The Underrated Canned Fish You Should Have On Your Next Charcuterie Board

Canned fish is a great, long-lasting resource that'll improve the taste of many different types of dishes, whether it's anchovies in Caesar salad dressing, oil-packed tuna in Nicoise salad, or salty sardines to enrich a red pasta sauce. While die-hard canned fish fans may eat the filets fresh out of the can, most of us need to mix them into something to temper the fishy smell or taste. Canned trout is the underrated fish that's so mild and flavorful it'll become a staple ingredient on your charcuterie board.

Trout has a mild, sweet taste and a tender, flakey texture when cooked well. As a canned fish, trout is smoked and often oil-packed, making it one of the most flavorful canned fish varieties on the market. Different brands use different types of wood for a distinct smoked flavor as well as aromatic herbs, citrus zest, pureed tomatoes, and other spices to infuse the earthy olive oil. It's not super fishy nor does it become mushy. So, you'll get a firm filet that's moist from the oil but will still flake beautifully with each bite. Plus, most tinned smoked trout are debonned, so you can serve the fish straight out of the can. You could even set an opened can on the charcuterie board so guests can spoon a drizzle of infused oil over the smoked trout.

Just as tinned fish tastes delicious as a flavor enhancer for countless dips, sauces, and salads, it also works well as an addition to a wide range of charcuterie items, from cheese and dips to pickled and brined veggies. The most obvious pairing for canned trout would be a thick, creamy tartar sauce. Consider including fresh crudite for a pop of color and a crunchy contrast to the flakey fish. You could layer a peppery crostini with canned trout, tartar sauce, and a crunchy endive, for example.

Tangy, crunchy pickled veggies and fresh savory herbs also pair well with smoked trout, so you could elaborate your board with ramekins of cornichons, capers, and pickled red onions with chopped dill, fresh scallions, and parsley surrounding a tangy bowl of lemon aioli. Serve with rye flatbread or earthy potato chips.

For a Mediterranean-themed board, you could use numerous types of tinned fish like mackerel or cod and pair them with kalamata olives, feta cheese, pepperoncini, cherry tomatoes, and Marcona almonds. Roasted red peppers or a smoky romesco sauce would enhance the flavor of the trout. Dairy products like compound butter and all sorts of hard and soft cheeses would also work well with canned trout. You could make an herb-infused butter to spread over a baguette for a nice complement to the trout's umami-rich smokiness. Salty manchego, sharp cheddar, and herbed boursin all taste good with trout.