We have been eating this healthy and easy mackerel recipe whenever fresh mackerel is available.
If you’ve heard that you should be eating more small oily fish for your health, but aren’t sure how to make it happen, give this pan-fried mackerel a try!
How to Cook Oily Fish
Oily fish tends to have a fishier flavor, which is why a lot of people avoid it. It’s really a shame, because these fish are full of omega-3 fatty acids, and the small varieties like sardines, anchovies, and Atlantic mackerel (not the large King Mackerel) are low in mercury.
As long as you cook it right, it can also be very delicious!
In my opinion, the best way to cook oily fish is to pan-fry it. These fish have a ton of flavor, and you don’t need to do much to them—just season with salt and pan-fry until nice and crispy.
This releases the fish’s natural oils, mellows the fishy flavor, and just tastes good! Another great way to cook it would be grilling it, but pan-frying can be done any time of year, in any kitchen.
Note:
There are different types of mackerel. Go for smaller fish, which are lower in mercury. Avoid large king mackerel and Spanish mackerel that are higher in mercury.
The Woks of Life Is On Team Oily Fish!
Bill sometimes goes fishing with his cousins in Montauk, and they’re often out there to catch striped bass and fluke. These are delicate, flaky, and mild-tasting fish that are great for Cantonese steaming preparations. They are delicious!
However, if they catch an oily fish like bluefish that are a good small eating size, they don’t want it! Bill is always the only one to take the bluefish home, and we keep them in the freezer. We salt it, pan-fry it just like this mackerel, and it’s SO GOOD.
Even baby Ethan is loving mackerel!
Different Preparation Methods
I’ve been eating mackerel for a long time—since I grew up in Shanghai. We would have it with xuě cài, or pickled mustard greens. The first step was always to pan-fry it. (Then we’d take the fish out, add the xuecai to the wok with a little sugar and water, let it stew, and then pour it over the fish like a light sauce or broth.)
These days, however, I’m enjoying the pan-fried approach. I LOVE it served with rice, seaweed, and shiso leaves (also known as perilla leaves), which I grow in my garden.
These are the green serrated leaves that you’ll often see as a decorative base for sushi and sashimi at Japanese restaurants. The shiso has a strong flavor, and it balances the strong flavor of the mackerel.
That’s my favorite way to serve it, but you could simply serve as part of a larger Chinese meal, or go the opposite way and serve with lemon, a rice pilaf, and a salad.
One of Sarah’s favorite things to order at a Korean restaurant is grilled or pan-fried salted mackerel with a side of rice and soondubu (soft tofu stew) or kimchi stew. We have recipes for both! There are so many possibilities.
BENEFITS OF MACKEREL:
- It’s harder to overcook mackerel, as opposed to delicate flaky white fish.
- Because they’re not that popular, they’re inexpensive!
- They’re tasty—and healthy, full of Omega-3s.
Pan-fried Mackerel Recipe Instructions
Start with two mackerel fillets (1 fish split in half, with head still on or not).
Remove the black membrane on the inside of the belly, and rinse the fish. This membrane has a fishy taste and can be bitter.
Pat the fillets thoroughly dry. Sprinkle the salt evenly on both sides of each one. Marinate for 20 minutes at room temperature.
Preheat your pan over medium-high heat until a few drops of water tossed onto the hot surface bead and dance around the pan.
When the pan is completely dry again, add the oil and the fillets skin side down. Cook for about 3 minutes per side.
TIP!
If the fish is too big for your pan, you can remove the head or cut the fillets in half crosswise so that the pan will accommodate them.
Serve!
If you can get shiso leaves, enjoy it with some steamed rice, shiso, and seaweed!
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Recipe
Mackerel Recipe (Easy Pan-Fry Method)
Ingredients
- 12 ounces mackerel fillets
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
Instructions
- Start with two mackerel fillets (1 fish split in half, with head still on or not). Remove the black membrane on the inside of the belly, and rinse the fish. This membrane has a fishy taste and can be bitter.
- Pat the fillets thoroughly dry. Sprinkle the salt evenly on both sides of each one. Marinate for 20 minutes at room temperature.
- Preheat your pan over medium-high heat until a few drops of water tossed onto the hot surface bead and dance around the pan. When the pan is completely dry again, add the oil and the fillets skin side down. Cook for about 3 minutes per side. Serve!
