Chargrilled Sardine LOINS in Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Gueyu Mar)

Hand-trimmed sardine loins are grilled over hardwood embers and then packed in Castillo de Canena Arbequina extra virgin olive oil, one of Spain’s most esteemed estates. A 2026 SOFI Award finalist (often called the Oscars of specialty food).

Asador (grill master) Abel Álvarez cooks every piece of seafood over glowing hardwood embers, capturing peak brasa (live-fire) flavor at the moment of canning. At his seaside restaurant, he serves dishes pulled straight from the grill alongside tins prepared the same way, and his favorite game is “fresh or canned” because guests rarely guess correctly. For these sardine loins, each fish is trimmed to its center cut, grilled just until the loin begins to caramelize, then sealed in elite Castillo de Canena Arbequina extra virgin olive oil to preserve clarity and texture.

Abel Álvarez is elevating the tinned fish game. His restaurant on the northern coast of Asturias was deemed one of Spain's "Templos del producto" and now we can enjoy the Gueyu Mar experience anywhere, anytime. In addition to loving tinned fish, he saw canning as a great opportunity to employ the staff from his tiny seasonal restaurant year round.

Eat it straight out of the can, plate it as is, or use it in recipes. It tastes great in every way. However, Abel recommends heating ever so slightly at low temperature for maximum expression. Years of R&D combined with trial and error have made this type of chef driven gastronomic experience accessible to all.

Also save the delicious juice in the can, dip in a crusty baguette, whisk with a drizzle of olive oil to create an aioli or mayonnaise, let your imagination run wild.

Best by: 31Oct2029

Ingredients: sardine loins (fish), smoke, extra virgin olive oil, and salt

5.3 ounce metal tin