Santo Amaro - Authentic European Sardines in Olive Oil & Red Piri Piri, Pepper, Hand-Packed Canned Sardines in Spicy Olive Oil, Wild Caught Portuguese Sardines, Lightly Smoked, 21g Protein, Low Mercury, Pack of 12

I cannot get enough of these sardines. They have a pepper taste without being overwhelming. I like to it these on fresh homemade bread, and the taste is outstanding. I have since recommended these fresh sardines to family and friends, and they now make them a part of their monthly grocery list. It is true that the price is higher than most, but the quality is high as well. Top notch well seasoned sardines for a great price. That makes me happy!

Shockingly delicious? I’m not sure if delicious is the right word but I didn’t know what to expect other than yuck. The sardines were there. I say fantastic? It tasted to me like a very rich tuna fish. I added a combination of chili pepper and crushed red peppers and ate them right out of the can. I will order them again and would recommend them to friends.

Excellent texture, quality nutrition and taste (assuming you like sardines). The cost has gone up significantly lately but after trying lower priced alternatives I’m moderating my purchases to maintain the quality.

Researching sardines and experimenting with many many varieties and types. Anyway, the pinhais company uses a cook then can method, and the difference is there are no juices with the oil surrounding the packed fish. It's a better preserved and mildly better tasting fish, especially after some time spent in the can (say you let them sit a year or so before eating). When cooked in the can, the fish releases juices that mix with the oil. This juice more or less slightly deteriorates the fish over time and reduces the flavor in comparison to those sardines not cooked in the can. Open a can of Nuri with Santo Amaro, and the differences, while subtle are noted. Pinhais also makes Pinhais brand as well as Nuri. Both these are cooked then canned. In order to meet fishery rules, fishing is limited to certain times of the year, and canners must take in extra fish and freeze them to keep active all year long (rather than work 3 months a year at 4x the current production capacity). Writing this to let readers know Pinhais brand are fresh sardines cooked then canned then sterilized in can. Nuri are frozen fish that are cooked then canned then sterilized. Santo Amaro are canned then cooked which also sterilizes. Both Nuri and Pinhais look the same, but there are mild textural differences between them. Nuri seems like the best deal. Pinhais seem very expensive for the additional benefit which is hard to distinguish, but I used several cans of each and opened at same time to get a good comparison. Pinhais can be at times almost twice as costly as Nuri, and Nuri at times can be almost twice as costly as Santo Amaro. I buy all three, but will go primarily with Nuri, and some Santo Amaro due to their lower pricing they can offer due to cooking in the can. Cooking outside the can requires ovens and racks and people to prep and cook then pack into can. So Santo Amaro offers a cheaper production process and less costly can of sardines. Santo Amaro are pretty good in comparison to most other sardines I buy, but I mentioned two brands above that are mildly better but more costly.

I love it great teast.

Some of my favorite sardines. These are on my regular menu all the time.

It tastes good with a spicy flavor. The oil is clear. No strong fishy smell.

Buyer beware, if you like spiced Sardines these are not for you. Very bland flavoring for "spiced with piri piri peppers." There were in fact no peppers in the tin at all, it's like mildly spiced oil. Not Spicy! They are fat little sardines, perfect for using in another dish or if you have baby mouth. But if you like Nuri Spiced deen's you will not like these. FYI.