Canned Tuna...

The friendliest place on the web for anyone that enjoys cooking.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

Otter

Sous Chef
Joined
Sep 1, 2004
Messages
973
Location
USA,Minnesota
A couple of questions - I have developed definite opinions, but want to know objectively what others think. 1). Is pouch better than canned?. 2). Which is better - Chicken of the Sea or Starkist (those are the only two choices where I live)?
 
I am curious to hear what people think about this too. I have not tried the tuna from the pouch yet as I hardly ever eat cooked tuna, but my wife eats it all the time. She always gets the cans. I bought a pouch for her once and she seemed a bit squeamish to try it for some reason. I am not sure if she ever did eat it.
 
Hmmmm I don't know. I always buy canned in water.....either of those brands (depends on cost). I used to eat it in oil with mom when I was a kid on crackers. I don't do that anymore.....don't eat some of the things I did back then. Anyway as far as the canned I can't tell the difference in either of those brands but then again I don't eat canned tuna but about once every 2 months and I've never compared them side to side. Thats something you may consider is having your own taste test and let us know what you think.
 
I don't have a preference. The only reason I would shy away from the pouch is cost. At my local grocery stores, the pouch tends to be a lot more expensive (per ounce) than the traditional can.

No brand preference, just whatever is cheap. If I do splurge, it's to get the albacore canned tuna. Though that's not very often, that stuff is REALLY expensive.
 
I tried the pouch tuna and feel it is terribly overpriced and does not taste any different. I buy a local Oregon one but used to buy Starkist solid white in water and loved it. I now understand we should be eating chunk light in water because it has less Mercury than the solid white, but I do not know that for certain.
 
I find little difference in the "brand" on the can. The only difference might be where it was caught, and then in processing and perhaps the water/oil used in packing. I've never found any evidence that a tuna would taste any different because of who the fishermen sold it to. :rolleyes:

I tried the pouch tuna, once, and was not impressed. By the time I add mayo, eggs, apples, pecans, onion, lettuce ... etc. for a salad/sandwich, or use it in a casserole with pasta - it all taste the same to me.

I do prefer tuna in oil rather than packed in water.

There is a difference between light and white tuna ... not because it's chunk or solid - chunk is just solid that broke up into chunks during processing.

The Mercury problem is with Albacore tuna - which is the "white" tuna. Personally, since it's twice the price at regular prices, and I can often get "regular" tuna at 2-3 cans/$1 ... I never eat the stuff.
 
We always buy the canned tuna packed in water.. NEVER the oil.
The brand doesn't seem to matter as both are pretty much the same.
I just get which ever one is on sale.
 
Last edited:
I tried the bag tuna once, and to me, it was a little dry.

I generally buy my tuna in water -- Starkist, Chicken of the Sea -- whatever is cheaper.
 
Years ago the canned tuna was pretty good but now it seems less tuna more water. and it is like mush and not chunk. I do like the oil better but I guess the water packed is better for you. Haven't tried the pouch yet and it's pretty spendy but might be worth it .Canned tuna is junk now.
 
Hmmmm, doesn't seem like anyone is in the same boat as me. I definitely prefer Chicken of the Sea over Starkist. Also, I like the pouches much better than the cans, both in terms of texture and taste, and I don't think they cost much more after you squeeze the water out of the canned stuff.
 
The 'oh so knowledgeable' owners of the new place I kitchen managed had ordered a ton of the pouch tuna - and it was BLICH - had some weird aftertaste, and the customers didn't like it. I even tried experimenting with adding a little oil with the mayo to give it some 'body', but nothing we did had that 'old-time' tuna taste. They finally ended up taking the rest of the case home with them, and let me do the ordering, lol!
 
I like the canned better, especially the chunk in srping water. I used to eat it in oil and like the flavor of that as well, but not the extra calories. As far as brand goes, both Chicken of the Sea, and Starkist are comparable. As mercury is stored mainly in the fat, and most of the fat and fatty flesh is cut from the tuna during processing, I don't think there's a huge problem with methyl mercury poisoning from canned tuna. Fresh tuna is another story. It's up to you to remove the fatty and oil rich parts of the fish. Ironically, it's that same fat and fish oil that contains the heart-healthy, brain freindly omega-3 fatty acids that are so valuable. It's so sad that we've messed up our own planet so much that the very food we consume is dangerous to us. And even more sad, we don't seem to be willing to change our ways.

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North
 
Hey Otter

I've tried the pouch. I find it to be dry also, and not as much flavor. I used to buy Chichen of the Sea in water, canned. But, im a Bumble Bee fan now in water, canned. I know you cant get that where you live. Maybe look around. Do you have a Walmart close? They sell it. 2/1.00. But i also like the Bumble Bee Albacore. When i feel like spending more. So to your question if i had your choice, Chichen of the Sea in water, CANNED!:)
 
I guess I am little different. I like the pouch Tuna in water it just seems eaiser and the Tuna seems better to me. I like to take the pouch to work for lunch and it is eaiser to open and the taste is great with a little La Hot Sauce.
 
To me, canned tuna always had a "tinny" taste, which is why I prefer the pouch, I agree that it is dryer, but I like it that way. Well, I guess this is why the marketers have opted to give us a variety of choices!
 
When I feel like splurging a little, I buy tuna in a jar that I get from a vendor at Saturday Market. This couple also does olives, pickles (including pickled habanaro peppers). They line catch the tuna and process themselves and this makes the canned stuff, including Bumble Bee, taste like cardboard. The jar is 7 oz and is $5.00 so on the expensive side but once in a while it is sooooooooooooooooooo good. It comes in its own juices, oil, and an herb mixture of their own. I try to buy 1 or so a year.
 
the best tuna i get is from save-a-lot! to those not in the know, it's a bargain store.
 
I absolutely love the Genova brand tuna packed in olive oil. I frequently just toss some spring mix lettuces with onions and tuna, use the olive oil to dress it, salt and pepper and a little lemon juice. Makes a great lunch.
 
Back
Top Bottom