Japanese style grilled mackerel with crispy skin and tender flesh, seasoned simply with salt. This easy recipe allows you to enjoy this delicious fish to the fullest in practically no time!
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What is saba no shioyaki?
Saba no shioyaki (鯖の塩焼き) is a simple dish made with skin-on mackerel fillets that have been lightly seasoned with salt and grilled. Saba (鯖) is the Japanese word for "mackerel" and shioyaki means "salt grill".
This dish is well loved and can regularly be seen in households in Japan. It's most commonly eaten for dinner with rice, miso soup and pickles but it's not uncommon to eat it for lunch or even breakfast too!
What kind of mackerels to be seen in Japan
There are 4 common type of mackerel around Japan:
- Blue mackerel
- Indian mackerel
- Double-lined mackerel
- Chub mackerel
In supermarkets in Japan, you can see fair amount of imported mackerel from Norway as well.
In fact, 90% of imported mackerel in Japan is from Norway.
How we eat mackerel in Japan
As one of the most popular types of fish in Japan, we eat mackerels in many different ways such as:
- Salted and grilled
- Saba miso (simmered in miso base sauce)
- Karaage (deep fried)
- Sushi
- Shime saba (pickled)
Mackerel and Japanese culture
With Japan being an island country, it's no wonder that we have a long history of eating fish.
Eating mackerel has had roots in Japanese culture for quite some time. Mackerel bones have been unearthed from Jomon-era (around BC 3000 to BC 100) sites and it is thought that mackerel has been eaten since these ancient times.
It is believed that mackerel was eaten by a wide range of people, from commoner people to aristocrats.
Tips and tricks to make a great saba no shioyaki in a home grill
It is not hard to make grilled mackerel, I mean it's just cooking fish under a grill right?
That's true, but these small tips and cooking duration make a big difference.
So I will list tips and tricks specifically to make saba no shioyaki (grilled mackerel) in a home grill!
Use sake or salt to remove unwanted odour
Mackerel may have a fishy odour when cooked as it is. There are two options to fix this and improve the taste, texture and smell of mackerel.
- Sprinkling salt to allow the mackerel to release excess water content
- Rub with 1 tbsp sake
Either way, rest the mackerel fillets for 15 minutes at least (ideally 30 minutes), and then dry the surface with a paper towel.
Preheat the grill
Before grilling fish, it is important to first ensure that the oven grill is well preheated. 3 minutes with high heat setting is enough time (although this can depend on your grill - electric grills generally take longer).
Placing fish on a cold grill not only takes longer, but also causes the skin and flesh to stick to the grill, which will be annoying when it's time to wash up.
Additionally, you can lightly oil the surface of the wire rack inside the grill oven to prevent the skin and meat from sticking.
Be generous with heat
Some people may set on low heat because you are worried about burning your fish, but a low heat is not a good idea when it comes to grilling fish.
If you cook for a long time, not only does the excess oil and water leak out but also the flavour and good juice will be lost, resulting in a dry mackerel lacking in taste.
My recommendation is:
- 4 minutes on flesh side (medium-high to high heat)
- 3 minutes on skin side (medium-high to high heat)
This might change depending on your grill. I use a gas (fire) oven grill however each grill is different, so when you make it for the first time, I recommend keeping an eye on it so that it won't burn.
Saba no shioyaki (Japanese style grilled mackerel)
- Total Time: 22 minutes
- Yield: 2 portions 1x
Description
How to make Japanese grilled mackerel (saba no shioyaki). Serves 2.
Ingredients
- 2 mackerel fillets (skin-on)
- 1 tbsp sake
- Salt
- 1 sudachi halved (optional)
- Oroshi daikon drizzled with a dash of soy sauce (optional)
Instructions
- Wash the mackerel fillets under cold running water and place them in a container.
- Pour 1 tbsp of sake over the fish and rub it over the surface on both sides.
- Cover the container and rest in the fridge for 15 minutes, 30 minutes if you have time.
- Once 30 minutes have passed, remove the mackerel from the fridge and preheat your oven grill on a medium high / high setting.
- Dry the surface of the mackerel with a paper towel on both sides.
- Sprinkle a generous pinch of salt from a height on each side, this will help evenly distribute it.
- Make 3 diagonal incisions on the skin of the mackerel.
- Place the mackerel fillets on the grill with the skin side down and cook for 4 minutes. (Exact time might vary depending on the strength of your oven grill and the thickness of your fish.)
- Flip over and grill the other side for 3 minutes.
- Serve with sudachi and grated daikon drizzled with a dash soy sauce (optional).
- Enjoy!
Notes
Serving suggestion: I usually enjoy this dish with Japanese rice, pickles and miso soup. It can also be served in bento boxes.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 7 minutes
- Category: Fish
- Method: Grill
- Cuisine: Japanese
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Average Stats
What kind of sake to use? Daiginjo? Plum sake? Nigori cloudy?
Yuto Omura
Thank you for your comment. The most suitable one is any kind of clear junmai sake. Honjozo sake is passable too. However, daiginjo, any kinds of cloudy ones or fruits wine would not be suitable. I hope this answers your question!
Ahmet
JAPON FOOD VERY NAYS Tenkyou
★★★★★
Yuto Omura
Thank you!