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Common names:
Mackerel, Boston mackerel, tinker
Description:
Atlantic mackerel are iridescent blue green above with a silvery white
underbelly. Twenty to thirty black bars run across the top half of
their body, giving them a distinctive appearance. The efficient spindle
shape of their body and their strong tall fin give this fish its ability
to move swiftly through the water. Atlantic mackerel have two separate
large dorsal fins and, like their relatives the tunas, they possess
several dorsal and anal finlets. On average, Atlantic mackerel weigh
less than one pound, but individuals of up to two pounds are not
unusual.
Ways to cook Mackerel.
Mackerel are very versatile and can just be fried or grilled but
below are some different recipes for cooking Mackerel.
Mackerel Parcels
Ingredients
4 Mackerels,2 oz butter, pinch of garlic salt,1 small onion grated
or chopped, an orange cut into chunks, grated rind and juice of 1
orange, salt and pepper to taste, few sprigs of parsley.
Preparation
After heading, gutting and cleaning fish season with salt and
pepper. Then mix butter until soft add the orange rind and juice mixing
until smooth. Add the garlic salt and onion mixing well. Divide this
into 4 portions and place inside each mackerel. Place each fish on a
large piece of greased foil and fold and crimp edges together to form a
parcel over each fish making sure no juices can escape. Place the
parcels on a baking tin or casserole dish and bake for 30 minutes in a
preheated oven. When cooked open parcels and decorate with orange pieces
and parsley. Serve hot or cold.
Honeyed Mackerel
Ingredients
2 X 1 lb Mackerel cleaned headed etc,1 carrot , 1 stick of celery
and 2inch piece of ginger all cut into matchstick size strips,2
Tablespoons honey,1 Tablespoon white wine vinegar,1 Tablespoon Soya
sauce. Salt and pepper
Preparation
Put the 2 Mackerel on a large piece of greased baking foil. Brush
the fish with the honey the put the celery, carrot and ginger strips on
the fish. Pour over the vinegar and Soya sauce and season with salt and
pepper. Fold the foil over to make a watertight parcel as in above
recipe then place in dish or on baking tray in a preheated oven for 30
mins.
Soused Mackerel
Ingredients
A Mackerel per person cleaned etc. And an equal amount of vinegar and
water to cover them. Then for every 2 fish use 2 cloves,1 sliced small
onion,1 bay leaf,6 peppercorns,1teaspoon salt.
Preparation
Roll the fish from head to tail and wedge together so that they
don't unroll into a deep oven proof dish (if only using a couple of fish
in a large dish pierce rolled fish with a cocktail stick to hold
together). Half fill dish with vinegar then fill up with water to cover
the fish, put all the above ingredients in and cover. Bake for an hour
on a moderate heat. Leave the fish to cool in the liquid then tuck in.
Smoking Mackerel
Preparation
Head gut clean fish etc. Make a brine solution roughly 8 pints water
to 2 and half pounds salt. This solution will do about 8 fish so cut or
add solution to suit your needs. Add to the brine any spices you like
say dill, bay leaves garlic etc. Soak the fish from 30 mins to 4 hours
the larger the longer. Hang the fish to dry for 30 mins Now make a
simple smokery. Get an old metal bucket or watering can with holes in
and place some BBQ Charcoal in it and light it. Then cover the bucket
with an oil drum or a barrel or a solid chest etc open at top and
bottom. Raise the drum on 2 bricks or slabs for air flow. Hang the fish
on hooks across the top of the drum. When the coals are smoldering so
that there is no taste of paraffin from the fire lighters sprinkle on
the coals oak chippings, sawdust etc. You can use different woods (not
pine) as you can use different brine solutions it all depends on your
taste. Now cover the whole contraption with a blanket. tarpaulin etc and
just leave the fish to smoke away until golden.
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