Do You Need To Gut Canned Sardines Before Grilling Them?

Salty, oily, and full of nutrients, sardines are a great addition to any diet. But the zeitgeist still seems hesitant about embracing these fishy delicacies which means some of us are still confused about how exactly you eat sardines. To find out more about the dos and don'ts of canned sardines, we recently had a chat with chef Charlotte Langley, president and founder of Langley Foods.

We wanted to know what is involved in preparing canned sardines, specifically whether or not we ought to be gutting them prior to grilling. "Canned sardines are already cleaned and cooked," Langley told Tasting Table. "So there's no need to gut them. They're ready to enjoy straight out of the can, whether you're adding them to a dish or enjoying them on their own." Knowing that canned sardines are ready-to-go is a huge relief for those of us who've been cracking open cans of sardines and shoveling them directly into our mouths all this time.

Not only are the guts removed before being canned, the bones have been softened by the cooking process which makes them edible as well. You'll never feel more like a ferocious shark than when you're chomping down on fish bones like a champ.

Of course, not everyone enjoys eating sardines straight from the can as much as we do. Which is why we've put together a list of some of the best uses for canned sardines to help you get creative with your seafood. People have been cooking with sardines for hundreds (if not thousands) of years and some fan favorites have certainly emerged from the mix. Canned sardines haven't been around all that long, relatively speaking, which means most of what humanity has learned about eating sardines relates to fresh sardines. But while most people gut fresh sardines as well, that's not true for everyone.

"Gutting [sardines] removes the internal organs, which can impart a bitter taste and affect the overall flavor," Camille Langley explained. "It also ensures a cleaner, more enjoyable eating experience. However, in some Mediterranean cultures, very small sardines are grilled whole, as their organs are minimal and add a distinct, slightly bitter note that some people enjoy." We'll have to work our way up to eating fish guts, but Mediterranean food hasn't done us wrong yet so maybe one day we'll give it a try. Until then, cleaned and cooked canned sardines are going to remain our central seafood fix.