Why Aldi's Smoked Oysters Are A Smart Pantry Shortcut For Big Flavor

While it's true that some canned oyster brands are better than others, Aldi has packaged smoked oysters that get surprisingly rave reviews. They retail for $1.39 to $1.75 per package (prices vary by location), and between the price and the flavor, these are an easy seafood shortcut to keep in your pantry.

There are some major benefits to purchasing canned smoked oysters. You skip two big tasks: shucking and smoking. Shucking oysters isn't hard once you get the hang of it, but there are a host of potential complications for novices, many of which can leave you sick or injured. You have to be able to recognize dead, damaged or spoiled oysters, but there are also dangers you can't see, such as foodborne bacteria and pathogens. And that's to say nothing of the inherent risks during the shucking process, which requires a dull but dangerous knife and either a thick kitchen towel or a chain mail glove, without which your hand could end up with a deep gouge and a nasty infection. And even if you're a shucking pro, smoking them can take up to two hours. Having that time-consuming work done for you makes Aldi's canned smoked oysters worth the purchase. 

Aldi even sells two kinds so you can get exactly the flavor you're looking for. You can get a 3-ounce container of smoked oysters with or without red chili pepper, the latter of which have a smoky, slightly spicy flavor that's pleasant enough to be eaten right from the tin. But if you're not interested in that added flavor, go for Aldi's traditional smoked oysters in cottonseed oil and add them to a three-ingredient canned oyster snack with crackers and cream cheese.

Even if eating them as a snack isn't your thing, it's great to have these in the pantry because they impart big flavor into other dishes as well. For some recipes, it's better to use canned oysters than fresh ones, anyway. The smoky, salty flavor works well as an add-on to Caesar salad, which already has a salty tinned-fish flavor from anchovies in the Caesar dressing. Add interest to your lunch by tossing the salad with leftover pasta or piling it into thick, chewy pitas or naan.

The oysters also work well in a creamy pasta dish, bringing balance to a rich sauce. Prepare the sauce as normal, then add the oysters and let the sauce simmer for a bit to help all the flavors blend together before tossing it with pasta. Or make a warm and comforting  oyster chowder or briny smoked oyster mushroom soup. 

However you decide to use them, you'll be glad to know they're an ecologically responsible ingredient. While Aldi doesn't specify exactly where the oysters come from, its website clarifies they're ASC-certified, meaning they meet the Aquaculture Stewardship Council's requirements for adhering to responsible farming.