Trader Joe’s Artichoke Products
Before we take a closer look at this product and its uses, note that Trader Joe’s has more than one artichoke product. TJ’s has frozen artichokes, and they also have marinated artichokes—right next to the grilled artichokes—which are in similar jars. Though the marinated artichokes aren’t bad, they aren’t as much of a home run as the grilled counterparts. When steering your cart down the aisle (usually by the olive oils and jarred beets), stay sharp. Look for the squarish jar that says “Grilled Artichoke Halves,” and that features an old-time illustration of an artichoke plant on the front label.
Canned Artichoke Quality
Are artichokes in a can any good? Here’s the thing. Preserved artichokes can be really good, yes, but they can also be forgettable. You’ve probably had artichokes out of a can. Often, the cans contain small, squishy slivers in a watery solution. These generally don’t have much flavor. Worse, they’re the kind of product that might turn someone off to artichokes forever. But properly prepared, artichokes can thrive when sold in preserved form. Trader Joe’s artichoke hearts are a 180-degree pivot from an uninspired watery can. These jars hold meaty half-artichokes speckled with char from the grill, and they have a substantive bite. Suspended in oil, their flavor noticeably improves.
Taste
These grilled and jarred artichokes taste like they were cooked when perfectly fresh, only with a little more weight from the oil. Keeping them in halves gives them a thick, gliding bite. Grilling deepens the earthy notes some, though they remain delicate. This product will hook you for life, so consider trying them even if you haven’t liked other preserved artichokes in the past. A flavorful preserved artichoke like this one provides a massive convenience upgrade over fresh artichokes. Fresh artichokes have their time and place (emphasis on time). They’re great, but they have a limited optimal season. They also take a long time to prepare. These jarred artichokes? It takes two seconds to undo the lid.
Recipe Ideas and Uses
These artichokes can be eaten alone, as a simple snack, or as part of an antipasto board with cured meats, cheese, and other vegetables. They can be tossed with pasta, slipped onto sandwiches, added to a pizza, or laid flat-side-down onto burgers. They excel in savory yogurt to make a delicious artichoke dip and even provide some added body with the oil they carry. You can even add some of Trader Joe’s artichoke hearts to an unconventional but delicious artichoke mac and cheese dish.
Spoilage
If you’re looking to prolong the lifetime of a single jar, you can use one artichoke at a time very strategically. Each half has many leaves, and you can peel these off one by one. The yellow leaves from just one half-artichoke can accent a salad for the family or top a pizza. Store the remaining artichokes in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to five days.
