Fat, steel-blue fish from the Norwegian Sea, gutted and packed whole with the head on. Rich enough that salt, lemon and a hot grill is the whole recipe.

What It Is

Scomber scombrus from the Northeast Atlantic, sold whole and gutted. Recognisable by the dark wavy bars along a steel-blue back and a silver belly. The flesh is deep pink, which tells you the oil content is high, and it flakes into large, buttery pieces.

Where It Comes From

Wild caught by the Norwegian purse-seine and gillnet fleet in the Norwegian Sea, frozen at sea within hours of the catch.

Specifications

• 2 kg net weight per box, 4–6 whole fish
• 350–500 g per fish, 30–35 cm
• Gutted, head on, tail on, scales left
• Frozen at sea, then packed without glaze

State

Raw and frozen. Wild caught, not farmed, and neither salted nor smoked.

Storage and Thawing

• Keep at −18 °C or below; mackerel oil turns quickly above that
• Thaw in the refrigerator for 8–12 hours
• Cook within 24 hours of thawing and do not refreeze

Shelf Life and Delivery

9 months from the production date on the box, shorter than white fish because of the oil. Shipped frozen with gel packs; the fish should arrive hard with no soft spots around the belly.

How to Cook

• Score the skin, salt it, and grill over high heat until the skin blisters
• Simmer in miso with ginger for a Japanese-style braise
• Salt and vinegar marinate for a few hours, then slice over rice
• Smoke lightly and flake into a breakfast plate

Allergens

Contains fish. Packed in a facility that also handles shellfish and crustaceans.