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Sweet and sour pickled mackerel in a jar
Rich mackerel fillets pickled with ginger, honey, and dill

Sweet and sour mackerel

Author: Flavelo
Recipes Side Dishes Starters
Mackerel is a characterful, oily fish that can handle, and indeed needs, strong flavours. Vinegar 'cuts' the fat, honey softens the saltiness, and ginger brings freshness to the composition. The 'brining' (soaking in salt water) technique is key here: it firms up the meat and removes any overly strong fishy taste.
🕒 Prep Time 1 hr 30 mins
🍳 Cook Time 10 mins
⌛ Total Time 2 days 1 hr 40 mins
🍽️ Servings 4 servings
🔥 Calories 220 kcal
🌍 Cuisine Scandinavian

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

  • Bowl for soaking in brine
  • Fish bone tweezers
  • Sharp knife
  • Sterilised jar

Allergen Information

⚠️ Fish
⚠️ Mustard
⚠️ Honey

Instructions

1 ✓

Prepare a 10% brine (500ml water, 50g salt). Place the cleaned, cut mackerel in it for 1 hour.

Tip: This pre-treatment firms the meat and 'washes' out any off-flavours.
2 ✓

Remove the fish, rinse with cold water, and pat dry.

Tip: A dry surface is important so as not to dilute the marinade.
3 ✓

Slice the onion, garlic, and ginger. Layer with the fish and dill in the sterile jar.

Tip: Mackerel skin has a beautiful pattern; try to place it facing outwards in the jar.
4 ✓

Boil the remaining water (500ml), vinegar, 30g salt, sugar, honey, and spices together. Cool completely.

Tip: Warm marinade is forbidden here, as the fish is already pre-treated; heat would ruin it.
5 ✓

Pour the cold brine over the fish, seal.

Tip: Use a weight (e.g., a small plastic grid) to keep the fish from floating to the surface.
6 ✓

Mature in the fridge for 48 hours.

Tip: Thicker mackerel meat needs more time than salmon.

Recipe FAQ

Why soak in salt water?
This process (osmosis) draws out some of the blood and cloudy fluids from the fish, resulting in a cleaner taste and firmer flesh.
Does it not fall apart?
Mackerel flesh is firmer than salmon and withstands pickling well.

Ingredients

  • 500 g fresh mackerel fillet
  • 1 l water (for the base and brine)
  • 250 ml white wine vinegar
  • 50 g honey
  • 30 g brown sugar
  • 30 g salt (for the brine)
  • 50 g salt (for pre-soaking)
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1 head onion
  • 2 pcs bay leaves
  • 1 tsp whole black peppercorns
  • 1 tsp mustard seeds
  • 1 tbsp fresh dill
  • 10 g fresh ginger