Canned Peas

2008 CHEFSBEST® AWARD FOR BEST TASTE WINNER

Claim Language: The ChefsBest Award for Best Taste is awarded to the brand rated highest overall among leading brands by independent professional chefs.

Del Monte

What Makes Great Canned Peas?

A wonderfully versatile vegetable, peas can serve as a side for meats and mashed potatoes or play a major role in salads, casseroles, pot pies, soups and stir-fry dishes. Mix them with bits of corn and carrots for a garden-fresh dish the entire family is bound to enjoy.

Our chefs define high quality canned peas as being moderately plump and boasting strong structural integrity, meaning the peas should be mostly whole without being broken or smashed. They will vary slightly in size.

Canned peas should have a moderate pea aroma, with a bright aroma character highlighting the product's natural qualities — you should not gather any hints of dullness, or any washed-out peas on hand. Also, there should be an absence of off notes in both aroma and flavor.

Taste balance is achieved when peas have a natural vegetable sweetness as the predominant taste. Added sweeteners should not be noticeable, and saltiness should be low but still discernible.

Like its aroma counterpart, canned peas' flavor intensity should be moderate. Peas are not expected to have a complex flavor, but they should feature some green, fresh and natural notes that add to their character.

In terms of texture, canned peas' outside skin should fall midway between tender and tough, and they should never be difficult to chew. Their interior should be moderately creamy, not mealy, and they should provide a moderate dissolve.

Product Category Definition

The category judged was defined for the consumer market, not including fresh, frozen or refrigerated peas, or other canned vegetables, such as canned string beans, corn, or salad beans.