Smoked Mackerel

Full of moisture and intense flavor, mackerel is the perfect fish for smoking. Smoked Mackerel is easy and delicious. It will soon become one of your favorite ways to use the smoker.

🍽️ Why This Works

Full of Nutritional Value. Mackerel is very high in Omega3 Fatty Acids, vitamins, and minerals including vitamin B12, niacin, phosphorus, potassium and selenium, and of course, protein.

Extra Tasty. The rich, slightly sweet, buttery taste of mackerel is perfect for those of us who want to taste our fish and savor it. The addition of smoke – as you know, that is our preferred way to enjoy almost any meat and it works well here. It is an excellent choice for smoked fish dip, soup, stew, or pâté.

Fast to the Table. Unlike many other smoked meats, you can get smoked mackerel to the table in just two hours.

🎣 Ingredients

📝 Ingredient Notes

Mackerel Fillets – Always get the freshest fish you can find. Look for a fish without a strong smell. Fish should be firm and pink. It should not look like it is yellowing or extra slimy. I went fishing and landed a few Spanish Mackerel, but if you can get King or Cero Mackerel, they will work perfectly as well.

Kosher Salt – Coarse Kosher salt will help draw out the moisture in the fish and allow it to take up more smoke flavor.

Olive Oil – Adds flavor and helps keep the fish from drying out.

Wood Chips – Apple or cherry are our preferred choices for mackerel. Any of the fruit woods will work. If you aren’t sure which woods to use, check out our guide on the best woods to use.

⏲️ Equipment and Tools

Sharp Filet Knife | This tool is an essential whether you are preparing your own fresh fish for smoking or picking up mackerel at your local market. A dull knife will tear up your fish. Filet knives are flexible making them perfect for the job.

Smoker | We like to use our Big Green Egg. Any smoker you have will work.

Basting Brush | If you don’t want to make a mess pouring and rubbing oil over the fish by hand, use one of these handy brushes to spread the oil.

Smoker Gloves | These allow you to pick up the hot smoked fish and flip it.

🔥 Instructions

Step One: Preheat your smoker for indirect heat at 275ºF. Fillet the fish. Keep the skin on the mackerel and make sure to remove the blood line on each fillet. That is the center line on each fillet and can be removed by cutting down both sides of it at an angle and lifting it out.

Step Two: Sprinkle some salt in a non-reactive dish. Lay the fillet, skin-side down on the salt, and sprinkle some more salt on top of the meat. You only need a little bit to draw out residual moisture and allow the fish to form a sticky pellicle, which will help the smoke adhere. This is called dry-brining. You can move on in five minutes like we did or let it sit here for up to forty-five minutes in the salt.

Step Three: After five minutes, remove the fillet and rinse it thoroughly. Pat it dry with a paper towel.

Step Four: Rub the skin side of the fillet with olive oil. This will minimize the chances of it sticking to the grill grate.

Step Five: Add wood chips to the smoker. I recommend a fruitwood like Apple or Cherry. Add the fish to the smoker straight on the grill grate.

Step Six: Let the fillet smoke for about two hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F. Remove and serve. Make an extra fillet or two for Smoked Fish Dip!

❗ Recipe Tips and Tricks

Cast iron, aluminum, or unlined copper are all reactive materials. They will leach into foods when exposed to an acid. Instead choose stainless steel, glass, or glazed ceramic.

Mackerel has a higher oil content, which is what makes them perfect for smoking. If you aren’t sure how much a smoke flavor you will like, aim for a nice, slow and steady trickle of smoke. You really don’t need a lot to give the fish this amazing flavor.

🧑‍🍳 Storage and Reheating

Keep smoked mackerel in an airtight container and refrigerate it for up to two days. Reheat the fish in a hot skillet with butter or oil. You may also microwave.

Freeze smoked mackerel for up to three months in an airtight container. If you plan to use it for dip later, go ahead and break it up with a fork so that it’s ready to go when thawed. Otherwise freeze whole fillets or individual portions.

I like to wrap it in Cling Wrap or Press N Seal before adding it to a Ziploc bag. It allows me to portion them up easier and adds an extra layer of protection against freezer burn.

Meal Prep

Go ahead and make lunch containers with your leftovers! Add cooked rice, risotto, quinoa, or lentils to the bottom of a microwaveable plastic storage container. Top the rice with a serving of smoked fish, a serving of roasted veggies and a pat of butter. Add a lemon wedge. Freeze these containers for grab-and-go lunches you can reheat in a microwave fast!

Additions and Substitutions

Season it up. We kept it simple with just drawing out the moisture with salt. You might want to add Old Bay Seasoning, your favorite seafood dry rub, or baste the fish with a favorite sauce for variety. Salt, pepper and dry mustard is also a common way to season this fish.

If you don’t have apple or cherry wood, try pecan or any mildly flavored fruity wood.

This recipe will also work for salmon, tuna, whitefish, sole, hake, mahi-mahi, bluefish, or butterfish. You can use herring but it is very bony.

Serving Suggestions

Serve up smoked mackerel with crispy French fries for fish and chips. Hush puppies, dipping sauces, seasoned rice, or roasted veggies are all excellent choices as well. Smoked asparagus bundles would be amazing.

❓ Recipe FAQ

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