Joybuy

Who is this for?

Anyone making savoury Christmas canapés

Whether you’re making puff pastry bites, toast or a mackerel spread, you’ll want fillets that work well with the other ingredients you plan to add.

Anyone who prefers an already seasoned recipe

You’d like to use fillets in olive oil, grilled fillets or seasoned options straight away, while keeping their flavours in mind when making your finished dish.

Anyone who checks ingredients and storage instructions

Before serving a group, you’ll want to check allergens and any precautionary trace warnings, work out how much fish you need and follow the instructions for use after opening.

What should you check?

For savoury Christmas canapés, start with the flavour you want for your filling, then check the label and how much you can actually use. Recipes and instructions can vary between products.

What to consider	What to check	Who it matters to
Seasoning	Compare a short ingredients list, such as mackerel, water and salt, with recipes that include oil, spices or sauce.	If I’m making my own mackerel spread or filling, I want to add the flavourings myself rather than start with an already strongly seasoned recipe. Around 36% of consumers would put this freedom to season first.
Ingredients and allergens	Read the ingredients list and allergen or trace warnings for the product you’re buying; the ingredients in another recipe from the same brand aren’t enough.	When I’m serving guests who need to avoid certain ingredients, I need to know exactly what’s in the fillets. This would be the top priority for around 29% of consumers.
Features you’re looking for	Look for the features that matter to you, such as extra virgin olive oil or stated organic ingredients, without assuming that the word “premium” means it will taste better.	I want to choose a specific, clearly stated feature rather than a general claim that makes the product sound appealing. For around 21% of consumers, this would be the main criterion.
Pack size and storage	Check the drained weight and the instructions for refrigerating and using the product after opening.	To make several canapés without leaving an opened tin for too long, I need to plan how much I’ll use when serving. Pack size and managing leftovers would come first for around 14% of consumers.

Mistakes to avoid

Confusing savoury canapés with sweet baking

The mackerel recipes described here can help you choose a savoury filling, but they don’t show that mackerel is suitable for a Christmas dessert.

If you’re making savoury puff pastry bites or toast, choose fillets that work with the other ingredients in your filling. For sweet baking, don’t assume they’ll work without a suitable recipe.
Trusting a recipe name without checking the ingredients

Carrefour Extra grilled fillets include herbs and spices, and may contain traces of mustard and milk. A mustard recipe has a different composition from plain fillets.

Check the label of the exact product you’ll be serving, especially if a guest needs to avoid certain ingredients.
Opening more tins than you need

Instructions for use after opening vary between products. The product information for Saupiquet and Auchan plain fillets says to refrigerate them and use them within 48 hours or two days, respectively.

Work out how much you need based on the drained weight and follow the instructions on each tin you open.
Treating “premium” as a guarantee for every recipe

Extra virgin olive oil, stated organic ingredients and a grilled preparation are different features. None of them on its own determines whether the flavour is right for your canapés.

First decide whether you want a base you can season yourself or a recipe that’s already flavoured, then compare the features listed for each product.

Brands to know when comparing recipes

Petit Navire

Petit Navire offers 145 g mackerel fillets in extra virgin olive oil, which are worth considering if that oil suits your recipe.

The Petit Navire product information lists mackerel fillets, extra virgin olive oil and salt.
If you want to choose all the seasonings for your filling yourself, bear in mind that the oil is already included.

Saupiquet

Saupiquet offers plain fillets as well as recipes made with organic ingredients; the right choice depends on the ingredients you’re looking for.

The product information for the plain fillets sold by Auchan lists mackerel, water and salt.
The instruction to refrigerate these plain fillets and use them within 48 hours of opening doesn’t necessarily apply to the whole range.

Carrefour Extra

Carrefour Extra grilled plain mackerel fillets are worth comparing if you’re looking for a recipe that already includes herbs and spices.

Carrefour’s product information lists black pepper, bay leaf, cloves and thyme among the ingredients in this product.
It warns that the product may contain traces of mustard and milk, so check the packaging before serving anyone who needs to avoid these.

Pêche Océan / E.Leclerc

Pêche Océan’s grilled plain white mackerel fillets could be a good option if you’d like to season a grilled recipe to suit your dish.

E.Leclerc’s product information lists grilled white mackerel fillets, water and salt.
Check the information on the product you buy, particularly if its origin is important to you.

Auchan

Auchan plain mackerel fillets have a short ingredients list, making them a good base for a filling you can season yourself.

The Auchan product described contains mackerel fillets and salt.
For this product, Auchan advises refrigerating the fillets and using them within two days of opening.

Joybuy products

Products related to this topic will be available soon.

Frequently asked questions

Can you use this mackerel in sweet Christmas baking?

The fillet recipes featured here point to savoury dishes; they don’t establish whether mackerel is suitable for sweet baking. For savoury puff pastry bites or toast, choose fillets to suit the ingredients in your filling.

What should you check on the tin before serving guests?

Check the ingredients list, allergens and any trace warnings for the product you’ve chosen, then check its drained weight and storage instructions. Anses reminds consumers that ingredients that can cause allergies or intolerances must be clearly highlighted on the label.

How long can you keep mackerel fillets after opening?

Follow the time limit and temperature shown on the tin you’ve bought. The product information for Saupiquet and Auchan plain fillets says to refrigerate them and use them within 48 hours or two days, respectively. These instructions don’t automatically apply to other products.

Why should you follow the storage instructions for mackerel?

According to Anses, poor storage of mackerel can encourage histamine to form. Anses explains that cooking and freezing won’t destroy it, so follow the storage conditions and, once opened, the instructions for the product you’re serving.