Spanish Mackerel Sushi

Spanish Mackerel sushi, also known as Sawara in Japanese, is hard to find in sushi restaurants but it is one of my favorite things to eat. There are multiple varieties of mackerels used in restaurants, but the Boston mackerel is the most widely eaten one in the US.

Most often times, these mackerels are marinated in a vinegar solution and served sashimi style, known as Shime Saba in Japanese. However, you can skip this step because Spanish mackerel is excellent without the curing process.

Why I Love Spanish Mackerel Sushi

When it comes to making sushi, Mackerels are a great fish to work with in terms of availability and ease. In fact, I would suggest starting off practicing making sushi with mackerels to learn the basics before handling other more delicate fish.

Easy to Catch

Spanish Mackerels are available year long with Fall and Spring months being the best time to target them. During this period, they will bulk up into large schools and migrate in full force.

This is also the time you’ll have a better shot at catching some of the larger macks which will have higher fat contents; especially, fish over the 18″ mark. The bigger the fish, the fatter and more flavorful it is. Same logic as grading tuna.

Easy to Fillet

Mackerels are easy to clean. For several reasons: (1) don’t have to scale, they have tiny compact scales that can be eaten, if seared (2) meat is unlikely to gap or crack if mishandled (3) very little sharp spines that can poke your fingers (4) they have softer bones which makes beheading easier.

Great for Tataki Style (Seared)

Spanish mackerels have high fat content and therefore can be seared and served tataki style. Searing it with a torch really enhances the flavor as the fat breaks down and releases more aroma.

One of my favorite ways of eating mackerel is sliced tataki over a bed of shredded daikon radish and white onions and garnished with chopped green onion and ginger ponzu dressing. The plate below has cut Shiso on top.

Can I Make Sushi with King Mackerel?

King mackerels have coarse and grayish looking fillets. It’s not the best candidate for eating raw; however, I do enjoy smaller Kings in the minimum slot range, as the fillet’s color and texture resembles more like a Spanish mackerel.

Most avid fishermen will tell you, they prefer Spanish over Kings any day and I find this to be true from personal experience.

Bleeding Mackerel

If you read my post on the Importance of Bleeding Fish, you’ll know why it’s a big deal. In the photo below, the fish on the bottom wasn’t bled. Notice the fillet is slightly darker and has some blood spots as opposed to the top fillet. The taste and presentation are greatly improved by bleeding your catch as soon as it is caught.

In Florida, we have Spanish, King, and Cero Mackerels, with the first two having significant commercial values. Cero Mackerel is almost identical to Spanish in terms of their physical appearance and the color/texture of the meat. They’re also great for raw dishes.

Cool Facts:
Where found: Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. Migrating during Fall and Spring from as far north as Cape Cod, Massachusetts to as far as Yucatan, Mexico.
Scientific Name: Scomberomorus Maculatus
IGFA World Record: 13lbs – Caught in North Carolina in 1987