When concern about high mercury levels in tuna sent my household hunting for a replacement for our beloved tuna salad sandwiches, Trader Joe's canned smoked trout stepped in. And honestly? I think it's even more tasty &mdash and much more elegant — than plain old tuna.
The fillets of fish are packed in oil, so they just need to be mixed with a dab of mayonnaise, a squeeze of lemon and some chopped herbs to make a flavorful sandwich filling. Or you can fancy it up by calling the mix "smoked trout rillettes" and serve it on toast rounds to company.
A personal favorite is smoked trout and cabbage salad, made by mixing the trout with half a head of shredded cabbage and lemon juice to taste. Simple, smoky yet fresh-tasting, it's become one of my go-to winter salads, made with my newest pantry staple.
Have you ever bought this smoked trout? How do you like to serve it?
Related: What Can I Do With a Surplus of Smoked Salmon?
(Image: Anjali Prasertong)
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My 18m loves TJs smoked trout.
Yum, I'll have to look for this.
Farmed trout is labeled as a best choice under the Monterrey Bay Aquarium seafood choices list as well!
Seafood sustainability is usually something Trader Joe's is woefully bad at paying attention to so I'm glad to see this product out there!
http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/SeafoodWatch/web/sfw_search.aspx?s=trout
So glad this question was posted. After I heard the many raves for this I bought quite a few cans.
So far, the only thing I've done with it is a salad of red onion, celery, mayo, walnuts, apples and dill. I saw it done with fresh smoked trout on a Hubert Keller episode.....
I'd love to hear other ideas.....
I LOVE this smoked trout. In my TJ's it's hiding on the very bottom shelf, way below the tuna, and I felt like I'd discovered a treasure when I stumbled upon it. I've used it in salads and spreads, but most often I just eat it on crackers with a sprinkling of pepper. Glad to know that others love it, too!
I know from firsthand experience it is excellent in the backcountry!
Thanks for the tip! I'm definitely checking this out!
We like it on good crackers with a little lemon and some cracked pepper. Our dogs adore it as well!
They have cans of boneless salmon that we always buy as well. Yum.
sounds good. I am a little concerned about it being packed in oil. does it taste... oily? is the fat content much higher?
It's a shame that most "canned" fish is still sold in metal tins, which I try to avoid. Why not sell them in glass jars like some of the Italian products?
The smoked trout sounded good to begin with, but you GOT me with the trout and cabbage salad. I'll be stopping by Trader Joe's on my way home tonight for sure.
Love TJ's smoked trout -- but it doesn't come anywhere close to the benefits of sardines. As a medical student (and one that has had numerous nutrition lectures from Dr. Weil) sardines have incredible health benefits -- especially because of their omega 3s and calcium levels. They're also much cheaper than smoked trout -- and although not as tasty (to me at least) they are definitely something everyone should be working into their diet!
The sardines at TJs are also tasty.
Their smoked haddock is excellent too!
Why not glass jars instead of cans? Because light can often affect the taste of the contents.
I love Trader Joe's Lightly Smoked Sardines. I will have to try the smoked trout now.
Our local TJ's has been out of this for so long, I was beginning to think they didn't carry it anymore! Wah!
Anjali, I just wanted to come back and thank you for this tip. I love the trout, and the salad is a new favorite go-to for lunch.
I love this smoked trout and the sardines from TJ. But I'm curious. Everyone says sardines are cheap but I'm never able to find a can for under $2. Is that what you mean by cheap?
I have been eating the Trader Joe's smoked trout and sardines for about two years for health reasons but both are very tasty without that benefit. One worry I have, however, is any health risk with the "smoke" used in the trout. Anyone have info on this issue?
Farm raised raises a red flag to me. How are these fish fed???
sarlyn- I have avoided far raised products, but just saw a Good Eats episode (watched on youtube) about farm raised trout, and after Alton Brown's explanation I would feel comfortable eating some farm raised trout. You might want to check that out. BIgger fish such as salmon, I would still not eat if it is farm raised.
*farm