain English

For anyone who didn’t grow up with them, a quick overview helps. Sardines are small oily fish from the herring family. They grow quickly, eat low on the food chain, and end up with low mercury levels and decent sustainability credentials. They’re usually sold tinned, in oil, water, or sauce.

“Pilchard” is often just the name given to the same fish at a larger size or older age. In practice, the label mostly shows up on tins packed in tomato sauce. The flavour is slightly richer and meatier than the smaller sardines but the basic idea is the same.

Nutritionally, both are overachievers: lots of omega-3, plenty of calcium if you eat the soft bones, good protein, vitamin D, selenium, and so on. They are inexpensive, shelf-stable, and about as close as you get to a “whole food” in a can.

Despite this, sardines in the U.S. still have an image problem. People talk about them as if they’re some kind of punishment food while quite happily eating mystery meat in tube form. It doesn’t make much sense, but there we are.

From Student Fuel to Everyday Food

Back at university, tinned fish was purely practical. It was cheap, kept forever, required no cooking skill, and happened to be reasonably healthy. That was enough. Years later, those same qualities make it very easy to keep sardines and pilchards in the regular rotation without feeling like I’m “slumming it.”

These days one of my main fallback meals is a big bowl of lentils with tomato pilchards or sardines in olive oil – I’ve written that up separately in my “my go-to is a nice bowl of lentils and either tomato pilchards or sardines in olive oil” post. It’s basically the same cast of characters as the jacket potato, just rearranged: lentils simmered until tender, fish straight from the tin, seasoning, maybe some hot sauce. You end up with something high in protein and fibre, full of good fats, and still firmly in the “cheap and fast” category.

The Quiet Sardine Underground

One of the stranger aspects of modern sardine life is how many people seem slightly embarrassed by them. Talk about sardines online and people admit they buy them the way they buy embarrassing pharmacy products: quickly, quietly, and with an eye on the aisle in case someone they know walks past.

The shelves tell a different story. There are plenty of brands, different sauces, varying price points, and the shop keeps restocking them. Someone is eating a lot of sardines; they’re just not talking about it at parties.

The truth is simpler: tinned fish is normal food. It is not a moral failing. It travels well, it keeps, it’s good for you, and it makes a lot of sense if you live on a budget, work odd hours, or just can’t be bothered to cook from scratch every day.

A Straightforward Pilchards Jacket Potato

You don’t have to be a broke student in Norwich or a character in Coronation Street to make this. It works anywhere you have an oven and the patience to wait for a potato to cook properly.

Ingredients

• 1 large baking potato

• Butter

• 1 tin pilchards or sardines in tomato sauce

• Grated cheese (optional, but recommended)

• Chopped onion or spring onion

• Salt, pepper, and hot sauce to taste

Method

1. Heat the oven to about 400°F (200°C). Scrub the potato, prick it a few times with a fork, rub with a little oil and salt, and bake until the skin is crisp and the centre is soft. This usually takes close to an hour, depending on size.

2. When the potato is almost done, empty the tin of pilchards into a small pan and warm them through gently, breaking up the fish a little with a fork.

3. Split the potato open, add a generous amount of butter, and fluff the inside with a fork. Spoon the hot pilchards over the top. If you’re using cheese, scatter it on and run the potato under a hot grill for a minute or so until it melts and browns slightly. Finish with chopped onions or spring onions and any extra seasoning you like.

It is not elegant food, but it is extremely satisfying. This is the kind of thing you eat in a jumper on a cold evening with something old on the television and no particular desire to be anywhere else.

A Basic Tinned Fish Starter Pack

If you’re sardine-curious and want to reproduce the general mood of UEA in 1990 without the haircuts, there are a few simple combinations that cover most of the territory:

• Beans on toast

• Sardines on toast

• Pilchards on jacket potato

• Sardines with lentils (the “I read nutrition labels now” variation)

The only rule I really stick to is keeping at least a few tins in the cupboard at all times. They have bailed me out more times than I can count.

The Tinned Fish Moment

Right now tinned fish is going through a small boom. There are good-looking tins, speciality brands, tapas bars putting sardines on nice plates, and people like Matthew Carlson calmly opening, tasting, and ranking fish for a living. For those of us who have been quietly eating pilchards over the sink for years, this is both slightly amusing and oddly pleasing.

So consider this my small acknowledgement of the people and places that got me here: my mum with her mustard-and-onion sardine sandwiches; UEA and those oven-baked potatoes that kept me functional; Jenny at Silver Screen Suppers and her Pat Phoenix potato; and Matthew, who has turned the humble tin into a subject worth serious discussion.

If you’re on the fence, start simply: toast, a decent tin, maybe a squeeze of lemon. Or commit fully and do the jacket potato. The only real warning is that it’s easy to get used to having a few tins around, and once you’re in that habit, it’s hard to stop.

Joining the Deenz List

As for Matthew’s Patreon, I didn’t join cautiously. I went straight to the Deenz List tier. At that point you’re not just watching someone else open fish; you’re admitting this is a long-term arrangement between you and the sardine industry.

So yes: I’m Deenz List. I’ve committed. And if you’ve read this far, you probably understand why.

FAQ: Pilchards, Sardines, Tins, and What To Do With Them

1. What exactly is a pilchard, and how is it different from a sardine?

Biologically, “pilchard” and “sardine” are basically the same fish. The classic European species is Sardina pilchardus – note both words right there in the Latin name.

In practice:

• “Sardine” is the generic, international, catch-all term.

• “Pilchard” is mostly a British/Commonwealth habit and often used for larger, older fish, especially when packed in tomato sauce.

So if you see “pilchards in tomato sauce” in a tall can, you are basically looking at sardines that grew up and got a bit more substantial.

2. Why don’t Americans say “pilchard”?

In the U.S., you’ll almost never see “pilchard” on a label. Everything is “sardines,” or occasionally “small fish” or “herring.” The word “pilchard” reads old-fashioned and slightly mysterious to American ears, so importers and marketers just don’t use it.

If you’re in North America and you want a “pilchard-type” experience, look for:

• “Sardines in tomato sauce”

• Larger fillets or whole fish in tall cans

• Sometimes “brislings” (small Baltic herring) which are different but scratch a similar itch

Same general concept, different naming convention.

3. What’s the deal with the tall tins of pilchards in tomato sauce?

In the UK and parts of the Commonwealth, pilchards in tomato sauce traditionally come in tall, almost soup-sized tins. They’re meant to be a pantry staple: cheap, big, and ready to pour over toast or a baked potato.

Texture and feel:

• Fish are usually larger and more “meaty” than dainty little olive-oil sardines.

• Tomato sauce is thicker and more like a basic tinned tomato soup or stew.

• It’s designed to be heated and used as a topping – on toast, rice, pasta, baked potatoes.

If you grew up with it, it’s comfort food in a can. If you didn’t, it can seem slightly alarming until you actually eat it.

4. Are sardines and pilchards actually healthy?

Yes. Very.

They’re about as close as you get to a whole, minimally processed animal product in a tin:

• Protein: plenty, and complete.

• Omega-3 fats: the good stuff for heart and brain.

• Calcium: if you eat the bones (you should), you get a lot.

• Vitamin D, B12, selenium: all solid.

• Low mercury: because they’re small, fast-growing fish that eat plankton, not other fish.

If you can get past the packaging and the smell, they’re one of the more sensible things in the supermarket.

5. Do I have to eat the skin and bones?

You don’t have to, but you’re throwing away nutrition and most of the character if you don’t.

• The bones are very soft; they crush easily with a fork and disappear into the mix.

• The skin holds a lot of flavour and fat.

If you absolutely can’t handle it, there are “skinless & boneless” tins. They’re milder, less confronting, but also less interesting.

6. What kinds of sardine/pilchard packs are there?

Roughly, you see a few main approaches:

• In water or brine – lean, mild, lower calories, more “fish-forward” because no oil or sauce to hide behind.

• In vegetable oil – often soybean or generic vegetable oil; cheap and serviceable.

• In olive oil / extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) – richer, more flavour, usually signals a higher-end product.

• In sauces – tomato sauce, mustard sauce, chili/piri-piri, lemon, “Mediterranean” style, escabeche (vinegar + spices), etc.

If you’re starting out, olive oil or tomato sauce is usually the most forgiving route.

7. Why do people go on about Spanish and Portuguese sardines?

Because a lot of the really good, traditional canneries are in Spain and Portugal, and they’ve been at it for a long time.

Things people notice:

• Better quality fish (often larger, plumper, handled carefully).

• Good olive oil instead of cheap vegetable oil.

• Traditional prep: often packed by hand, sometimes lightly smoked or marinated.

• Nice tins: the packaging looks like something you’d leave out on the counter, not hide in the cupboard.

You pay more for these, but you usually get a noticeable upgrade in texture and flavour.

8. Are there different regional fish/varieties?

Yes. “Sardine” on the tin can cover several related species, depending on where they’re caught:

• European sardine (Sardina pilchardus): classic Atlantic/Med fish used by a lot of Spanish/Portuguese/French canneries.

• Pacific sardine (Sardinops sagax): common in West Coast and Pacific products.

• Brisling / sprats (Sprattus sprattus): small Baltic fish, often marketed as sardines or “small sardines.”

• Herring / small herring fillets: sometimes sold as sardines, sometimes labelled honestly.

They behave similarly in a tin, but the flavour, fat content, and texture vary. That’s where the fun starts if you’re the type of person who watches Matthew talk about sardines for 10+ minutes at a time.

9. What brands are considered “top tier”?

“Top” is subjective, but among sardine nerds you’ll often hear praise for brands like:

• Nuri (Portugal) – especially their spiced tins in olive oil.

• Pinhais / Conservas Pinhais & Cia (Portugal).

• Ortiz (Spain) – better known for tuna, but their sardines are solid.

• Matiz (Spain).

• Conservas de Cambados (Spain).

• La Brujula, Jose Gourmet, and other fancy Iberian labels.

These are the tins you gift to someone or break out when you want to convince a skeptic that sardines can be genuinely good, not just “survivable.”

They’re easiest to get via specialty shops or online (Amazon, tinned-fish shops, etc.) rather than a random suburban supermarket.

10. Which sardine brands am I likely to find in an ordinary U.S. grocery store?

In a standard American supermarket (or Walmart/Target), you’re more likely to see:

• King Oscar – widely available, generally reliable; look for the olive oil and “brislings” tins.

• Wild Planet – sustainably sourced, good olive-oil options.

• Season – especially their sardines in olive oil; you already use Seasons in your lentil bowl.

• Goya – especially pilchards in tomato or spicy tomato sauce, great for jacket potatoes.

• Brunswick – workhorse brand, including tomato sauce tins.

• Chicken of the Sea, Bumble Bee, Beach Cliff – lower-end but edible, especially if you’re mixing them into something rather than eating them straight.

• Trader Joe’s house brands – can be surprisingly good value when they’re actually in stock.

Starting with any of the above in olive oil or tomato sauce is fine. You don’t need to import something hand-packed by monks to eat a decent sardine.

11. Which brands are worth hunting down online?

If you’re ordering from Amazon or a specialty tinned fish shop, look for:

• The Iberian suspects mentioned above: Nuri, Pinhais, Matiz, Ortiz, Conservas de Cambados, Jose Gourmet, La Brujula.

• Smaller boutique labels that are clearly specifying fish origin and oil type, not just “fish in oil.”

• Sampler packs or mixed cases if you want to explore without committing to a dozen of the same thing.

If you’re not Matthew-level obsessive, you don’t need to turn this into a full hobby. One or two “fancy” tins in the cupboard for comparison is enough to understand what the fuss is about.

12. How do I start if I’m sardine-skeptical?

Practical ramp:

1. Start with sauce or good olive oil. Tomato sauce tins, or sardines in decent EVOO, are friendlier than plain brine.

2. Eat them on something. Toast, rice, baked potato, pasta, lentils. Don’t start by eating them straight from the tin over the sink like a 1940s dockworker.

3. Use acid and herbs. Lemon, vinegar, capers, parsley – they brighten everything and soften the “fishiness.”

4. Don’t stare too closely. If the idea of heads/tails bothers you, buy tins that are clearly trimmed fillets or “skinless and boneless.” You can graduate later if you want.

After a couple of goes, most people either decide “not for me” or, more often, quietly start keeping a few tins on hand.

13. Will my kitchen smell like sardines forever?

No. It will smell like sardines for a bit, and then it will smell normal again.

To keep the peace:

• Open the tin near the sink.

• Rinse the empty tin, wrap it in a bag, and get it out to the bin.

• A splash of vinegar or lemon in the sink and a bit of airflow takes care of the rest.

It’s nowhere near as persistent as frying fish.

14. How long do tins keep, and how should I store them?

Unopened tins usually have a shelf life measured in years, not months. Just keep them:

• At room temperature

• Away from direct heat

• With no obvious damage (no bulging, heavy dents, or rust)

Once opened, treat them like any other cooked fish: refrigerate leftovers in a separate container and use within a day or two.

15. Are sardines and pilchards sustainable?

By the standards of seafood, yes, they’re among the better choices:

• They’re small, fast-growing forage fish.

• They sit low on the food chain and can be harvested with relatively less ecological damage than big predators.

• Several brands carry MSC or other sustainability certifications.

As always, it’s not perfect, fisheries vary by region, but if you’re comparing them to big tuna or farmed salmon, sardines/pilchards are generally on the “more sensible” side.

Glossary: Deenz, Pilchards, Oils, and Other Sardine-Land Terms

Pilchard
Common name (mainly UK/Commonwealth) for a larger sardine. Often sold in tall tins in tomato sauce. In most modern usage, “pilchard” and “sardine” are the same fish at different sizes.

Sardine
Small oily fish from the herring family. Sold fresh or tinned. When people say “sardines” in this context, they usually mean the tinned kind.

Tall Tin / Soup-Can Pilchard
The classic UK-style can: taller, more like a soup can than a flat tuna tin. Usually holds larger fish in tomato sauce, designed to be heated and poured over toast, rice, potatoes, etc.

EVOO (Extra-Virgin Olive Oil)
The better end of the olive oil spectrum. If a sardine tin specifically says “in extra-virgin olive oil,” it usually signals a higher-grade product than generic “vegetable oil.”

In Brine / In Water
Sardines packed in salted water instead of oil or sauce. Leaner and more direct in flavour. Good if you’re watching fat intake or planning to add your own oil/sauce later.

In Tomato Sauce
Fish packed in a tomato-based sauce ranging from thin and soupy to thick and stew-like. The classic pilchard treatment. Very forgiving for beginners and ideal for baked potatoes and toast.

Piri-Piri / Spiced / Chili Sardines
Tins where the fish are packed with chili peppers or spiced oil. Popular in Portuguese brands. Usually heat rather than blowtorch, but do check labels and reviews if you’re spice-sensitive.

Skinless & Boneless
Sardine fillets with the skin and bones removed before packing. Milder, softer, and less visually confronting. Good for sardine skeptics or recipes where you want the fish to disappear into a spread.

Skin-On, Bone-In
Whole or partial fish with skin and soft bones intact. More flavour, more texture, more calcium. This is what most traditional sardine fans and reviewers prefer.

Deenz
Slang, mostly internet and Matthew-adjacent, for sardines. As in “cracking open some deenz.” “Deenz List” is Matthew Carlson’s top Patreon tier – the one you are on, proudly.

MSC (Marine Stewardship Council)
Certification logo you’ll sometimes see on tins, indicating the fishery meets certain sustainability standards. Not a perfect guarantee of anything, but generally a positive sign.

Brislings / Sprats
Small Baltic fish related to herring, often marketed as “small sardines.” Tins are usually smaller and tighter-packed, fish are more delicate. King Oscar and others use these.

Escabeche
A Spanish-style vinegar and spice marinade used for fish. If you see sardines “in escabeche,” expect a tangy, slightly sharp sauce rather than straight oil.

Pantry Fish
Informal term for tinned fish you keep on hand as a permanent backup: sardines, pilchards, mackerel, tuna, etc. The kind of thing that quietly keeps you fed when everything else in the fridge has died.