Mackerel is an oil-rich, luxurious fish that is perfect for smoking. They are convenient and quick, satisfying and flavorful, and really good for you. Don’t bypass this smoked fish, next time you are looking for a quick evening meal.
It is one of our favorite oily fish, and it contains high amounts docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), especially eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and omega-3 fatty acids. Another great thing about mackerel is that it is also a good source of various minerals and vitamins, and protein.
When it is smoked as salmon, it is as delicious. Mackerel is a super nutritious, easy to fillet and easy to catch and it gives a fish-eating experience that few others can match. You will be amazed at the meals we have prepared for you. Choose one smoked mackerel recipe and enjoy!
If you want to know more all you have to do is read on.
Preparation:
Before you smoke it, first you need to brine the mackerel. The next step is to smoke it so that it is adequately cooked. Use a dependable device as an electric smoker for the best results.
1. Puy lentil salad, parsnip, and smoked mackerel
The Ingredients
- Four smoked, flaked mackerel fillets
- Parsnips, peel and cut into cubes, 500 g
- One tablespoon olive oil
- One teaspoon honey, clear
- Two lemons, one cut into wedges, one juiced
- Bag watercress, 100 g
- Two teaspoons creamed horseradish
- Puy lentils, 500 g
Process:
- After you have finished smoking the mackerel, heat the oven to 392 degrees F. Pour the half of olive oil and toss some seasoning and parsnips. Roast this mixture for about twenty minutes and then use the honey to drizzle it. Roast it until the parsnips are tender, sticky and golden, for about ten minutes.
- Meanwhile, combine the remaining oil, the horseradish and the lemon juice to make a dressing. Place the lentils, watercress, and the parsnips into it. Divide it between four plates. Serve with the lemon wedges and top with the smoked fish.
2. Mackerel rice bowl japanese-style
The Ingredients
Four smoked mackerel fillets, without skin
- Sushi rice, 300 g
- Teriyaki sauce, 150 g
- Frozen soya beans, 200 g
- One crushed garlic clove, large
- One lemon, zest, and juice
- Four shredded and halved lengthways spring onions
- Optional – wasabi paste
Process:
- Following the pack, instructions cook the rice and for the last three minutes add the soya beans. Combine lemon juice and zest, garlic and teriyaki sauce.
Over a medium temperature heat a non-stick frying pan. Over the mackerel brush some mixture of the teriyaki sauce and sear the fillets, so that the skin-side go down. Do that for about one or two minutes and then turn it over. - The next step is to place the mixture of teriyaki sauce in the pan and let it begin boil. Cook for another one or two minutes. The sauce will thicken, and the mackerel will warm through.
- Put the rice into bowls and place each fillet on the top of it. Sprinkle over the spring onions and spoon over the sauce. If you like, you can serve it with a wasabi paste’s blob.
3. ‘Hedgehog’ garlic bread and smoked mackerel chowder
The Ingredients
- Flaked peppered smoked mackerel, 200 g pack
- Four crushed garlic cloves
- One large knob for the chowder and softened butter, 50 g
- One small round loaf of bread
- One teaspoon vegetable oil
- Four finely chopped celery sticks and few leaves for serving
- One finely chopped onion
- Three tablespoon flours
- Whole milk, 600 ml
- Two potatoes, large – cut it into cubes
- Frozen sweetcorn, 200 g
Process:
- Heat the oven to 428 degrees F. Mash the butter with the garlic. Slice the bread in the hedgehog pattern, just be careful not to cut it through. Use the garlic butter to stuff the crevices and place them in the foul. Leaving the top open, wrap it loosely and while you make the chowder, bake for about twenty minutes.
- Pour the oil into the saucepan and heat a knob of butter in it. Pu in the onion and celery, cook until soft, for about five minutes. After that add the flour and stir well to make a paste. Use the milk and slowly pour it in. Cook the mixture until consistency of double cream and smooth. Half the mackerel and add potatoes and simmer for fifteen minutes.
- Add the flaked mackerel to the chowder with sweetcorn. Now you should simmer it for about one or two minutes. If it is too thick, you can splash a little water into it. Divide into few bowls, sprinkle the celery leaves over it and use bread for dunking to serve.
4. Smoked mackerel with beet couscous and herb
The Ingredients
- Smoked peppered mackerel fillets, 250 g pack
- Couscous, 100 g
- Greek yogurt with 2 percent fat, 150 g pot
- One teaspoon horseradish sauce
- ½ deseeded cucumber, cut into small cubes
- Roughly chopped dill, 20 g pack
- Roughly chopped mint, 20 g pack
- Finely chopped small red onion
- One lemon juice
- One tablespoon olive oil
- Cooked beetroot, 250 g pack – cut into small cubes
Process:
- In a large bowl place, the couscous and pour the boiling water 150 ml over it. Cover it with a cling film and let it rest for ten minutes.
- Use the horseradish and mix it with the seasoning and yogurt. Uncover the couscous when it absorbs all the liquid. Spread it around the sides and up of the bowl. This way it will be easier and faster to cool.
- Add the oil, lemon juice, onion, herbs, and cucumber when the couscous is cold and after you include the beets stir it well. Flake a mackerel, discard the skin and place it alongside each plate where you will put the couscous. Serve it as you wish with the horseradish yogurt.
Note: If you have any leftovers, put the food into the airtight container and place it into the refrigerator. Use it next day and pack it in a lunchbox.
5. Horseradish dressing, beetroot, and smoked mackerel salad
The Ingredients
- Flaked and skinned smoked mackerel fillets, 300 g
- Baby salad leaves, 150 g
- Four tablespoon horseradish cream
- For the dressing:
- Four tablespoons red wine vinegar
- Finely sliced three small shallots
- Four peeled, cooked beetroot, two sliced into eighteen slices and two finely diced
- Eight tablespoon olive oil
Process:
- Into a large bowl tip, the shallots with red wine vinegar and season it. Leave it to soften for a couple of minutes. Combine the olive oil and the diced beetroot into the shallots. This is for dressing, and you can make it the day before you want to make this delicious meal.
- Toss some of the dressing and the leaves with the fish. Onto one plate put the three slices of beetroot and into the center pile the salad. Use the rest of the dressing to spoon around the outside. Around each plate place the blobs of horseradish and serve. Enjoy this delicious and very nutritious meal!
6. Potato bake and smoked mackerel
The Ingredients
- Smoked mackerel, 200 g
- Potato cut into three centimeters cubes, 700 g
- One small thinly sliced onion
- Butter, 25 g
- Two tablespoons chopped dill
- Double cream, 150 ml
- Fish stock, 100 ml
- Two tablespoon horseradish, creamed
Process:
- Heat your oven to 392 degrees F. In the salted and boiling water, cook the onion and potato until almost tender for about six or seven minutes. After you have drained it well, you can move to the next step. Use a baking sheet 20×20 centimeters and grease it with the butter and place the potatoes in it. Arrange them nicely so they can cook properly.
- Discard bones and skin from the fish and break it into chunky pieces. Tuck them around and in the potatoes and sprinkle the dill over it. Whisk the horseradish, stock, and the cream together and season it. Pour this mixture over the vegetables. Use the remaining butter and dot it over the top. Bake this until it is golden for about twenty to twenty-five minutes.
NUTRITION INFORMATION FOR MACKEREL
“According to the USDA, mackerel are among the top fish on the list for omega-3 content. Just 3 ounces of cooked Boston mackerel contains 1.1 grams of omega-3 fatty acids. Like tuna, mackerel is also an important source of protein and B vitamins, particularly vitamin B12. A 3-ounce serving provides nearly 700 percent of the recommended daily amount of vitamin B12. And mackerel offers tremendous amounts of selenium, a mineral that helps to protect our cells against damaging free radicals.” according to Berkley Wellness.
The Conclusion
Mackerel is an oily fish that will not dry out as much as leaner white one, so it is perfect choice for smoking. With a good quality electric smoker, you can make an excellent smoked fish and use it for any of these delicious recipes. If you want to amaze your family and friends with some fantastic meals, then you are at the right place!
Read our recipes and cook like a chef! Bon appetite!