RAVE

If you are fan of “tinned” or canned fish, you probably know that Trader Joe’s has gotten into this popular food trend more and more the last few years.

They now carry quite a few varieties of tinned fish and keep adding new items like this new one: SKIPJACK TUNA FILLETS in olive oil.

Of course Trader Joe’s sells plenty of kinds of cans of tuna. They probably have about 4 or 5 different cans of tuna which include 3 varieties of ALBACORE TUNA (packed in oil, water, 1/2 salted…) YELLOWFIN in olive oil, plus two kinds of SKIPJACK (not like this though)

They came out with a tin of CALAMARI in olive oil (Squid), which is quite good if perhaps not for a #tinnedfish newbie. So let’s consider a far easier entry for most people, like a can of salmon. They have the regular stuff then they have what may be the best canned salmon you ever tasted. The level up salmon in the pink square can they call “Lightly Smoked Salmon”.

Now, they’ve introduced this gourmet level tuna SKIPJACK TUNA FILLETS in olive oil. Just glancing at it, you can tell this one is fancy. Its in a lovely looking rectangular can which indicates much more “gourmet” compared to the other cans of tuna. For a good reason. This is totally Gourmet level tuna. A Must Try product. Isn’t the design gorgeous?

Trader Joe’s says: ‘”Has there ever been a better time to be a tinned fish enthusiast? It seems like all sorts of prepossessing piscine proteins are popping up on shelves, and we here at Trader Joe’s are proud to do our part with options like Trader Joe’s Skipjack Tuna Fillets in Olive Oil. They’re made for us by a supplier in Tunisia, who sources their Skipjack Tuna in the Mediterranean, which is caught via sustainable pole-and-line fishing methods to reduce by-catch. The loin of the Tuna is cut into long, flat fillets, then lightly salted and cooked to perfection, then packed in Olive Oil so that they’re ready to be used in all sorts of culinary contexts right out of the tin.”

https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/skipjack-tuna-fillets-in-olive-oil-075995

Here’s my honest review of Trader Joe’s new Skipjack Tuna Fillets in Olive Oil. This may be the best can of tuna you ever tasted. This is one of those Must Try new items. This tuna is so freakin’ good!

Ingredients are simple: Skipjack tuna, olive oil, salt.

And by the way, check out that this has a whopping THIRTY FOUR GRAMS PROTEIN per can! Sweet.

You may know Skipjack Tuna as “light tuna”. This can is the highest gourmet level of it.

Open the can up and you will see some nice meaty fillets of pure tuna, flaky, and moist looking all covered in tasty olive oil. The tuna is so delicious. Skipjack Tuna is slightly darker with a more intense flavor than albacore tuna. Yes, you may think that this is a bit on the pricey side at $3.99 for a “can of tuna”. But trust me, this tuna is truly Level Up Gourmet. A bit like those very pricey super deluxe imported gourmet jars or cans of tuna (like Ortiz) which go for 3-4x the price of this one, albeit those are generally Albacore tuna (white) while this is Skipjack Tuna which looks a little bit darker than albacore but is delicious.

“So, how best to enjoy these Skipjack Tuna Fillets? That’s the real beauty of them—you can use them in all the same situations you would with everyday canned tuna, like tuna salads, melts, and casseroles, and in more elevated instances like charcuterie boards, on pasta primavera, or in a Nicoise salad. We find that their firm, flakeable texture and mild flavor make them a great choice for simply snacking on while served on a cracker or crostini. ” – Trader Joe’s

How does this compare to the $1.79 pouch of Skipjack? I guess you could easily say that this gourmet version kind of makes that pouch seem like cat food compared to this one.

HOW TO USE SKIPJACK TUNA: Is this gourmet four dollar can of tuna “Too Good” just to make a tuna sandwich? Maybe, but then again maybe no, as it just may make you the best tuna sandwich you ever had in your life.

Seriously. I made a fantastic tuna salad with this tuna which I used to make a Tuna Melt (on TJ’s Rustico Bread). This tuna melt was so amazing and delicious. It was yes, perhaps the best tuna sandwich I ever had.

My first thought when I tasted this tuna was how perfect this would be for making a TUNA NIÇOISE salad. This tuna would be outstanding for the classic French salad with tuna (Salade Niçoise) A recipe link follows…

You can eat the tuna right out of the can. Maybe add a sprinkle of lemon. You can do things to it, such as make a great tuna melt, tuna salad, put it on top of rice, a Japanese style rice bowl with some nori (seaweed snacks)…. Oh and the oil that comes with this is excellent. I say use it, don’t toss it. Use at least a bit of it on the tuna, or save some for a dressing. Its just natural juices and olive oil and its yummy, filled with umami.

Nicoise Salad (French Salad with Tuna)

A “pan bagnat” is similar but in sandwich form which this tuna would be perfect for!

https://www.seriouseats.com/pan-bagnat-recipe-8603598

IS SKIPJACK TUNA A HEALTHY AND ETHICAL TUNA CHOICE VS ALBACORE TUNA? Yes.

“Choosing pole-and-line-caught light skipjack tuna is your best choice for a low mercury and sustainable option“. Skipjack are smaller fish with lower levels of mercury than yellowfin or bluefin. And Sustainable and Wild.

Trader Joe’s SKIPJACK TUNA FILLETS in Olive Oil $3.99 (6 oz net weight, drained 4.2 oz) I would buy this again.

PRODUCT OF TUNISIA

SKIPJACK TUNA: In Japan its a prized fish known as Katsuo

*Katsuo Fish with Cherry Buds*, print by Hiroshige, 1830

#tinnedfish #tinnedfishlovers rejoice!

update: june/july 2025 – Now these are MIA. I can’t find these on the shelves! Argh! Perhaps too popular!

Trader Joe’s SKIPJACK TUNA (pouch)

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 also now have it in 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….