Mackerel Sujime

[Kalo]

I graduated from White Croaker in Avila (didn't keep any) to some of these Pacific Mackerel in Morro Bay.   I only kept one and wanted to try something with it. Decided to do Japanese style Mackerel Sujime.  The fillet (leave pin bones in until after) is cured with salt for an hour or two then dropped in a Rice Vinegar, Mirin, Sugar, Salt bath for a few hours.  Result is quite tasty.   Today I was reading a bit more about Mackerel and it seems to be one of the healthier fish with reasonably low mercury accumulation.   

[Nakatack]

Now your talking!
I have had Saba in restaurants and I love it
PM me the recipe if you don't mine?
Where in MB did you catch mackerel?

[Kalo]

I put in at the little beach just past the stacks right before you go around the corner to the Rock.  I would say I caught the first two 100 ft or so from that point drifting in to the bay a bit.  Two on the line at once. I was drifting with the incoming tide and almost ran in to a boat to my back side.  At that point I didn't know much about the fish and a woman on that boat started chatting with me. She asked me what to do with them as she caught one. I told her I wasn't sure really, maybe could be used for bait. :p  Decided to get out of there and move out toward the mouth of the bay. Conditions a bit rough out there and stopped a bit short and went in to the little pocket to the right after the mouth of the bay.  Two more on in that area and basically they were biting quite a bit in different spots all the way back to the launch spot.   Kind of wish I kept more after I read up on Pacific/Chub Mackerel.  Could save them for bait also.  I might try hoop netting, they might make good bait in those.  I've read they can spoil more rapidly that other fish. And there is some sort of skin  problem if handled improperly.  Also, just read that one should try not to handle them while removing the hook. Maybe try to shake off the fish and a barb-less hook is good if one doesn't intend to keep them.  Many are likely die if handled while removing the hook.

For the recipe I found a guy demonstrating making the sashimi from the whole fish on YouTube.   He is pretty good, but two things.  Don't take the pin bones out while marinating and he recommends the vinegar bath for 24 hours. I suppose to be sure all possible parasites, bacteria are dead. The 24 hour bath is likely to long and allows the vinegar to penetrate to much, especially with the bones removed. I used a bit of soy sauce with wasabi and it was good! When I began learning more about the technique I found the Sujime term and that lead me to other recipes.  You can always search on Mackerel Sujime to find other ideas too. 

In this book click at the top "previous" to get to page 57

https://books.google.com/books?id=9v-YBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA415&lpg=PA415&dq=mackerel+sujime&source=bl&ots=NOeBrMs0_I&sig=H_B09ZRGvLvMfpB2jV5kdnZuLgQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CCMQ6AEwAWoVChMIkbqIne-TyAIVR9KACh3lswku#v=onepage&q=mackerel%20sujime&f=false

[Zodiacker]

For the recipe I found a guy demonstrating making the sashimi from the whole fish on YouTube.   He is pretty good, but two things.  Don't take the pin bones out while marinating and he recommends the vinegar bath for 24 hours. I suppose to be sure all possible parasites, bacteria are dead. The 24 hour bath is likely to long and allows the vinegar to penetrate to much, especially with the bones removed. I used a bit of soy sauce with wasabi and it was good! When I began learning more about the technique I found the Sujime term and that lead me to other recipes.  You can always search on Mackerel Sujime to find other ideas too. 

In this book click at the top "previous" to get to page 57

Thanks, I will be all over this. Used to use the poaching method for all the Sardines/Mackerals/Bonitos, but would much rather eat these varieties as Sushi! Pressure cooking and canning is great way to treat these fish as well, if you want to keep them longer when the catch is available.

I Zod Out