Frozen Mackerel Fillets

What you are getting

Mackerel (Scomber japonicus), a small oily fish with a bold, savoury flavour and a banded blue-green back. Sold here as boneless half-fillets with the skin left on, which is what protects the flesh and gives you crackling when you grill it.

Where it comes from

Caught in the North Pacific and filleted and frozen at sea or at the plant on the same day. Rapid freezing is important with mackerel: the oil goes rancid fast at warmer temperatures, and a fast freeze is what keeps it tasting clean.

Specifications

• Cut: half-fillet, main bones removed
• Net weight: 2 kg per box
• Skin: on
• Packing: vacuum sealed, fillets frozen separately

State and handling

Raw and frozen. Half-fillets, so they cook in minutes and plate as a portion without further work.

Storage

Hold at -18 C or colder and keep the box shut; mackerel picks up freezer aromas quickly. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and cook the same day. Do not refreeze after thawing.

Shelf life and delivery

Best within 8 months of the production date on the box. Ships in insulated liners with dry ice and arrives frozen hard.

How to cook it

• Grilled: salt lightly and grill skin-side down first until the skin crispens, then turn to finish. Serve with lemon and grated radish.
• Pan-seared: medium-high heat until both sides are browned and the flesh is just opaque.
• Teriyaki: simmer in soy, mirin and sugar until the glaze coats the fillet.
• Baked: season and roast on a tray until cooked through.

It is a rich fish, so something acidic alongside keeps it from tasting heavy.

Allergen

Contains fish. Packed in a facility that also handles crustaceans and molluscs.