Will that can of meat on your shelf dazzle your dinner guests or send them straight to the toilet? From chicken to cheeseburgers, just because you can can pretty much anything, doesn't mean you should.
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00:00Will that can of meat on your shelf dazzle your dinner guests?
00:04Or send them straight to the toilet?
00:06From chicken to cheeseburgers, just because you can can pretty much anything doesn't mean
00:11you should.
00:12Cans of chicken breast contain small pieces of preserved, pre-cooked poultry.
00:16They've been heated to a point where bacteria is killed off, and then they're sealed for
00:20long-term freshness.
00:21So as long as the can remains undamaged, you don't need to worry about it going bad.
00:26Canned chicken breast is uniquely worth buying for both its taste and nutritional value.
00:31It maintains many of the benefits of fresh chicken, such as being high in protein and
00:35containing nutrients such as vitamin B12, zinc, iron, and copper.
00:39One downside, though, is that the taste is subpar compared to freshly cooked chicken.
00:44But it makes up for that in terms of its versatility, as you can use it for chicken soup, chicken
00:48salad sandwiches, macaroni salad, and so much more.
00:52This is one canned meat that's definitely worth buying.
00:56Whatever you do, don't buy canned whole chicken.
00:59It's unlike any other canned meat, especially in terms of its exorbitant cost.
01:03As of November 2022, it's over $10 for a can of sweet-soup chicken at Foodland.
01:09And to make matters worse, you won't get very much meat per can anyway.
01:13Most of what's actually contained in each can is just broth, not meat.
01:17And if you do buy a canned whole chicken, you'll encounter something grotesque inside
01:21an oversized, mysterious vessel.
01:23Each can contains one entire pre-cooked chicken that's preserved and ready to eat.
01:28While this may sound convenient, the smell of a canned whole chicken is something nobody
01:33should ever have to encounter.
01:35Because it's preserved in broth to help prevent it from spoiling, each can smells like expired
01:39chicken soup.
01:41The visuals are even worse.
01:43One Redditor referenced sweet-soup and declared,
01:45"'Soup might be sweet, but she makes hideous chicken.'"
01:49We don't even want to repeat some of the images that a canned whole chicken has been compared
01:52to by other folks online.
01:54Just know that what comes out of the can is no longer really whole.
01:58It's more of a slimy mess.
02:00You can't go wrong with mackerel.
02:03This tinned fish usually comes in shallow, rectangular cans that contain a few fillets.
02:08Like other types of canned fish, it's beloved for its nutritional value.
02:12It's rich in omega-3s, protein, iron, potassium, magnesium, vitamin B12, and more.
02:18Additionally, it contains lower mercury levels than other types of fish.
02:21Canned mackerel is also a good buy because it's extremely versatile.
02:25You can use it in soup recipes such as mackerel corn chowder or pasta like mackerel linguine.
02:30Then get ready for a rich, salty, savory flavor to take these dishes to the next level.
02:36You probably don't see too many people buying canned beef these days, though you may be
02:40tempted to get some yourself out of nostalgia.
02:43But we'd recommend against that.
02:45You're much better off sticking to fresh corned beef.
02:48For one thing, canned corned beef is a type of processed meat, which has been linked to
02:52health risks such as cancer.
02:54To make matters worse, it's made with red meat, which can also harm your health.
02:58Then when you factor in the preservatives needed to keep this meat in a can long term,
03:02things get even worse.
03:03Also, it's high in sodium and saturated fat.
03:06Not only is canned corned beef not the best for your diet, it also simply doesn't taste
03:11or look as good as the real thing.
03:13Even if you have a nostalgic craving for corned beef recipes around St. Patrick's Day,
03:18you should go out and buy the real, fresh thing.
03:20We guarantee it will not taste worse than the canned version.
03:23I guarantee it.
03:25Sardines are another popular type of tinned fish.
03:28You might lump them in with anchovies, but they're larger and meatier, though they're
03:31still on the petite side.
03:33This makes sardines ideal for snacking or adding to small dishes such as toast.
03:38They're also useful for obtaining nutrients such as omega-3s, calcium, vitamin D, and
03:42vitamin B12.
03:44Their nutritional profile is also said to help improve brain health, and they're low
03:48in mercury, making them safe for pregnant people to consume.
03:52You can readily use sardines in recipes like spaghetti and salad.
03:55You can also eat them as a simple topper for crackers.
03:58In any application, they'll add salt, savoriness, and depth of flavor.
04:02Of course, sardines also impart a fishy taste that's not enjoyed by everybody.
04:07But if you're a fishy fiend, you already know you'll find it extremely satisfying.
04:12A fish, a fish, a fishy, oooohhh."
04:16Canned Vienna sausages originated in America around the early 1900s.
04:20Back then, we didn't know as much as we do now about what was good for us.
04:24But now, it's the 21st century, and you don't need to be buying canned Vienna sausages anymore.
04:29They're made of a mixture of processed beef, chicken, and pork.
04:32The non-canned variety can be flavorful, but the canned version is typically more rubbery
04:37in texture.
04:38Roadwalking company Rover doesn't even recommend feeding canned Vienna sausages to your pooch
04:43because of its high levels of fat, sodium, and questionable ingredients.
04:47If it's not acceptable for Rover, that's not a good sign.
04:50Along with the icky texture and questionable nutritional profile, Vienna sausages are also
04:54known for being flavorless.
04:56Simply put, there's just no good reason to buy this canned meat.
05:01Tuna is yet another healthful canned fish option, as it adds nutrients like vitamin
05:05D, selenium, and iodine to your diet.
05:08It's also high in protein but low in calories.
05:10Unfortunately, though, it's higher in mercury than other types of canned fish, making it
05:15the type of thing to only eat occasionally.
05:17But when you do eat it, you'll have some variety to choose from.
05:20Shoppers can opt for water-packed tuna, which is lower in calories and fat, or oil-packed
05:25tuna, which is richer and moister.
05:27Simply put, tuna is one of the most popular canned meats on the market, and it's not hard
05:31to see why, as it can be utilized in the likes of casserole, tuna salad, tuna melts, and
05:37various types of pasta.
05:38And of course, you can also add it to crackers for a light snack.
05:42Another easy application is adding it to boxed macaroni and cheese for a nutrient-rich upgrade
05:46to a pantry pasta.
05:49You might be shocked to learn that we don't recommend buying Spam.
05:52It's a rather beloved canned protein, after all.
05:55From Spam musubi to Spam fried rice, the shelf-stable meat is used in plenty of memorable recipes.
06:01That may be due to its attractive appearance.
06:03It has a lively, pinkish-red color, not unlike real ham.
06:07Its texture is firmer than other canned meats, helping it to resemble real protein.
06:11Also, many people appreciate Spam's nostalgic flavor.
06:14As one Amazon purchaser declared,
06:16"...same taste now as back in 1965."
06:19Yummy.
06:20However, there are better canned meat options available for your tasting pleasure.
06:24For one thing, eating Spam isn't going to do your body any favors, as it's high in sodium
06:28and fat, and one can contains over 1,000 calories.
06:32That's roughly half the recommended calorie intake for a normal adult woman.
06:36True, you probably won't eat an entire can per day, but Spam's shelf life is greatly
06:41shortened after opening the can, thereby eliminating the purpose of having long-lasting canned
06:46meat in the first place.
06:47At the same time, Spam has little to offer in terms of nutritional benefits.
06:51To make matters even worse, it contains potentially harmful preservatives like sodium nitrate.
06:56If you want to try Spam, try ordering it at a restaurant.
07:00There just simply isn't enough reason to justify buying an entire can for your home.
07:05Tinned Salmon
07:10Tinned salmon has plenty of obvious appeal, as it's long been considered a superfood.
07:15While that term isn't exactly scientific, it still points to the fact that nutrient-rich
07:19salmon is considered a useful addition to almost everyone's diet.
07:23Canned salmon comes with all those benefits and more.
07:26It's even better than fresh salmon insofar as you don't have to cook it — you can even
07:30eat it straight out of the can.
07:32cooking salmon is notoriously finicky, this is especially good news for home chefs.
07:37Good news, everyone!
07:38Purchasing canned salmon is a good idea because it's nutritious, tasty, and versatile. It's high
07:43in protein, omega-3s, and B vitamins. Simply put, adding canned salmon to your go-to recipes will
07:49yield delicious results. You can use it on salmon patties, salmon salad, or fish soup.
07:54If you like fishy flavors, you absolutely won't regret purchasing canned salmon.
08:00A canned cheeseburger is one particular preserved meat that you've probably never
08:04heard of. If that's indeed the case, then consider yourself lucky. This strange product
08:09consists of one entire cheeseburger shoved into a single can. Each can contains all the components
08:16of a normal burger. There's a bun, meat, cheese, pickles, ketchup, and mustard. Of course, as this
08:21is a canned product, each of those ingredients is paired with salt and additional preservatives
08:26needed to keep that cheeseburger alive. This product was designed for backpackers and other
08:30extreme campers who need long-lasting, compact food. But if you're just eating at home, there
08:36are much better ways to get your nourishment. And buying this item is highly unlikely to satisfy
08:41your craving for a cheeseburger, even when you're outdoors. In 2008, The Takeout tested
08:47one of these products and recommended that no one else should ever do the same. The tasters noted
08:52that the burger meat appeared gray and covered in film. And on Reddit, people who encountered
08:57videos of this canned meat had less-than-positive things to say about its appearance. As one person
09:02put it, it looks like someone else has already eaten it. Luckily, you won't have to try too hard
09:07to avoid buying this, as canned cheeseburgers are hard to come by nowadays.
09:12Hamburger
09:14You've probably eaten anchovies without even realizing it. This canned fish is utilized
09:18in famous recipes like Caesar salad dressing and Worcestershire sauce. They add a powerful
09:23kick of umami that becomes complex when mixed with ingredients like garlic. And anchovies are
09:28useful for more than just sauces, as you can also put them on pizza. If you don't want to bite into
09:34a whole fish but still want to add some anchovy flavor to a dish, you can even make an anchovy
09:38paste or just buy some from the store. Canned anchovies are more than just a flavor-boosting
09:43ingredient, as they are also plenty healthy. They're low in calories and high in protein,
09:48B vitamins, iron, and calcium. Furthermore, most anchovies come packed in oil, which is
09:53perfectly acceptable for canned meat of this variety. Pork brains used to be an important
09:59ingredient in various southern dishes like brains and eggs. That particular meal provided a way for
10:04farmers to make use of all parts of the pig in the tradition of whole animal butchery.
10:09The ingredients of canned pork brains are relatively simple. In the Rose Pork Brains
10:13brand, for example, each can contains brains, milk, water, salt, and sodium nitrate. That
10:19all sounds pretty familiar, except for those brains, of course. If you're not a farmer,
10:24there's no need to try this. And even if you are a farmer, it's still not a great idea.
10:29And even if you're a culinary daredevil who likes to sample weird things or you've eaten brains
10:34before and liked them, we still don't recommend the canned version of this meat. As one reviewer
10:39warned on Amazon,
10:40"...bought this on a dare. Be drunk when you attempt to eat it."
10:44But even being intoxicated may not be enough to stomach these brains. No matter how badly
10:48you want to impress your friends or your internet following, it simply isn't worth it. We shouldn't
10:54have to say anything more, but in case you're still somewhat tempted, we'll leave you with
10:58the words of this Redditor.
10:59It looked like gray scrambled eggs. In this day where we know about prion diseases,
11:04why is anyone still eating brains?
11:07Brains!