Discover thhe World of Japanese Canned Food
Beef tongue, chicken rice, chawanmushi, okonomiyaki. Japanese canned goods go well beyond simple preserved food, packing in regional specialties and full dishes. Illustrator and author Kim Ho, captivated by the charm of cans that you can only know by opening them, has tried a wide range of Japanese tins. In his book “The Joy of Cracking Cans,” he guides us into the world of canned food.
Words & Illustrations Kim Ho
Compiled by Pyo Youngso
Braised Beef Tongue in Demi-Glace Sauce
牛たんデミグラスソース煮込み
“The demi-glace sauce, with its comforting, deep sweetness, brought back the taste of the hamburger steaks I ate as a child, and the chewy bite of the thick-cut meat was deeply satisfying. There was no skimping on the amount of meat, either. It’s a bit funny to say this while writing a book about canned food, but this was the least canned-tasting can I’ve ever eaten. Wow, amazing.”
･Weight: 170g (80g solids)
･Maker: Kinoya Ishinomaki Suisan(木の屋石巻水産). A food processing company founded in 1957 in Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. It produces premium canned products using fresh seafood caught off the coast of Ishinomaki, such as mackerel and whale meat, along with local meats.
･Description: Thick slices of beef tongue slowly simmered in a rich demi-glace sauce. Inspired by the beef tongue dishes that are a local specialty of Miyagi, it took five years to develop.
･How to eat: When the water comes to a boil, turn off the heat, add the can, and warm it for about 5 minutes.
Hiroshima-Style Soupless Tan Tan Noodle Sauce
広島汁なし担々麺の素
“The flavor of the tantanmen was curious. I liked the burst of sansho pepper aroma, and it went well. (…) But the cold tantanmen sauce was… ambiguous. It reminded me of the spicy tuna cans I used to eat all the time as a kid. Like a pork version of spicy canned tuna? The noodles I ate with it were so thin that the lingering aftertaste of the sauce lasted too long, which I didn’t love either.”
･Weight: 90g
･Maker: Yamato Foods (ヤマトフーズ). A food manufacturer in Hiroshima. It makes processed foods using local specialties, and is best known for Lemosco (レモスコ), a seasoning made with Hiroshima lemons.
･Description: A canned sauce that lets you easily enjoy Hiroshima’s signature ‘soupless tan tanmen’ (汁なし担々麺). Its chicken and pork base is seasoned with barley miso, soy sauce, Sichuan pepper, sansho, and chili for a rich savoriness and heat.
･How to eat: Toss it with noodles, or use it as a topping for rice or tofu.
Nakaiso's Canned Kakioko (Oyster Okonomiyaki)
中磯のカキオコ缶
“Inside the can were two okonomiyaki that looked like patties for mini hamburgers, and, um… maybe I shouldn’t have searched for it beforehand? The look was a bit disappointing. There was a smoked oyster that was large for a canned product, but it was watery and a little soggy. But once I moved it to a plate, microwaved it, drizzled on the included sauce, and generously sprinkled katsuobushi (from my own stash), it looked quite decent, and the taste wasn’t bad as a snack with beer.”
･Weight: 140g
･Maker: Asahi Tex (旭テックス). Restaurant Yudachi (レストラン夕立), a restaurant brand run by Asahi Tex Co., Ltd., is a regional-cuisine eatery in Hinase(日生), a port town in Bizen (備前市), Okayama Prefecture. Here you can try kakioko (カキオコ), an okonomiyaki generously filled with fresh local oysters, as well as eel rice bowls, horumon udon, and more.
･Description: A canned version of kakioko, one of Restaurant Yudachi’s signature dishes. It contains two mini okonomiyaki made with oysters harvested in the Hinase area.
･How to eat: Transfer the contents to a plate and warm briefly in the microwave.
Seafood Chawanmushi (Japanese Steamed Egg Custard)
海鮮茶わんむし
“Everything else was as good as the rich aroma. The silky texture so characteristic of chawanmushi was wonderfully reproduced, and the savory depth lingered. After one spoonful, I even felt a warmth spread through my body, as if I had dipped my feet in a hot spring. (…) Each time I dipped in the spoon, different ingredients came up with it, such as ginkgo nuts, shrimp, scallops, and kamaboko. Each clearly showed off its own flavor while blending beautifully with the egg, and as I ate I found myself chewing over the question: why is this so good?”
･Weight: 90g
･Maker: Komachi Foods (こまち食品工業株式会社). A food company in Mitane (三種町), Akita Prefecture, that makes canned and retort foods using local specialties. It is known for products rooted in the region’s food culture, including canned rice porridge made with nothing but Akita rice and natural groundwater.
･Description: One of two chawanmushi cans released in 2015, designed to capture the soft texture of chawanmushi and the flavor of seafood broth.
･How to eat: It can be eaten as is with no preparation, and tastes even better lightly warmed.
Canned Grilled Eel (Kabayaki Style)
うなぎ蒲焼
“There were three pieces of eel, each as long as the can itself, and the flesh crumbled in my mouth with a pleasantly nutty richness. Eating the skin together with the meat brought out the thick, characteristic oiliness of eel skin, which made it delicious, and the thrill of biting into a big chunk in one go was considerable. The tare sauce I had been looking forward to wasn’t as intense as I expected, but it was a delicious sauce, sweet and salty, full of the essence of the eel.”
･Weight: 100g
･Maker: Hamanako Foods (浜名湖食品). A venerable Japanese eel processing company founded in 1934 around Lake Hamana (浜名湖) in Shizuoka Prefecture. It built its reputation on traditional kabayaki (蒲焼) cans made with Hamanako eel, but has recently ceased operations.
･Description: Eel kabayaki, grilled with a sweet and salty glaze made from soy sauce, sugar, and mirin, is wrapped piece by piece in oil paper. A separate can opener is required. However, production has now stopped, and it is not easy to find.
･How to eat: Eat it as is, or place the can in boiling water and warm it for 2 minutes.