Ah, the Mackerel. With its magnificent iridescent skin and torpedo-like streamlined shape, the Mackerel is easy to identify on the fishmonger’s slab. There are also plenty of wonderful Mackerel recipes out there.
Aside from its smart looks, Mackerel are also great to eat. What’s more, they’re cheap and readily available. They’re also good for us, being an important source of omega-3 fatty acids.
Preparation and cooking
Mackerel are easy to prepare – gut them and give them a wash and they’re ready for the grill or barbeque. They are also very easy to fillet – as Duncan Lucas demonstrates.
Being a versatile fish, Mackerel recipes are plentiful. Mackerel can be poached, baked, pan-fried, salted and smoked. Mackerel sashimi is also very, very good.
Owing to its high oil content, Mackerel is best eaten stiff fresh (especially if you’re going the sashimi route). You’ll know immediately if your Mackerel is starting to decay as its flesh will become slimy. That’s not nice. The good news is, it’s pretty easy to catch your own Mackerel – that way, you know just how fresh your fish is.
Mackerel Recipes
I like to keep it simple when cooking Mackerel. Hot grill, brush of oil, salt, bit of lemon in the cavity and away you go. I once attempted devilled Mackerel – but that went badly wrong.
One Mackerel recipe that did turn out successfully was Mackerel with Pirinaca Salad from Rick Stein’s Long Weekend.
Interesting book Long Weekend. It has some great recipes for seafood cookery enthusiasts.
Rick Stein’s Long Weekend is available to buy at Amazon.
Seasonality
Early autumn is when Mackerel are at their best. Avoid buying Mackerel between March and June. That’s when Mackerel breed – so let’s give them some peace.
Sustainability
Read more on the latest Marine Conservation Society Good Fish Guide ratings.