tuna | Trader Joe’s Rants & Raves (mostly raves, a few rants)

I’ve been buying SKIPJACK TUNA in a can at Trader Joe’s for years, but when I went to get it recently I noticed they switched it into those new tuna “pouch” packages.

First though, what is Skipjack Tuna anyway? It’s one of many varieties of tuna, and also called bonito. In Hawaii they call it, aku. In Japan its katsuo and it’s very popular, sold fresh in the fish market. I’ve made fresh katsuo, and its delicious lightly grilled on the outside and raw in the middle.

Skipjack tuna is quite tasty and has a nice flavor. One reason I get it is it’s the most sustainable tuna we can buy, more sustainable than albacore tuna or other tuna species, as you can see : (Source: Nereus program)

On the pouch it says … “this wild skipjack tuna was sustainably caught (by pole/line) without the use of fish aggregating devices (FADs)” that reduces by-catch (other fish).

When I tried the new pouch version of the skipjack I liked it (well, other than the smaller amount* you get!) Ingredients: “skipjack tuna”. The can says “ingredients: skipjack tuna, water, salt”. The pouch doesn’t say “dark chunk light”. Just “wild skipjack, hand cut, hand packed”. The tuna is compressed into a flat brick, the shape of the pouch, with just a small amount of juice, some natural juices at the bottom (its not packed in water). I dumped the whole pouch of tuna and juice into a bowl. You have to break up the tuna brick and flake it with a fork. I added a nice heaping tablespoon of Trader Joe’s Organic Mayonnaise plus a pinch of vinegar, and tasted it on some toast, and it made a nice tuna sandwich. This skipjack tuna pouch is $1.79. Much cheaper compared to the other kinds of tuna at Trader Joe’s. All in all, I’d say this new pouch of Skipjack Tuna is worth trying if you’ve never bought it before so you can compare it to the one you usually get. Obviously if you want to have “tuna to go” this is great for that (picnic, work…)

“Each tuna is tested for mercury and only those meeting specific criteria are chosen”

*Comparing the former can version of the skipjack tuna which I have in the pantry with the new pouch version, you will notice though the amount of tuna in it has been downsized by an ounce. The pouch says “net. wt 3 oz” (85 gm). The can “drained wt. of 4 oz” (113 gm). Another sign of that well known tuna shrinkage that’s been going on for years.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/tuna-shrinkage-cans-now-five-ounces-more-expensive

Sidenote: you may have heard of katsuobushi – which is yes made from katsuo which has been smoked and dried.

UPDATE: I may be mistaken in that they’ve will no longer offer the skipjack tuna in a can, or at least today I saw both versions of it on the shelf, together. It’s possible Trader Joe’s is going to offer both versions, pouch and can? Perhaps some people prefer pouched tuna to a can? They are the same price – but one does get a one ounce more in the canned version. I will have to compare both against each other….