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–+ servings
Servng hot smoked mackerel with tartar sauce.

Hot Smoked Mackerel

Course: Appetizer, dinner, lunch
Cuisine: American, Eastern European
Keyword: smoked mackerel
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 4 hours
Brining: 2 hours
Total Time: 6 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 470kcal
Author: Victor
Print Recipe
US Customary - Metric

Ingredients

  • 4 whole mackerel Gutted, rinsed, and heads removed.

For the brine

  • 1/2 gallon water at 60F
  • 1.2 lbs salt about 2 cups
  • 1/2 lb brown sugar
  • 1 Tbsp Cure #1
  • 3 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 1/2 Tbsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 Tbsp onion powder
  • 1/2 Tbsp white pepper
  • 1 tsp allspice (ground)

Instructions

  • Add the water and the rest of the brine ingredients to a large bowl and whisk until sugar and salt are fully dissolved.
  • Place the fish in a deep pan or something similar. It should be just big enough to fit the fish. Add the brine. Make sure there is enough brine to cover the fish. Weigh the fish down with a weight plate. Let the fish brine for 1-2 hours at room temperature.
  • Remove the fish from the brine and rinse under cold running water. Place in a drafty area to dry and develop the pellicle. Dry for 2 hours.
  • Next, move the fish to the smoker and smoke according to the following schedule:
    1. 30-60 minutes at 86F(30C) with light smoke.
    2. Gradually raise the temperature to 122F(50C) while applying heavy smoke for a total of 30-45 minutes.
    3. Raise the temperature to 176F(80C), letting the fish reach an internal temperature of 145F (63C), while applying light smoke. Once the fish reaches 145F (63C), it should stay at this temperature for at least 30 minutes. Continue smoking until the desired color is achieved.
    The total expected smoking time is about 4-5 hours.
  • Serve the fish hot or chill and refrigerate. The easiest way to chill hot smoked mackerel is by placing it into a large Ziploc bag and submerging it in icy water. Once the fish reaches 50F (10C), transfer it to the fridge. It will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 10 days. Longer storage will require freezing.

Nutrition

Calories: 470kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 45g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 106mg | Sodium: 27457mg | Potassium: 976mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 28g | Vitamin A: 141IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 104mg | Iron: 3mg