Hot smoked mackerel recipe.

[manxman]

Introduction:

This recipe is based around the Atlantic Mackerel typically found in the North Atlantic.

Whilst also a bait fish, they are commonly found in delicatesens, fish merchants and supermarkets in the UK and some parts of europe.

They are a fatty fish rich in omega 3 hence make for healthy eating.

However, they spoil very easily after catching. If buying from a fish merchant look for signs of spoilage:

Eyes sunken, cloudy and discoloured.
Colours have lost intensity and brilliance, look washed out.
Gills are dark red or brown, dark red mucus oozing from gill covers.
Sour, sweaty or oily odour, sometimes ammonia smell.

The mackerel used in this recipe were caught fresh from the boat by the author and kept alive in the aerated bait tank till required.

Method:

a) Fillet and wash the mackerel thoroughly, preferably in sea water, removing the black bellywall membrane.

b) Brine fillets in 80% chilled brine (211g salt/litre water) for around 5 - 10 minutes, the aim of this is to bring the salt concentration in the water of the finished product to a minimum of 3% to inhibit bacterial growth without making the finished product too salty. ( note a whole gutted mackerel would have to remain in the same brine solution for 5 hours to attain the same 3% concentration.)

c) Pat dry with paper toweling, if rinsing only rinse briefly.

d) Put into fridge for an hour or so uncovered on a tray skin side down so that fillets are not overlapping.

e) Either spray or wipe the Bradley Smoker racks lightly with cooking oil to prevent fillets sticking during cooking. Use of the smaller meshed non-stick racks is recommended.

f) Smoke, skin side down, for about an hour with the BS temperature controller on minimum, (i.e completely to left) with the damper 1/2 to 3/4 open. This should bring the mackerel to around 65C/150F cabinet temperature, 50C/120F internal temperature. This drys off surplus surface moisture and sets the skin together with starting the smoking/cooking process.

g) Smoke for around a further hour with the damper set at 1/4 to 1/2 open, raising the temperature controller to bring the cabinet temperature to around 190F/90C to 200F/95C and the internal fish temperature to around 155F/68C to 160F/70C.

h) Typically oak is used to smoke in the UK but other wood's (hickory or apple for example)could also be used.  

i) Whole smoking process should not take longer than 2.5 hours.

j) Remove fish from smoker, wrap in tin foil and refridgerate for 24 hours.

The mackerel is now ready for eating, they may be eaten hot or cold. It should be eaten with 5 days otherwise the fillets should be frozen immediately after step j)

Fillets may be smoked plain but coarse ground black, red and/or green peppercorns may be used to spice them up a bit. It may be worth experimenting with other herbs and spices as well.

Enjoy!! [:D][:D] I know my friends and I did!![:D][:D]

reference: Handling and Processing Mackerel,Torry Advisory Note No.66
           Torry Research Station



Manxman.

[tsquared]

Hey Manx--thanks for the recipe. I hope I never get a chance to use it.[:D] (But I know I will) If the Pacific version of the mackerel show up in the waters off BC, it usually means it's another El Nino year which translates into lousy salmon fishing, both for the year and the cyclical year 4 years down the road. The mackeral devistate the emerging salmon smolts coming out of the rivers into the ocean as well as chew up any bait we salmon fishermen are using to try and catch the returning adults. Most of the fishermen around here are quite disdainful of the culinary delights of the mackeral as well as being pissed off because they know they are reducing salmon stocks. Having said all that, one of my favourite types of sushi is  smoked mackeral --I can't get enough! So my original statement is true--I will hang onto your recipe 'cause I know, global warming being what it is, the mack attack will be back. (hey I'm rappin'!)
T2

[manxman]

Hi tsquared,

I think I would be mightly pissed off with the mackeral if I was in your shoes..... don't blame you!!

They can be a menace round here too, either not enough when you are bait fishing or too many when you are after other species!! [:D][:D]

However, after a long and arduous day out fishing (teh heh!) they make a great supper just filleted, coated in flour and shallow fried in a little olive oil.

That was also very interesting the salmon, learn something every day![:D]



Manxman.

[tsquared]

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">after a long and arduous day out fishing (teh heh!) <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote"> Speaking of those long and arduous days, are you going to get away for some camping/fishing this summer?
T2