Mackerel is a fish from the mackerel family. Mackerel is a predator and lives in the coastal marine zone. This fish is commercial, so it can be found on the shelves of many fish stores. Mackerel gets into stores from the seas and oceans, where it is caught.

habitats

This fish is caught off the coast of Europe, America and Africa. The main amount of mackerel is found:

  • in the Atlantic Ocean;
  • in the North Sea;
  • off the coast of Norway.

The main condition for the habitat of this fish is the water temperature, which should be in the range from +8 to +20 degrees. The fish hibernates at a depth of up to 200 meters, so the reservoir where this type of mackerel is common should be deep enough.

Chemical composition and benefits

Mackerel contains:

  1. A considerable amount of fat.
  2. a significant amount of protein.
  3. Carbohydrates.
  4. Microelements.
  5. Vitamins.

If the fish was caught in winter time, then it can contain up to 30% fat. Protein in mackerel is not less than 18 g per 100 g of product. The protein contained in this fish is very High Quality and digested several times faster than beef and even rabbit meat.

Despite the high fat content, mackerel is not considered a high-calorie food. On average, there are 200 kcal per 100 g of fish.

How to catch more fish?

I have been active fishing for quite some time and have found many ways to improve the bite. And here are the most effective ones:

  1. Cool activator. Attracts fish in cold and warm water with the help of pheromones included in the composition and stimulates her appetite. It is a pity that Rosprirodnadzor wants to ban its sale.
  2. More sensitive gear. Reviews and instructions for other types of gear you can find on the pages of my site.
  3. Lures using pheromones.

You can get the rest of the secrets of successful fishing for free by reading our other articles on the site.

The high value of the meat of this fish lies in great content unsaturated fatty acids. These substances have antioxidant properties.

Antioxidants protect living cells from destruction by free radicals. Otherwise, there is a risk of developing such a serious disease as oncology, therefore, daily consumption of this fish for food significantly reduces the likelihood of this disease.

Mackerel contains a lot of:

  • phosphorus;
  • potassium;
  • sodium;
  • manganese.

These elements are extremely important for the functioning of many body systems, and their daily use is very beneficial. It is very good to eat mackerel during pregnancy, and the use of this product in childhood helps eliminate the risk of developing diseases associated with vitamin D deficiency.

Due to the high content nutrients, mackerel promotes the synthesis of proteins and hemoglobin in the blood.

The inclusion of mackerel meat in your diet has a great effect on the functioning of the cardiovascular system. This fish contains healthy cholesterol, which does not harm human health. Eating mackerel meat enhances cerebral circulation, which is why it is so important to include this product in the menu for older people.

Application in cooking

Mackerel is a very sought after fish among chefs. different countries. Consider the main ways to prepare it:

Thus, mackerel is a very common commercial fish that can often be found on store shelves. Its meat is very tasty and healthy, because it is rich in unsaturated fatty acids. Be sure to include this fish in your diet! Be healthy!

mackerel fish known to chefs all over the world. Its taste, aroma and tenderness of meat cannot be confused with any other. Mackerel has excellent taste and a very high usefulness of meat. That is why it is classified as a valuable commercial species. And, although the cost of raw mackerel is low, many gourmets classify mackerel dishes as delicacies. And you can cook anything your heart desires from this fish!

Mackerel as a species belongs to the mackerel family, which, in turn, is included in the perch-like order. In nature, there are more than fifty varieties of this fish, which are distinguished by their habitat. All fish of the family have distinctive features and fall under one general description: the external structure of their body resembles a spindle (see photo). Any variety of mackerel is characterized by the presence of a flat tail, powerful and very dense ray-shaped fins, and a pointed head. This fish is full-bodied, fast and very nimble.

Mackerel lives in salt waters, therefore it belongs to the marine species of fish, and not to the river (in other words, freshwater), as some people sometimes mistakenly believe. This fish is schooling, lives in schools of large numbers. It is this factor that makes it possible for fish to protect themselves from other predatory inhabitants. This is also beneficial for humans, because fishermen do not find it difficult to catch a large number of mackerels at a time. Mackerel fishing is carried out with trawls and seines. It is not possible to catch it manually, because it does not go for profit and moves at a relatively large depth.

Mackerel is a predator. It feeds on small fish and squid, but at the same time it is the food of larger fish. Where mackerel is found, it will not be uncommon to meet flocks of dolphins, sharks and tunas - fish that look like mackerel itself, but have big sizes and lower fat content. It is these fish that consider mackerel their main food.

In total, there are four varieties of this fish in the world. On the shelves of our regions, Atlantic mackerel is most often found. In addition to the one named, there is also mackerel:

  • Japanese (Far Eastern, Kuril);
  • African;
  • Australian.

Sometimes the listed types of fish are called varieties by people. In the water spaces of absolutely all relatively warm-water seas, fish of this order are found, slightly different in size and color. They are also called varieties or subspecies (as an example, the Azov-Black Sea or Baltic mackerel). Sometimes mackerel is called fish. very similar in appearance to it, which is called mackerel by biologists. Some people claim that these two fish are the same, but culinary experts say the opposite, because the taste of these two marine life differ, as, however, the following indicators differ:

  • weight;
  • color;
  • size;
  • fat content and density of meat.

The largest is the mackerel, which lives off the coast of the African continent, and the lightest and smallest, respectively, is the Japanese variety of this marine fish.

The population of mackerels around the world is large, as well as the nutritional value of the meat of this fish. It is as nutritious as the meat of many red fish, but at a much lower cost due to its abundance and ease of catching fish. Hence the special "respect" of culinary specialists.

talk about this amazing fish possible indefinitely. Many questions regarding cooking, useful properties of mackerel and contraindications for use can be found on the forums. We also decided to dedicate an article to this fish, which, I really hope, will help to understand the intricacies and find out more interesting information.

Composition and nutritional value

The composition and nutritional value of mackerel make it possible to classify the meat of this fish as an important food product. Mackerel meat contains a large amount of fish oil, as well as vitamin B12 and vitamin A. Vitamin D, necessary for health musculoskeletal system of the body, in particular the strengthening of bone tissue, is contained in mackerel in large quantities, many times greater than all other vitamins. Even in the composition of mackerel, minerals such as:

  • fluorine;
  • sodium;
  • selenium;
  • iron;
  • potassium;
  • manganese;
  • sulfur;
  • zinc.

In addition to all this, mackerel contains nicotinic acid, which is indicated for use (in medicinal form) by many people to stabilize the circulatory system. The protein contained in the meat of this fish is highly digestible, so mackerel (in the absence of an allergy to seafood) is indicated for children who are weak in health.

With regard to the calorie content of mackerel, it should be noted that this fish cannot be classified as a dietary product. One hundred grams of fresh mackerel contains more than one hundred and eighty kilocalories, and cooked in any way - even more. The most high-calorie finished products smoked mackerel is considered. Grilled fish has the lowest calorie content. Despite a relatively high energy value and a very unbalanced BJU ratio, mackerel is often used in various weight loss diets. Oddly enough, but the fat content of this fish does not interfere with weight loss, but, on the contrary, contributes to it. Of course, only if this fish is not abused.

Beneficial features

The beneficial properties of mackerel directly depend on the substances that fish meat is rich in. Regular consumption of this product, prepared by any of the methods known in cooking, allows:

  • strengthen immunity;
  • reduce the risk of developing malignant neoplasms;
  • improve eyesight;
  • improve blood circulation;
  • increase efficiency;
  • reduce the manifestations of psoriasis;
  • regulate the hormonal background;
  • remove toxins;
  • lower cholesterol levels and the risk of plaque formation on the walls of blood vessels;
  • increase the strength of bones and teeth.

Mackerel is also indispensable in the nutrition of athletes or adolescents. It is this fish that saturates the body with protein as quickly as possible, increases muscle strength.

In addition to all of the above, you should know that mackerel as a product benefits women., and not only because it allows you to maintain the natural beauty of hair, skin elasticity and strength of nails without additional action, but because this fish contains a balanced composition of components that have a positive effect on reproductive function. Mackerel is especially needed in the menu of expectant mothers and women who are breastfeeding babies. For the first, a tasty fish helps to endure and give birth to a healthy baby (and at the same time maintain the health of their own teeth and bones), and for the second - to increase lactation. That's just to give preference to delicacies cooked in a steam, in the oven or slow cooker, and avoid salted and smoked fish. But, even considering the benefits brought by mackerel, you don’t need to eat a lot of this fish, because the effect can be the opposite.

What to look for when buying?

What to look for when buying mackerel? This question is one of the most frequently asked by readers and members of various culinary forums. It is second only to the question of what can be prepared from the meat of this valuable and tasty fish, but this will be discussed in the next section. In the meantime, let's talk about the quality of fish and how not to get into trouble when buying.

It will not be a discovery for anyone that the taste of the finished dish depends very much on the initial characteristics of the products used for cooking. That is, it will be difficult to prepare a tasty dish from products that have lost their organoleptic characteristics, one might say, in most cases it is impossible, and sometimes such a delicacy can also be dangerous.

The method of catching mackerel involves the extraction of large batches of fish in one exit to the sea. That is why this fish needs quick harvesting for future use. the best way is the freezing of fish. Thanks to the latest technologies made available in Lately technologists Food Industry, it is produced by a method of dry freezing that is less traumatic for the protein. This is the only reason why fresh-frozen fish retains the qualities inherent in a fresh product for a long time.

Important and, perhaps, the main conditions that allow keeping the characteristics unchanged are the prevention of repeated freezing of the product and exceeding the shelf life of fish, which, under favorable conditions, is about six months. The date and place of fishing can be found in the product quality certificate, which the seller must provide at the first request of the buyer. Important information, which can also be found in this document, is the result of radiological studies carried out by a special laboratory.

Fish stored in proper conditions will remain elastic and oily even after defrosting, and dishes prepared from it will be juicy and tender. How fully the requirements and rules of storage were observed can be found out by several criteria. About them below.

  1. Shiny and elastic whole body(without cracks, gusts and solid yellow spots characteristic of stagnant fat) skin, indicates that the fish was not thawed after production. If the fact of defrosting has taken place, then the re-frozen mackerel, when thawed, will be loose to the touch and bend strongly in the hands, and wrinkled places will be visible on its skin. All these manifestations will be especially noticeable in the middle part of the fish carcass.
  2. The second indicator of fish freshness is no unpleasant odor, both foreign and stagnant fish oil. You should know that mackerel carcasses easily absorb flavors (which makes it a very desirable fish for smoking), therefore it is extremely important to observe the commodity neighborhood in outlets. Those carcasses that smell of old fat will certainly have tasteless and bitter meat that will taste in any dish.
  3. Quality mackerel meat has cream color with subtle peach veins inside and a light brown stripe on the outer side. Yellow or excessively pale and almost white flesh indicates the old age of the fish, or that the carcass was thawed several times, and fish oil, which gives color to the meat, left in the place with water.
  4. The amount of ice on mackerel should be minimal. Ice and large frozen drops of fat indicate that the fish was stored incorrectly, and after defrosting, the buyer can expect a “surprise” in the form of loose meat, lagging behind the bone and falling apart even when preparing lightly salted preparations.

In addition to all that has been said, there is another important fact that all cooks should know about.

How to cut?

In order to use mackerel for cooking delicacies, you need to be able to properly cut it. It is not difficult to do this, because the fish that comes to consumers does not need complex operations, if only because it is clean on top and no longer has scales. When asked if there are scales on this fish in principle, the answer is simple. There is, but it is not enough, and it quickly crumbles even when primary processing catch.

A step-by-step instruction for processing a mackerel carcass looks something like this:

  1. Defrosting.
  2. Evisceration.
  3. Decapitation or removal of the gills if the head must be left.
  4. Fin clipping.
  5. Removal of the nerve column - a thick white "thread" located in abdominal cavity at the spine.
  6. Removal of the black film lining the inside of the abdomen.
  7. Washing and drying the prepared carcass.

The skin from mackerel, as, indeed, from any other fish, should not be removed. The only exceptions are recipes that use fish fillets. These are cutlets, meatballs, zrazy and all kinds of fillings.

You will learn more about how to properly cut mackerel for frying, boiling, baking or salting by watching a short video tutorial. It is noteworthy that in some cases, mackerel is not gutted, but is used exclusively as a whole. In what cases, why and why they do this, will be discussed in the next section of the article.

The use of mackerel in cooking

Cooking uses for fish such as mackerel can be found quite wide. Valuable carcass can be:

  • boil for a couple and in broth;
  • bake on the grill, in the oven (in foil, in pots, on a baking sheet);
  • cook on an air grill or in a microwave;
  • salt and pickle;
  • fry in a pan and deep-fry, dipped in breadcrumbs, flour or batter;
  • stew in a cauldron on the stove or in a slow cooker;
  • use for cooking fish kebabs on the grill or cooking on a barbecue grill;
  • smoke hot and cold;
  • use for the preparation of canned food for both short and long-term storage.

Sometimes one cooking method precedes another, and the result is an amazing treat. We will talk about some ways to use fish in cooking in this section.

Salting and pickling

by the most in a simple way cooking mackerel without heat treatment is considered salting. But even in this case, you can get lost in the ways and methods. Salt the fish with dry and wet salting, using a carcass:

  • entirely;
  • gutted and decapitated;
  • cut into portions;
  • cut into fillets.

Marinades and brines are prepared both on the basis of water and without it (that is, the fish is salted in its own juice or in some other liquid). Their main components can be:

  • table salt or sea salt;
  • table vinegar or apple cider vinegar;
  • granulated sugar;
  • soy sauce;
  • tomato paste or tomato juice;
  • sunflower or other vegetable oil.

The most common spices used in salting mackerel are:

  • Carnation;
  • black peppercorns;
  • allspice peas;
  • Bay leaf.

The taste of the finished salted mackerel also depends on the combination of spices. It can either become a spicy salted fish or have a regular taste. The time of salting mackerel is also different and ranges from several minutes to several days. It all depends on the recipe and how large the pieces of fish will be. Sometimes in recipes you can see that mackerel is salted in a saline solution called brine.

Salted mackerel is used to make dried or smoked delicacies, rolls with the addition of butter, and is also served with simple side dishes, such as mashed potatoes. The most unusual way to use salted mackerel is to use it to cook falsely smoked fish in onion skins.

You can marinate mackerel for cooking it in the oven. Most often for these purposes use:

  • ready mustard;
  • spices;
  • lemon juice;
  • grape wine;
  • herbal vinegar;
  • hops-suneli;
  • mayonnaise.

Vegetables such as carrots and onions are often used in some special marinades. They are able to give the fish not only aroma and sweetish taste, but also some sharpness.

One of the most popular ways to cook mackerel in a similar marinade is heh fish, or, as it is often called, “Korean-style” fish. And yet, a marinade prepared with a lot of sugar and apple cider vinegar allows you to make mackerel, the meat of which will taste like red fish.

Boiling

Boiling mackerel is the simplest method of heat treatment. Absolutely all culinary specialists can cope with it. Before cooking mackerel, it must be thawed in a gentle way (in the refrigerator or in water), and then cut off the head, fins and remove the insides. Sometimes when cooking broths, the head is also used, but then it is necessary to remove the gills from it.

You can boil both in a saucepan and in a double boiler. In the first case, apart from delicious fish, you will also get a fragrant broth that can be served as an independent first course, and also used to make a clear soup or fish sauce. Both options for cooking mackerel will allow you to get fish, which can later be used for:

  • salads;
  • fillings for pies, pies, tartlets, pancakes;
  • pates and pastes with butter;
  • rolls;
  • sandwiches.

Boil the fish in the broth for no longer than seven minutes on low heat, while for steaming you need to spend at least fifteen minutes. In order to get a rich broth, mackerel should be placed only in cold water, along with finely grated vegetables and spices. If the purpose of cooking is to get tasty and juicy fish, then you need to put the carcass in a boiling vegetable broth. Yes, and vegetables can not be chopped.

baking

Roasting mackerel, like all previous methods of preparation, is also an easy task. Although, unlike the two above methods, it requires some culinary experience and a little more patience.

The first thing to do with the carcass is to gut it. Second important condition, which allows you to turn ordinary fish into a delicacy, is pickling fish. Most often, it does not take much time and is only needed to give the fish juiciness.

Fish can be baked whole and in portions. The head is usually not used, but if the design of the dish requires it, then it is left after removing the gills. If fish is baked in this way, then it is usually stuffed. Most often, the role of the filling is:

  • onion;
  • carrot;
  • potato.

After cooking, the filling turns into a fragrant side dish.

You can bake fish:

  • on the contrary;
  • in foil, both whole and in portioned pieces.

It turns out very tasty fish stuffed with onions, baked in foil. High-fat mayonnaise will act as a marinade. Cooking this delicacy is quick, but it can easily decorate a festive table. All you need to do is:

  1. Prepare the carcass: peel and chop (optional). The skin does not need to be removed.
  2. Cut the onion into half rings, pour over it with lemon juice and sprinkle with sugar.
  3. Stuff the belly of the mackerel with onions.
  4. Lubricate the stuffed fish with mayonnaise.
  5. Cut the foil so that you can form a bag out of it.
  6. Carefully transfer the workpiece to the foil and pack.
  7. Place the fish on a baking sheet, and then put it in an oven heated to two hundred degrees Celsius. You can also use a multicooker with a baking mode for cooking.
  8. Bake the fish for ten minutes in a closed "bag", and then carefully open it and bring it to readiness for ten minutes. The top heat or grill will make it easier to bake in the second phase of cooking. In this case, it will take about six minutes for the fish to reach the desired condition. When using a multicooker, the time of each cooking step can be increased by five minutes.
  9. Ready fish should be served hot, both together with foil, in which a small amount of juice will collect, and put on a plate.

The number of products for the preparation of this delicacy is optional, but it should be remembered that only three full servings can be obtained from one fish. Salt and black pepper are not used in the preparation of the carcass. They are already on the table.

Roasting and stewing

Roasting mackerel, just like baking, is a fairly simple process. Most often, in this way, fish is cooked in a pan in a small amount of vegetable oil or deep-fried. When cooking in a pan, it is advisable to use breading from:

  • eggs and flour (wheat, corn, oat and other types);
  • eggs and breadcrumbs.

Before dipping, the fish must be sprinkled with seasoning, ground black pepper and lightly salted. And, of course, pre-cut into portions of small thickness or use fillets. Fry each piece for a minute on each side. A prerequisite for obtaining delicious fried fish in batter is also the correct preparation of the workpiece. All the chef has to do before dipping the fish in the batter is just salting it. Spicy herbs when cooking fish in batter can play a cruel joke, and the taster will not be able to feel the true taste of the fish. Batter for mackerel can be prepared on the basis of:

  • cow's milk;
  • mineral water;
  • chicken or quail eggs;
  • beer.

Mackerel, fried in the second of the listed ways, is already ready meal which goes well with sauces and side dishes. Mackerel, fried in a pan, is also ready to eat and can be served at the table, or it can become the basis for stewed fish. Most often, filling is based on broth or tomato juice. In any case, the fish is very tasty. You can stew fish in a slow cooker, convection oven (on a gentle short mode) or in an ordinary thick-walled cauldron. Due to the low blood content of mackerel meat and the ability of this fish to quickly turn into a very delicious dishes, it takes no more than half an hour to cook stew.

Smoking and curing

Smoking and drying of mackerel allows you to get very tasty delicacy meat of this fish. The finished delicacy is used to prepare:

  • salads;
  • sandwiches;
  • fillings for tartlets and pita bread.

In addition, such fish is served with side dishes. It’s probably not worth saying, because this is already known, but potatoes will be the best addition to such a fish. It can be prepared in any way: boil, fry, bake or stew.

Today, smoked or dried mackerel itself is not difficult to buy in most grocery stores. The price of the product usually differs from the cost of raw fish, but this is a ready-to-eat product, not a semi-finished product. Recently, it has become popular to cook smoked meats with your own hands. This is facilitated by the availability of units that allow you to cook goodies at home. Today, they allow you to cook hot or cold mackerel in a matter of hours.

You can smoke fish both in a real smokehouse or in a slow cooker with the appropriate function, and using an additive called "liquid smoke". The latter method is extremely unsafe for human health, but nevertheless it is often used in practice.

Before smoking or drying, mackerel, as well as all other products of animal origin, must be salted or pickled. The length of the salting time depends not only on the desire of the cook, but also on the time during which they intend to store the finished smoked product.

It is noteworthy that mackerel, like other fish, can be smoked whole. Even, one might say, this is how it will be more correct to smoke or dry it, because the fact that the fish remains whole will allow you to preserve the natural fat content. In addition to the fact that the mackerel will turn out to be very tasty, it will also be beautiful in appearance, just like in the picture. The same can be said about dried fish, which is essentially intermediate product during the smoking process.

Gutted fish without a head will always be drier and saltier than a whole one, although it costs more in stores than not gutted. In turn, headless fish can be stored a little longer than the one that is cooked whole. Here the choice is up to the cook or the buyer.

Cooking on the grill (barbecue, barbecue)

Cooking mackerel on the grill or barbecue allows you to get a delicious treat that is not inferior to a smoked product. Fish skewers (on skewers and not only) will definitely turn out juicy and will have a great smoked smell, because the fat that will drain when the billet is heated, falling on hot coals, will turn into smoke. The fat content of the fish makes the meat porous. This allows the fragrance to penetrate deep into the pores.

Mackerel skewers go well with baked vegetables:

  • eggplant;
  • tomatoes;
  • zucchini;
  • patissons;
  • bell pepper.

The best sauce for such a delicacy would be tartar sauce, as well as "green" oil. Potatoes also perfectly complement such a fish.

canning

Canning mackerel is a rather complicated process, although even a novice cook can handle it if desired. Many are interested in just this way of cooking fish when it is possible to compare the cost of ready-made canned food on the counter with the price of raw mackerel.

It should be said that similar preparation Do-it-yourself mackerel is beneficial not only in terms of saving the household budget, but also because home-made canned food will certainly be tastier, healthier and more natural than the most expensive store-bought ones. In addition, they will definitely not contain flavors, harmful salts (for example, monosodium glutamate), preservatives. Of course, the shelf life of such blanks will be minimal, but it certainly will not be on a par with health.

The preparation of canned mackerel can be described by the following step-by-step instructions:

  1. Preparation of dishes: washing and steaming.
  2. Preparation of fish: gutting, washing and cutting.
  3. Laying mackerel, cut into small pieces, in jars.
  4. Adding spices: black peppercorns, allspice and bay leaf.
  5. Adding salt and deodorized vegetable oil.
  6. Adding water or tomato, as well as other liquid ingredients, if the recipe calls for it.
  7. Heat treatment of the workpiece: heating in the oven or in a saucepan with water, as well as using an autoclave.
  8. Closing and cooling of canned food.

Almost all recipes for preparing canned mackerel in an ordinary kitchen require the duration of heating the fish in a jar. This is what many housewives consider a minus and therefore avoid this method of obtaining a delicacy that is impeccable in all respects.

Summing up the above, I would like to note that mackerel cooked in any of the ways also goes well with:

  • vegetables;
  • rice porridge;
  • chicken and quail eggs;
  • hard cheese;
  • table wine;
  • sour cream;
  • green canned peas;
  • canned corn;
  • salted and fresh cucumbers.

And in conclusion, I would like to note that best recipe or there is no way to cook mackerel, because any delicacy from this fish will be great!

Harm and contraindications of fish

Contraindications to the use in the diet of such useful fish, like mackerel, are associated with possible harm to the human body. That is why you should not eat this very oily fish:

  • hypertensive patients to avoid a sharp rise in blood pressure;
  • allergy sufferers, because the easy availability of substances can provoke an attack;
  • for diabetics due to rapid increase blood sugar;
  • children up to a year and older if the latter suffer from gastrointestinal disorders or have chronic diseases;
  • having liver disease and suffering from deposits in the ducts and the gallbladder, because a weakened body may not be able to cope with the digestion of food and respond with an excessive release of bile.

Fatty and fragrant mackerel is good in any form. Rational and regular use of it in the diet allows not only to satisfy gastronomic needs, but also to saturate the body with protein and fish oil. This fish is so tasty that sometimes it is impossible to tear yourself away from it. You should never forget about the measure: the use of any product without restrictions always only causes harm!

Mackerel - Atlantic mackerel - belongs to the mackerel family, lives in the temperate waters of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans. It has dark gray skin without scales.

Mackerel meat is tender, tasty, and lacks small bones. It is often used for the preparation of canned food and balyk products. In addition, mackerel is salted, smoked hot and cold, boiled, stewed, baked, stewed in sour cream, tomato or marinade, grilled, adding spices (bay leaf, pepper) and prunes.


It is not recommended to cook aspic and first courses from mackerel, as it has meat dark color with a strong specific odour.

Depending on the place of fishing and appearance, several types of mackerel are distinguished: king, spotted, striped and golden. Fat content of meat various kinds mackerel varies, it ranges from 0.4 to 10%.

It is important to take into account that mackerel fat oxidizes very quickly in air, therefore, when preparing it in ice cream, it is necessary to use protective coatings.


Benefit

1. Mackerel meat contains a large amount of protein, phosphorus, selenium (30 micrograms per 100 g of product), sodium, iodine, magnesium, and potassium. In a small amount are present: calcium, iron, copper and zinc.

2. Atlantic mackerel contains the following vitamins: C, A, D, E, K, B1, B2, B3, B4, B5, B6, B9, B12 (promotes the formation of red blood cells and the normal functioning of the nervous system).

There are also useful saturated fatty acids (palmitic, stearic), monounsaturated fatty acids (oleic, erucic, palmitoleic, gadoleic), and polyunsaturated fatty acids (Omega-3, arachidonic, linoleic, steoric).

3. 200 grams of mackerel contains a daily dose of iodine!

4. Regular consumption of mackerel meat helps prevent stroke and heart disease. Also, mackerel is recommended for people with stomach ulcers, with problems with bone tissue and with a "problem" thyroid gland, however, there are some contraindications (see "Harm").

5. Mackerel meat is used in separate diets.

bad memory;

fast fatiguability;

muscle cramps;

fragility of nails and hair loss;

slow growth in children;

hypertension; exhaustion;

drowsiness;

depression;

peptic ulcer;

cervical erosion;

muscle dystrophy;

brain hypoxia;

violation of acid-base metabolism in the body;

nervous exhaustion;

weakened immunity;

osteoporosis;

cramps in the stomach;

living in cold countries;

living in hot countries;

heart diseases;

metabolic disease;

diseases of the duodenum;

rehabilitation period after surgery;

the use of contraceptives;

the use of estrogen-containing drugs;

alcoholism;

drinking tea;

drinking coffee;

Mackerel is everyone's favorite fish, which is appreciated not only by cooks, but also by fishermen. Quite often, during the festivities, it is present on our tables in a salted or smoked form. At the same time, many sellers give mackerel for mackerel and vice versa. This fish can be found in the Atlantic Ocean.

What is the difference between mackerel and mackerel: the main differences?

Both mackerel and mackerel belong to the mackerel family. They are similar to each other appearance and sizes. But in the store you can offer to choose a carcass different sizes under the same name. If the carcass of the fish is smaller, then with confidence you will buy mackerel. And if the fish is fat and large, then it is mackerel. This is due to the fact that the stock of this fish in the ocean is too large, so many fishermen prefer mackerel.

Differences Between Mackerel and Mackerel

When importing fish into stores, confusion often occurs. All products that imported, masked on the English language. It is noted that both fish have the same markings. The fish are somewhat similar. In order to distinguish them, you need to know all the features of each of them.

In order to understand the differences, you need to see the mackerel in the photo once. OR study photos of mackerel, for example, in fishing magazines and books. External Features fish are as follows.

What is interesting mackerel fishing

Mackerel and mackerel are oily fish that are rich and saturated with various omega acids. They are are important to maintain human health. It is actively used for food, but in terms of taste characteristics, it loses to its relative. Mackerel meat can be tough, and during heat treatment it becomes dry.

Mackerel, when cut, has soft pink meat. In turn, mackerel has gray tint meat. Butchering a fish simple enough. To cut the fish, you do not need to remove the scales. The fish fillet is easily separated from the backbone and can be cleaned with an ordinary knife if there are no small bones in it. Basically, the fish is grilled, baked under lemon juice, or lubricated with olive oil.

Mackerel and mackerel fish: differences

Residents of English-speaking countries quite often confuse mackerel with mackerel. Fish of the mackerel family are somewhat similar to each other. But they often differ in size. It could be fish sixty centimeters to a meter, and sometimes more. Any fish of this family belongs to predatory fish. Mackerel has a larger size than real mackerel, an elongated body and powerful jaws, the fish have large triangular teeth. At the same time, the fish is common in warm seas and near rocky coasts and coral reefs.

Striped or Spanish mackerel is a large representative of this species. It lives in the Indian Ocean and in the west Pacific Ocean. Color striped fish differs in a break of stripes and a light belly. Mackerel quite common in Asian countries. In this habitat, it can reach one meter in length. In the southeastern part, the mackerel is slightly smaller and reaches no more than sixty centimeters in length. Mackerel fish are classified as predators. It lives in natural conditions and feeds exclusively on mollusks and eels. The kingfish has dense and white meat and also has useful properties and good taste.

How to choose mackerel correctly?

You need to choose a mackerel fish only if there are clear, transparent eyes and pink gills. At pressing on a fish there should be no dents. Fresh fish has a faint and sweet smell. This variety does not have a strong fishy flavor. In appearance, it should be moist and shiny, and traces of blood and spots on the carcass are also unacceptable.

Which countries prefer mackerel?

In our country, mackerel is rarely sold. Basically, if they do it, then under the guise of mackerel. And in many other countries, especially in central Europe, its preferred as main course. For example, in England it is fried. In France, it is baked in foil. In the eastern part, it is fried a little. In a number of countries, it is even eaten raw, and also seasoned with green horseradish or soy sauce.

Mackerel is associated in humans with the open ocean, and mackerel is more often remembered smoked or frozen. In any case, this different fish, albeit from the same family, that mackerel, that mockerel. Them next of kin are tuna and bonito. Despite the distinctive external differences in appearance, they have a lot in common and the main thing is the family.

The family is huge, and it includes fifty-one fish. At the same time, each of them has its own importance. It should be noted that mackerels are fast swimmers. For consideration and preparation, three groups of fish from this wonderful family are distinguished.

  1. Small size (up to one meter in length).
  2. Medium size (up to three meters in length).
  3. Large size (from three meters in length).

Mackerel is a schooling fish that has a spindle-shaped body and a thin and strong tail with a powerful crescent-shaped tail. Rarely, it can grow up to sixty centimeters. It is characterized large numbers and plays a major role in the ocean fishery. It feeds exclusively on small fish. The life span of a mackerel is no more than eighteen years. It lives at an average temperature and makes long-distance migrations.

To date, two types of mackerel can be distinguished - this is the Atlantic or Australian.

There are other species, for example, Japanese mackerel. Regardless of its habitat, it comes to us only in a frozen form. The most big fish is the Atlantic. Its weight reaches three and a half kilograms. Australian can weigh up to one kilogram. A Japanese fish is about three kilograms.

The fish caught in the spring has a fat content of 3%. In autumn, the fish reaches up to 30% fat content. The most oily mackerel is an excellent source of fatty acids and vitamins. Its use is necessary for human body. It is worth noting that it is recommended to cook mackerel only by baking or frying on coals.

Both fish have a high percentage of fat, but despite this, they contain a high percentage of vitamins and minerals. That's why boiling or frying of this product can spoil all the useful microelements necessary for the body.

Those who are not yet familiar with this representative of the mackerel family are probably wondering what kind of mackerel fish is and how to cook it. The feature of this product is its versatility. Mackerel fillet is ideal for baking, smoking, frying and other heat treatment methods.

Individuals of this family reach sizes up to 4.5 meters, while the smallest ones are only 60-70 centimeters. Mackerel is predatory fish, whose diet includes plankton, anchovies, shrimp, clams, herring fry and sand eels. This specimen lives in sea and ocean waters at a depth of up to 200 meters.

The name of its varieties comes from the place of residence:

  • Spanish (striped) mackerel - Mediterranean, Indian and Pacific Ocean;
  • Japanese mackerel - waters of China, Japan, Korea;
  • Indian (royal) mackerel - the coast of Asia.

This fish is caught in large quantities and is considered a valuable industrial product. Through the impressive abundance of this species in the world's waters, International Union Conservation of Nature, he was given the status of "Causing the slightest concern."

Taste, calories

Mackerel is a nutritious fish with dense white meat. It is quite fatty, but at the same time, somewhat harsh, which should be taken into account in the cooking process. The taste of mackerel is often compared to the taste of mackerel. Despite the close biological relationship, these representatives have a significant difference. Mackerel can be called dietary, because it is drier than mackerel.

Like any other sea ​​fish, mackerel is rated as low-calorie. So a raw carcass contains about 105-139 kcal, steamed - 134-158 kcal. The discrepancy in the number of calories depends on the variety. So, king mackerel will be less nutritious than Spanish.

The nutritional value varies within the following limits:

  • proteins: 20-22 g / 100 g of product;
  • fats: 3-4 g / 100 g of product;
  • ash: 1-2 g / 100 g of product;
  • water: 73-75 g / 100 g of product.

Remarkably, this individual practically does not include carbohydrates.

5 Delicious Mackerel Recipes

To cook mackerel fish, you do not need to have great culinary skills. It is enough to choose it correctly when buying and strictly follow the recipe. An indicator of the quality of this seafood are pink gills and transparent clear eyes. Additionally, you can try to leave a dent on the carcass with your finger. If the meat quickly returned to its former shape - a sign of freshness.

Smoked mackerel at home

A delicious analogue of purchased smoked fish can be prepared at home. However, this recipe does not require a large number ingredients, you just need to have a desire and a smokehouse.

The ratio of products in this case is as follows:

  • two-kilogram mackerel;
  • edible salt - 200 g;
  • granulated sugar - 20 g.

First of all, the fish must be cleaned and washed. For this, the head is cut off, the belly is cut and all the insides are taken out. Rinse fresh fish in cold running water at least twice.

We tie the cleaned carcass with a thick thread and sprinkle liberally with sugar and salt. In this state, the fish remains for 45 minutes - an hour. After that, wash off the salt, tie the product in the open air and leave for another 1 hour.

The mackerel is now ready to be smoked. To do this, load it into the smokehouse and put on a small fire. After the appearance of smoke, set 80ºC for 1 hour. As soon as the carcass has cooled, it can be served on the table, serving with herbs and lemon.

Bake in foil in the oven

Not less than interesting way cooking is mackerel in the oven. Under such conditions, it turns out soft, the meat easily lags behind the bone.

To achieve maximum taste, you will need:

  • two mackerels;
  • one bulb;
  • weak mustard - 1 tbsp. a spoon;
  • lemon juice - 3 teaspoons;
  • one pinch of salt;
  • one pinch of black pepper.

Cooking fish begins with cleaning it: cut off the head, remove the intestines and rinse thoroughly.

  1. Next, prepare the marinade. To do this, mix the chopped onion, mustard, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
  2. Lubricate the fish with the resulting mixture (you can stuff the carcass with the leftovers) and leave to marinate in the refrigerator. Pickling time can be from half an hour to half a day.
  3. Wrap the soaked mackerel in foil and place on a baking sheet. The baking process takes about 40-50 minutes at 180ºC, but do not forget that any fish or meat should only be placed in a preheated oven.

Fish fried with golden brown

Among a number of more nutritious dishes, it is worth highlighting fried mackerel. Such a delicacy will not leave anyone indifferent. Even in the process of cooking, relatives repeatedly visit the kitchen to find out what is fragrant being prepared for dinner.

The list of required products is as follows:

  • half a kilogram mackerel fillet;
  • one egg;
  • breadcrumbs - 1 teaspoon;
  • mayonnaise - 1 tbsp. a spoon;
  • margarine - 1 tbsp. a spoon;
  • half a lemon;
  • greens to taste;
  • one pinch of salt.

Cleaned and prepared fish can be divided into portions or fried whole.

Preparation consists of two stages.

  1. First, dip the carcass into a beaten egg, then into breadcrumbs and fry in margarine. It is better to make the fire medium so that the dish does not burn out and does not remain raw inside.
  2. In the meantime, let's get to the sauce. To do this, mix mayonnaise, lemon juice, herbs and salt in a separate bowl. A few more lemon wedges can be used as a garnish.

Mackerel fricassee

Fricase is a gourmet French dish that can be interpreted as a stew. This dish will consist of two components: tender fish stew and sauce.

Full list of ingredients:

  • mackerel - 250-300 g;
  • green peas - 50 g;
  • one bulb;
  • one carrot;
  • celery root - 20-30 g;
  • 50 ml of fish and vegetable broth;
  • one teaspoon of flour;
  • butter - 20 g;
  • bunch of parsley;
  • one pinch of salt;
  • one pinch of ground black pepper.

As expected, we remove the insides, heads from the mackerel and wash it clean.

  1. After cutting the fish into pieces 4x4 centimeters in size, boil it in salted water for about 5-7 minutes after boiling.
  2. In parallel with this, we cook vegetables: onions, carrots, celery and peas.
  3. The broths do not need to be drained, we mix them with flour and melted butter and get a delicious sauce.
  4. Pour the prepared boiled meat and vegetables with the resulting liquid sauce, salt, pepper and decorate with herbs.

Royal steaks

Fish steaks are cooked on the grill, which allows you to save the calorie content of the dish and bring it as close as possible to the restaurant version.

To prepare this culinary masterpiece you will need:

  • one large (royal) mackerel;
  • olive oil - 180-200 ml;
  • garlic - a couple of cloves;
  • a couple of lemons;
  • one pinch of black ground pepper;
  • one pinch of salt;
  • greenery for decoration.

We divide the cleaned and washed mackerel into how many steaks (about 6-7 servings are obtained from one carcass).

  1. The resulting pieces are generously lubricated with chopped garlic, vegetable oil, salt and spice.
  2. After that, put the fish on the foil, and on top of it slices of lemon. The entire surface of the steaks should be covered.
  3. We prepare the grill and bake mackerel on it until cooked. Depending on the intensity of the fire and the size of the portions, the cooking time ranges from 20-35 minutes.
  4. The finished dish is served in combination with dry white wine.

As practice shows, mackerel is a worthy unique fish that will become a healthy dinner and hearty lunch. Bon Appetit!