Mackerel is an oily fish with bold flavor, and smoke suits it well. A short brine seasons the thin fillets, and they cook in about an hour. Serve it warm with potatoes or flake it cold onto toast.
The recipe
Ingredients
- 4 Atlantic mackerel, filleted, skin on (about 8 fillets, 2 lb total), pin bones removed
- 4 cups cold water
- 1/4 cup kosher salt
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp coarse black pepper, plus more for topping
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges, for serving
- Smoking wood: oak, alder or apple (chips, chunks or pellets)
Steps
- Keep the mackerel in the fridge at 40°F or below until you are ready to brine it. Thaw frozen fish in the fridge or in sealed bags under cold water.
- Stir the water, salt, brown sugar, pepper and bay leaf in a container until the salt and sugar dissolve.
- Add the fillets, cover and refrigerate 1–2 hours. Mackerel fillets are thin, so don't go longer or they get too salty.
- Rinse the fillets under cold water and pat them dry.
- Set them skin side down on a rack over a sheet pan. Refrigerate uncovered for about 1 hour, until the flesh looks dry and slightly tacky. This is the pellicle.
- Heat your smoker to 200°F with oak, alder or apple.
- Crack a little more pepper over the fillets. Place them skin side down on an oiled grate or a grill mat.
- Smoke until the thickest part reaches 145°F on a thermometer, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
- Serve warm with lemon, or cool the fillets and refrigerate them within 2 hours.
Why this works
Mackerel has lots of natural oil, so it stays moist in the smoker and can take a little more smoke than mild fish. The short brine seasons the thin fillets without making them salty. The pellicle gives the smoke something to grab, so the skin turns a deep golden brown.
This is a hot-smoked recipe, cooked all the way to 145°F. To learn why we stick with hot smoking at home, read hot vs. cold smoking fish.
Buy it fresh and keep it cold
Mackerel, like tuna, can build up histamine if it sits warm after it's caught. Cooking and smoking do not remove it. Buy from a seller you trust, look for bright eyes and a clean sea smell, and keep the fish cold from the store to the smoker.
Best wood
Because mackerel is rich, it stands up to oak or a light hand with hickory. Alder and apple give a softer smoke. Check the wood pairing chart for more ideas.
How to tell it's done
Check the thickest fillet with a meat thermometer. It should read 145°F and the flesh should flake easily with a fork.
Make ahead / storage
Refrigerate smoked mackerel at 38°F or below and eat it within about 1–2 weeks. Freeze it for longer. If you vacuum-seal it, keep it in the fridge or freezer only, because warm low-oxygen packs carry a botulism risk.
Serving ideas
- Smoked mackerel pâté: blend flaked fish with cream cheese, lemon and horseradish.
- Warm potato salad: toss with boiled potatoes, mustard dressing and dill.
- Breakfast: on rye toast with a soft-boiled egg.
For other oily fish to try, see the best fish for smoking. New to this? Start with how to smoke fish, or try our smoked trout.
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