Our favourite summer recipe for cooking outdoors - Grilled Mackerel Fillets! Marinated in a fresh and zingy coriander and lemon blend, the mackerel is skewered and quickly cooked on a coal grill. Served with a sharp radish pickle, it perfectly balances the rich, oily mackerel kebabs for a delightful meal.
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Why Grilling Is The Best Way To Cook Mackerel?
Grilling is the best way to cook mackerel! It's an oily fish, meaning it has a lot of healthy fatty acids, and, therefore doesn't dry out easily over high heat.
The high heat of the grill cooks it quickly, keeping the fish moist and bringing out its natural flavours. Grilling also adds a nice smoky note that makes mackerel even tastier. Mackerel is by far our favourite fish to grill. And you can simply serve it with a squeeze of lemon and a little oil on top - no sauce needed.
Ingredients and Substitutes
- fresh coriander: if you dislike coriander, try it with parsley.
- lemon: may be replaced with lime.
- white wine vinegar: or apple cider vinegar.
- olive oil: can be replaced with sunflower, avocado or vegetable oil.
And for the Anna Jones' radish pickle, you will need:
- radishes: topped and tailed, and coarsely grated. It works with kohlrabi too.
- ginger: minced or finely grated.
- fresh coriander: may be replaced with parsley if you wish.
- nigella seeds: substitute them with black sesame seeds, celery seeds or even cumin.
- lemon: lime juice and zest can also be used.
- white wine vinegar: or cider vinegar.
- honey: can be replaced with agave nectar, caster sugar or golden syrup.
- sea salt.
Step-By-Step Method
Three simple steps for this Grilled Mackerel Fillet recipe. Let's jump in!
Step 1: Marinade
- Put the very finely chopped coriander, lemon zest and vinegar into a pestle and mortar. Grind into a rough paste. Add the olive oil, a pinch of salt and black pepper and mix to combine.
- Place the mackerel fillets into an airtight container, spoon the marinade all over and turn the fillets to coat.
- Place the mackerel in the fridge for 1 hour to marinate.
Step 2: Anna Jones' Radish Pickle
- In the meantime, make the radish pickle by placing all the ingredients into a medium bowl. Stir to combine, and set it aside.
Step 3: How To Grill Mackerel Fillets?
- Light up a BBQ and wait for the coals to turn white.
- Thread two mackerel fillets onto each long metal skewer (see photos below).
- Cook the mackerel skewers for approximately 10 minutes, turning regularly. Baste each side of the fish with the leftover marinade as you turn them.
- Serve Grilled Mackerel Fillets with radish pickle on top and lots of freshly ground black pepper.
What To Serve Grilled Mackerel With?
Grilled mackerel fillets pair well with a variety of sides. You can serve them with a fresh green salad, like Courgette Ribbon Salad or Pea Shoot Salad. Roasted or grilled vegetables, or a Spiced couscous salad or Quinoa salad will also make a great accompaniment. But our favourite side dish for mackerel has to be our Beetroot and Feta Salad With Balsamic Dressing!
For a touch of starch, try serving them with grilled potatoes or a piece of crusty bread.
Recipe FAQs
Rinse fresh mackerel under cold water.
Using a sharp knife, make a cut behind the gills and down to the backbone.
Slide the knife along the backbone towards the tail to remove one fillet.
Turn the fish over and repeat for the other side.
Remove any remaining bones with tweezers.
Rinse the fillets again and pat dry with paper towels before marinating.
It depends on how hot your coals are on your grill, how close to the heat you are cooking your mackerel fillets and the thickness of your fillets, but generally, 10-15 minutes should do it. Grilled mackerel kebabs are cooked when the fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
More Grilling Recipes
We hope you enjoyed our Mackerel fillets recipe. For more grilling on the skewers ideas, have a look at some of our favourite recipes below:
Grilled Mackerel Skewers
Equipment
- Coal BBQ Grill
Ingredients
- 4 mackerel fillets
- 2 tablespoon coriander leaves very finely chopped
- ½ lemon zest only
- 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
For Radish Pickle:
- 150 g (5.29 oz) radishes coarsely grated
- thumbnail sized knob of ginger minced or finely grated
- 5 g (2 tablespoon) coriander finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon nigella seeds
- 1 lemon zest and juice
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Put the very finely chopped coriander, lemon zest and vinegar into a pestle and mortar. Grind into a rough paste. Add the olive oil, a pinch of salt and black pepper and mix to combine.
- Place the mackerel fillets into an airtight conatiner, spoon the marinade all over and turn the fillets to coat.
- Place the mackerel in the fridge for 1 hour to marinade.
- In the meantime, make the radish pickle by placing all the ingredients into a medium bowl. Stir to combine, and set it aside.
- Light up a BBQ and wait for the coals to turn white.
- Thread two mackerel fillets onto each long metal skewer (see photos above).
- Cook the mackerel skewers for approximately 10 minutes, turning regularly. Baste the mackerel with the leftover marinade as you turn them.
- Serve with radish pickle on top.
Nutrition
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