Fire-Roasted Tinned Fish is a really fun cooking hack that can also be made into a gourmet experience! Using just a paper towel and a few basic ingredients, you can create a fancy snack using tinned fish that everyone will enjoy watching you make.
If you've seen videos on TikTok of someone setting fire to tinned fish, you're not alone. Here's a fancy tinned fish recipe to try when you want to add a bit of flair (and flame) to proceedings! I was private cheffing in the South of France when my client showed me a video of someone doing this on TikTok and asked if we could try it. And I was happy to oblige! It's super easy, anyone can try it (safely, of course). There's a video attached to the recipe card which might help if you're feeling daunted. It's really easy!
Ingredient notes
I like to use tinned mackerel in oil for this tinned fish recipe as it's a delicous oily fish with tons of flavor. You could also use tinned sardines if you prefer. After I've set fire to the tinned fish (and it takes around 10 minutes to get a bit of a char on there and warm it up), I top it with toasted flaked almonds, fresh herbs, and some black olives. It tastes delicious scooped onto crostini as a rustic-looking yet refined tasting canape during aperitivo time.
There's a printable recipe card at the bottom of this post with quantities and step-by-step directions for how to make fire-roasted tinned fish.
Safety first
It goes without saying that you should perform this trick outside, in an area with no wind and where you aren't likely to set fire to anything else. One good idea is to place the tinned fish on the BBQ, but I just put it down on a stone pathway that was protected from wind and away from other fire hazards.
How to make fire-roasted tinned fish
- Fold a paper towel so it is slightly larger than the surface area of the tin. Press the paper towel into the tin of fish so it soaks up some of the oil.
- Place the tinned fish and paper towel down and set fire to the paper towel. Let it burn for around 10 minutes.
Remove the flaming paper towel with tongs and turn the tin upside down to tip out the contents onto a serving plate. Top with your garnishes and serve!
Top tip
Use tinned fish in oil! Sometimes you will see tinned fish in tomatoes (or other sauces), and this will not work; you need the oil to be able to set fire to it.
How to serve
I like to serve fire-roasted tinned mackerel topped with the flaked toasted almonds, chopped herbs, and either slices of black olives or a black olive tapenade. Place it all on a platter and put a bowl of crostini next to it, along with some forks, so people can scrape it or scoop it.
Wine Pairing
There are a lot of flavors going on here, so I'd suggest a white wine with some structure behind it. Try an oaked white wine with some creaminess.
What if I have leftovers?
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Can I freeze it?
This won't freeze well, no.
Equipment
You'll need a set of tongs to safely remove the flaming paper towel onto a tray; it will go out fast.
🙏🏻 If you try this recipe...
If you make this recipe, I'd love to hear how it went! Please leave a 5-star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on the recipe card and consider leaving a comment as well. Your feedback helps other readers and is greatly appreciated.
Recipe
Fire-Roasted Tinned Fish With Black Olives, Mint and Almonds
Equipment
- tongs
- Paper towels ideally unbleached and not colored
Ingredients
- 2 tins mackerel or other fish in oil
- 4 tablespoon flaked almonds toasted
- 1 tablespoon mint fresh and finely diced
- 1 tablespoon parsley fresh and finely diced
- 1 tablespoon chives fresh and finely diced
- 2 tablespoon black olives or jarred tapenade
Instructions
- Prepare your fresh herbs and toss the flaked almonds in a hot frying pan for a few minutes to toast them. Don't let them burn.
- Open the tinned fish and fold a piece of paper towel so it is slightly larger than the surface area of each tin. It needs to stick out around an inch from the sides.
- Press the folded paper towel into the surface of the oil so it soaks it up in the middle.
- Place the tins of fish and paper towels in a safe, ventilated area with no wind or fire hazards.
- Set fire to the dry edges of the paper towels and let them burn for around 10 minutes.
- Carefully remove the flaming paper towels to an oven tray using tongs and then use the tongs to transfer the tins to the oven tray as well. The tins might be hot!
- Tip the fire-roasted tinned fish onto a serving platter and top with the fresh herbs, black olives, and toasted almond flakes. Serve with crostini.
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