Score whole mackerel, salt and oil it, and grill over a hot clean grate for 4 to 5 minutes a side without moving it until the skin crisps and releases. Serve with a sharp gooseberry, rhubarb or lemon accompaniment to cut the oil.
Method
Score the skin
Cut three or four diagonal slashes through the skin on each side. This helps it cook evenly and stops it curling.
Salt, dry, oil
Salt inside and out, pat dry, and oil the fish. Dry skin is what crisps and releases from the grate.
Hot clean grate
Scrub the bars and get them properly hot. Lay the mackerel on and leave it.
Do not move it
Four to five minutes a side, undisturbed, until the skin is crisp and lifts cleanly. If it sticks, it is not ready; wait.
Serve with something sharp
Mackerel is rich, so it wants acidity: lemon at least, and a gooseberry or rhubarb sauce is the classic English pairing.
Notes worth knowing
- Oily fish is the most forgiving on the grill; the fat protects the flesh from drying.
- Very fresh mackerel is stiff, bright and smells of the sea. It goes soft fast, so cook it the day you buy it.
- A fish basket makes turning whole fish much easier.
Common questions
Why grill mackerel over other fish?
It is cheap, sustainable, full of flavour, and its oiliness makes it far more forgiving on a fierce fire than lean white fish. It also loves the smoke.
What goes with grilled mackerel?
Anything sharp to cut the richness: lemon, gooseberry, rhubarb, pickles, or a mustard dressing. A plain green salad and bread complete it.
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