Ortiz sardines: Can vs. Jar

When I learned that my daily-driver canned Ortiz sardines in olive oil were also available in a jar, I was curious about whether they tasted different. The ingredients are identical, but comparing the nutrition info isn't straightforward (unless I get mathy about it, which I have no intention of doing) because the jars hold a bit more than the cans.

Thanks to a tip from someone here, I picked up a single jar at Whole Foods recently, so it was time to open both together and try a side-by-side taste test. First of all, upon opening each, I gotta say that it's much less appealing to see those sardine cross-sections than their sides! (Maybe that's one reason sardines are more commonly sold in cans than jars?) By the way, while getting a sardine out of a can with chopsticks is optional, they are essential for getting a sardine out of a jar. I picked the largest sardine in each container. The fish in the can were generally larger than the ones in the jar.

After tasting them completely plain, I honestly couldn't tell the difference. (Others have reported differences, but my taste buds aren't that refined.) Whatever variation there might have been was no different from variations among several fish in the same can. Taste test over, I finished my meal with a splash of sherry vinegar and ginger slices.

After the meal, I had leftovers from each, and that's where the jar's main benefit was apparent: I simply replaced the lid and popped it into the fridge! With the can, I had to move the leftover fish to another food container for refrigeration. Given that I almost never finish a can of anything in one sitting, that convinced me that my next bulk purchase of this daily driver will be the jarred version.

The other benefit is cost. Comparing the can and jar by Amazon's bulk purchase price, the can is $1.66/oz. while the jar is $1.29/oz.