Mackerel is a great fish to smoke. Just like salmon it has high fat content, which is good when smoking fish. Here we’re making a mackerel mousse, smoked with beech wood, to serve with a fresh salad.
Servings 4
Ingredients
- 2 mackerels (roughtly 18 oz each)
- 3.5 oz creme fraiche
- 4 tbsp mayonnaise
- 3 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Get your grill started, configure it for indirect grilling. Run it at 150° C / 300° F. This is slightly higher than when smoking meat, but in this case we don’t need to tenderize the fish meat. Add 2-3 chunks of beech wood on the fire, place the fish on the grate, and close the lid.
- Make sure you have a temperature probe in the largest fish. Place it in the thickest part of the meat, close to the spine. That way you’ll get a good reading.
- Smoking the fish shouldn’t take longer than an hour. The mackerel is done when the internal temperature reads 60° C / 140° F. Bring it inside, and let it cool of for 10-15 minutes.
- The next step is to remove all meat from the fish. This is easiest done using your fingers. Start by pulling off the skin and start picking. This way you make sure all bones get removed also.
- Mix the mackerel with the creme fraiche, mayo and lemon juice. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve it with a fresh salad.
