Perfect Smoked Mackerel Recipe from Spain

If you love spending time outdoors and enjoying the fresh air, then the smoked Spanish recipes are perfect for you.

When it comes to Spanish mackerel recipes, the smoked mackerel recipe takes the spotlight in this category, as it is slowly smoked at a low temperature, leaving you with a tender and smoky mackerel filet.

Keep scrolling down this article to learn how to make smoked mackerel, as well as to discover some tips for storing, serving, and ingredient substitutions that you can follow.

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Pssst…!!?? You can’t get enough of Spanish fish recipes? Have a look at my other posts: 

• Peppered mackerel recipe

• Salted mackerel recipe

• Grilled Mackerel Recipe

Background of the Dish

From cold smoked mackerel recipes like the smoked mackerel pâté recipe to hot recipes like the one in this article, smoking has been a popular way of cooking fish for centuries.

There was a time when smoking was the only way to preserve the fish and extend its shelf life, but it also yielded a delicious mackerel filet as a result.

As more people learned how to smoke mackerel, the smoked mackerel recipe only grew in popularity, and it became a staple dish in the Andalusian region.

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Things You’ll Need for Smoked Mackerel Recipe

To prepare the smoked mackerel recipe you need mackerel filets, kosher salt, brown sugar, and garlic as the main ingredients.

As well as other recipes with smoked mackerel, it is key to have a smoker and wood chips to cook the fish (later we’ll give you some alternatives on how to cook smoked mackerel).

Ingredients

• 4 mackerel filets
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/4 cup kosher salt
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• Wood chips for smoking (hickory, applewood, or alder)
• Smoker or grill with a smoking attachment

How to Make Smoked Mackerel Recipe – Step by Step Guide

1. To start with this smoked mackerel recipe, you have to rinse the mackerel filets under cold water and pat them dry. Peel and mince the garlic.

2. Now grab a mixing bowl and combine the kosher salt, granulated sugar, brown sugar, black pepper, and minced garlic. This mixture will be the brine for your Spanish style mackerel.

3. Then, place the mackerel filets in a shallow dish or container. Pour the brine mix evenly over the filets, coating them on both sides. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 60 to 90 minutes. 

4. In the meantime, prepare your smoker or grill with a smoking attachment. Soak the wood chips in water for about 30 minutes before cooking smoked mackerel.

5. Now heat the smoker or grill to a temperature of about 200-225°F (93-107°C). Drain the soaked wood chips and add them to the smoker’s wood chip tray or the grill’s smoking box. Place the mackerel filets on the smoking rack or grates, ensuring there is some space between them.

6. After that, close the smoker or grill’s lid, and smoke the Spanish mackerel fish for 60 minutes. Keep an eye on the temperature and add more wood chips as needed to maintain a consistent smoke.

7. Once you finish smoking mackerel and it has a golden-brown color, remove it from the smoker. Let the smoked mackerel filet rest for a few minutes before serving.

8. The smoked mackerel recipe is now ready. You can now serve your smoked mackerel filets warm and enjoy.

Substitution of Ingredients

This smoked mackerel recipe is as simple as they come, and it has 3 key components: the fish, the brine, and the wood chips.

For the woodchips, you can use any that works for smoking fish, but the best ones for this task are hickory, applewood, and alder.

If you don’t have mackerel filets, you can turn them into a mackerel steaks recipe, just adjust how long to smoke mackerel.

As well as other easy smoked mackerel recipes, you could make this one with a more basic brine: just mix a few tablespoons of olive oil with minced garlic, salt, and paprika and brush your fish with that.

Of course, the smoked mackerel filet recipe is usually associated with summer (because you have to use the smoker outside), but as long as you can find the ingredients you can prepare it.

If for some reason you can’t use your smoker for this recipe, you can follow other ways of cooking Spanish mackerel, such as baking or grilling.

Give a go to our Spanish soused mackerel recipe, a simple way to preserve the mackerel and serve it whenever you wish.

Tips on Serving Smoked Mackerel Recipe

With this recipe smoked mackerel you have the perfect dish to enjoy all year round, as a main ingredient or as an appetizer.

To make it a full meal, serve the smoked mackerel dishes with a Spanish mixed green salad, tortilla de patatas, or patatas a lo pobre.

You can serve this as a smoked mackerel starter, just cut the Spanish mackerel fillet into bite-sized pieces and place them on top of sliced bread or toast.

Besides that, you can use this mackerel as the topping for a mackerel salad recipe or even for a mackerel pasta recipe.

Or you can try the smoked mackerel salad recipe, an irresistible salad from Spain that’s super easy to make.

You can make the smoked mackerel pasta recipe with white sauce and enjoy the smokiness of the mackerel.

Lastly, for an even more creative twist to this fish you can turn it into a mackerel pate recipe, just blend it with cream cheese, and sour cream and sprinkle some spring onion on top.

How to Store Smoked Mackerel Recipe

Something amazing about smoked mackerel recipes is that you can store them in the fridge or freezer, and they never lose their fantastic flavor.

Once you finish making the smoked mackerel recipe, let the fish come to room temperature and place it in a covered container, then you can store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Besides that, you can freeze the fish from your smoked mackerel recipe for up to 45 days, just make sure to cover each filet with plastic wrap to prevent freezer burn.

Then, you should let it thaw in the fridge and reheat it for 30 minutes before serving in the oven.

As well as other Spanish recipes like the roasted mackerel recipe, we don’t recommend reheating it in the microwave because it would get a soggy texture.

Recipe Card: Smoked Mackerel Recipe

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