How to cook mackerel on the grill recipes. Grilled mackerel: recipes for tender fish

Grilled mackerel turns out very tasty and juicy. This dish can be grilled over charcoal in a variety of ways. Some people use a wire rack for this, while others place the fish directly on skewers. In any case, a dish prepared from mackerel should be served only with a side dish and a slice of bread.

Grilled mackerel: recipe for fish kebab

There is nothing difficult in preparing such a dinner. So that you can see this from your own experience, we recommend doing it yourself. To do this, you need to prepare the following set of products in advance:

  • fresh large mackerel - 3 fish;
  • mayonnaise is not very fatty - about 150 g;
  • sea ​​salt, ground pepper - to your taste;
  • small fresh tomatoes, onions - for skewering.

Processing fish

Mackerel fries quite quickly on the grill. But before such fish is subjected to heat treatment, it should be well processed. To do this, the product is thoroughly washed, cleaned of fins, entrails, head and skin. The remaining fillet is cut into large pieces, flavored with spices and not very fatty mayonnaise. In this form, the fish is left at room temperature for 25 minutes.

Shaping and frying the dish

Grilled mackerel, a photo of which you can see in this article, cooks in 15-20 minutes. Before starting to cook it, marinated pieces of fish are placed on skewers. At the same time, they are alternated with thick onion rings and half tomatoes.

Once the dish is formed, it is placed over hot coals and cooked for about ¼ hour (a little longer is possible). To ensure that the mackerel is evenly fried on all sides, it is turned over regularly.

Serving fried fish for lunch

As you can see, preparing mackerel on the grill is very easy and simple. After the fish becomes soft and well browned, it is placed on a plate and served immediately. In addition to this lunch, a slice of bread and some side dish are served.

Grilling steaks over a fire

Cooking mackerel on a grill is no more complicated than the dish the skewers were used to create. However, fish for such a dinner should be processed slightly differently. But first things first.

So, mackerel on a grill requires the use of the following set of products:

  • fresh large fish - 3 pcs.;
  • freshly squeezed lemon juice - about 80 ml;
  • sea ​​salt, ground pepper - to your taste;
  • greens, fresh vegetables - for serving.

Preparing mackerel

Fish for grilling should be as fresh and large as possible. It is washed thoroughly and then gutted, the fins and head are cut off. The remaining carcass is rinsed again in cold water, dried with paper towels and cut into pieces (steaks) 2 cm thick.

After thoroughly processing the fish, place it in a bowl and then season it with spices and lemon juice. After mixing the components, cover them with a lid and leave in this state for ¼ hour.

Frying process

Grilled mackerel, the recipe for which we are considering, turns out very juicy and tender. After the fish has been marinated in lemon juice, begin cooking it. To do this, the steaks are carefully placed on the grill and placed over very hot coals.

Cooking mackerel in this way should take no more than 20 minutes. At the same time, it is regularly turned over using culinary tongs. This procedure will help ensure uniform browning of the product and, as a result, produce a very tasty dish.

Serving steaks at the dinner table

Once the mackerel on the grill is fully cooked, it is carefully removed from the grill and placed on a large plate. Such a simple but very tasty lunch is presented to the table along with fresh vegetables, herbs and a slice of gray bread.

How to cook mackerel in foil on the grill?

We talked above about how to fry fish on skewers and on a grill. However, it should be noted that you can cook mackerel on the grill in other ways. For example, some cooks stuff the product with vegetables, then wrap it in cooking foil and place it over the coals. This heat treatment will allow you to get a juicier and more tender dish that can be safely served even for a festive feast.

So, to prepare mackerel in foil we will need:

  • large fresh fish - 2-3 pcs.;
  • large lemon - 1 pc.;
  • large carrots - 2 pcs.;
  • sweet onions - 3 heads;
  • parsley - a large bunch;
  • salt, seasonings, pepper - use at discretion;
  • low-calorie mayonnaise - for serving.

Preparing fish for heat treatment

It is advisable to purchase mackerel for baking in foil in large sizes. It is washed thoroughly, the fins are cut off and gutted. After this, the fish is seasoned with spices, sprinkled with a small amount of lemon juice, covered with a lid and left in this form for 25 minutes. Next, they begin to process vegetables and fruits. Lemon, carrots and sweet onions are peeled and chopped into very thin circles or slices. As for parsley, rinse it and separate the leaves from the branches.

Formation process

After the mackerel is marinated, start stuffing it. To do this, place the fish on cooking foil and open the belly. Carrot slices, onion rings and fresh lemon slices are alternately placed in it. Place fresh parsley petals on top of the filling and cover the fish tightly with foil.

How to properly grill?

After forming the mackerel dish, it is immediately placed on the grill over hot coals. In this form, the fish is baked in foil for about 20-25 minutes. In this case, the briquette must be turned regularly so that the dinner is evenly browned on all sides.

How and with what to present it to the dinner table?

After the whole mackerel is completely baked on the grill, it is carefully removed from the grid and placed on a plate. Having unwrapped the fish and formed a kind of plate out of foil, the dish is decorated with a mayonnaise mesh and presented to the table.

Baked mackerel should be consumed together with the side dish that was cooked inside it.

You can prepare many delicious dishes from fish. One of the popular ones is mackerel on the grill. The fish meat is tender, without small bones, and cooked over coals it turns out juicy and aromatic.

Mackerel in foil on the grill

Ingredients:

  • 2 fish;
  • bulb;
  • lemon;
  • a bunch of greenery;
  • 1 spoon of mayonnaise;
  • spices.

Preparation step by step:

  1. Clean, rinse the fish, dry and remove the head.
  2. Cut the fish into medium-sized pieces.
  3. Cut the onion into rings, grate half the lemon, cut the second part thinly into rings.
  4. Mix grated lemon with onion and add spices.
  5. Rinse the fish again and place in the marinade, leave for 25 minutes.
  6. Grease the fish with vegetable oil and wrap in foil.
  7. Grill fish for 45 minutes, turning.

Serve the finished fish with fresh lemon rings. The calorie content of the dish is 1020 kcal.

Mackerel stuffed on the grill

This is an unusual way to prepare mackerel with vegetables. Everyone will definitely like the dish.

Required ingredients:

  • two mackerel;
  • six heads of garlic;
  • 2 bell peppers;
  • rosemary, thyme;
  • zucchini;
  • cumin, salt, spices for fish;
  • 15 olives;
  • baguette;
  • lemon;
  • growing oil;
  • 5 potatoes.

Cooking steps:

  1. Cut the garlic heads in half, then crosswise.
  2. Grease the foil with oil, add a little salt and pepper and wrap the garlic. Place on a wire rack.
  3. Clean the fish from the insides and rinse.
  4. Cut half the peppers into strips, the olives into halves, and half the zucchini into slices. Cut the potatoes into 4 parts.
  5. Sprinkle the potatoes with spices and cumin, sprinkle with oil and wrap in three layers of foil, bake for 20 minutes.
  6. Sprinkle a little salt on the fish, put a sprig of thyme and vegetables in the bellies - zucchini, peppers and olives.
  7. Tie a rope around each fish to prevent the vegetables from falling out.
  8. Remove the garlic from the grill. Place the mackerel on the grill to cook for 15 minutes.
  9. Cut the remaining pepper halves and zucchini into pieces, sprinkle with spices and bake in foil for 15 minutes.
  10. Cut the baguette into pieces and fry on the grill.
  11. Place the prepared vegetables on a dish, rub the baguette croutons with garlic and sprinkle with olive oil.
  12. Remove the strings from the fish and add to the vegetables and croutons.

Ingredients:

  • two fishes;
  • two small lemons;
  • 3 spoons of soy sauce;
  • 1 spoon of honey;
  • spices;
  • dill;
  • growing oil;
  • thyme.

Preparation step by step:

  1. Process the fish, remove the head and spine bone.
  2. Lightly salt the fish, add thyme and dill.
  3. Wash the lemons and cut one into a circle, grate the zest from the second, squeeze out the juice.
  4. Mix the zest and juice, add honey and soy sauce and beat with a fork.
  5. Pour the marinade over the fish and place lemon slices on top, add spices.
  6. Leave the mackerel to marinate for half an hour.
  7. Grease the grill with oil and place the fish with lemon slices. Cook, turning, until browned, about 15 minutes.

Makes four servings. The calorie content of fish kebab is 960 kcal.

  • 3 fish;
  • half a lemon;
  • 1 spoon of salt;
  • 2 spoons of spices for fish;
  • 1 spoon of olive oil.

Cooking steps:

  1. Clean the fish from the insides, rinse and roll in oil and spices outside and inside.
  2. Leave the fish to marinate in the refrigerator overnight, wrapped in cling film.
  3. Place the fish on the grill and grill over coals.
  4. When the fish is ready, pour lemon juice and keep on the grill for a few more minutes.

Makes six servings. The dish takes 20 minutes to prepare.


Surprisingly tasty grilled mackerel is a striking combination of fishy taste and smoky aroma. The dish is very easy to prepare and will be a good substitute for meat during your feast. In addition, this fish is very accessible and inexpensive, so anyone can cook it, and almost anything can be used as a side dish.

Amazing grilled mackerel for you and your friends

Probably, many fish lovers asked themselves why fresh frozen mackerel is so inexpensive, but the same fish, but cooked (for example, hot smoked) is many times more expensive. Why is this so? And all because when cooked, it loses its fishy smell and acquires a completely unique taste.

So, why overpay if you can cook the fish yourself? Moreover, mackerel tastes best on coals, for example, on a grill grate or baked in foil. Therefore, if you want to cook fish, but don’t know how, then today we will tell you the most popular, in our opinion, recipes.

Cooking option No. 1

It seems to us that mackerel tastes best on the grill with lime and Provençal herbs. Don't let the name scare you - this recipe is very easy to prepare. But the taste will be really piquant and rich.

So let's get started. To begin, prepare the necessary products:

  • mackerel (both frozen and fresh fish are suitable) – 2 pcs.;
  • lime – 1-2 pcs.;
  • fresh dill and parsley - 1 bunch each;
  • seasoning “Provencal herbs” - 2.5 tbsp;
  • salt, pepper - to taste.

Prepare mackerel over a fire on a grill as follows:

  • If you took frozen fish, you will need to defrost it first.
  • Thawed fish (or fresh, if it was originally such) must be cleaned, gutted, and the gills and fins removed. After everything, wash it, and be sure to wash it inside and out.
  • The lime also needs to be washed and cut into half rings.
  • Incisions need to be made along the entire body, on both sides.
  • Rub the fish with salt, pepper, and Provençal herbs inside and out. Insert the prepared lime into the cuts.
  • You will need to fill your belly tightly with greens. The dill and parsley must first be washed and dried, of course. “Under the marinade” the carcass should be left to stand for about 40 minutes.
  • Cooking mackerel on the grill will take you about half an hour. To do this, you need to send it to the grill, and then place it over hot coals.
  • Sometimes the grate will need to be turned over. Fry until golden brown.

We told you how to cook mackerel on the grill in at least one way, but then there’s more.

Cooking option No. 2

Mackerel in foil on the grill will amaze you with its taste and smell. This method of cooking differs significantly only in that the fish in foil turns out to be quite soft and it manages to retain all the flavors during cooking.

So, this recipe for mackerel on the grill is very simple, and for it you will need:

  • fish carcass – 2 pcs.;
  • seasoning “For fish” - 2.5 tsp;
  • lemon – 0.5 pcs.;
  • onions – 1 pc.;
  • olive oil – 2 tbsp;
  • salt, pepper - as always, to taste;
  • foil - for baking.

How to cook:

  • Wash the carcass, remove entrails, gills, and fins. Dry with paper towels.
  • Peel the onion and chop. The cutting should be fine, the finer the better.
  • Now place the fish on foil folded in 2 layers. This way you prevent the foil from tearing during baking.
  • Now we generously start the fish with onions.
  • Wash the lemon, cut it into half rings (very thinly), and place it in a row on top of the fish.
  • Before baking, you need to wrap it well in foil. You need to wrap it tightly on all sides.
  • Mackerel baked on the grill generally takes about 20-25 minutes to prepare. You need to cook directly in smoldering coals; during the process, the fish must be turned over periodically.

Cooking option No. 3

You can also cook a delicious mackerel kebab on a grill or on a skewer. To do this you will need:

  • mackerel – 900-1000 g;
  • garlic – 7 medium cloves;
  • vinegar - 3 tbsp;
  • sunflower oil – 5 tbsp;
  • sugar – 2 tsp;
  • salt, pepper - to taste.

Now how to cook:

  • As in previous methods, we clean, wash and dry the fish.
  • For the marinade, mix crushed garlic, vinegar, oil, sugar. Now rub the fish with the prepared mixture. She needs to stand in the marinade for at least an hour and a half.
  • Place the fish on a skewer, and then bake for 17 minutes, constantly turning over.

As you can see, mackerel does not require much time to cook or marinate. All the recipes offered in the article are simple and, well, very tasty. If you have a barbecue at home or in a country house, be sure to try cooking fish in at least one of the suggested ways.

Mackerel is a fatty sea fish, perfect for cooking barbecue on the grill or barbecue. It is quite possible to bake it on skewers, but it is much more convenient to do this using a grill grate. This way it will calmly stay above the coals, and it will be possible to cook it not whole, but in filleted form.

In order to make the most tender kebab from mackerel, it must be marinated. This way, its characteristic excellent taste will be fully revealed when grilled over charcoal.

Let's look at a variety of ways to marinate mackerel for barbecue on a grill, as well as the features of its preparation. This will make the fish truly tasty, turning it into a genuine delicacy.

Briefly about mackerel

This fish is also known as "Mackerel". It is extremely rich in microelements, vitamins, and Omega-3 fatty acids necessary for people. It contains vitamins A, B, D, elements such as phosphorus, zinc, potassium and manganese. They have a beneficial effect on metabolism in the human body, make bones and teeth stronger, and improve the skin. Omega-3 acids reduce cholesterol levels and prevent the development of atherosclerosis and oncology.

Nuances of preparation

Culinary arithmetic using mackerel as an example is simple: one fish is one or two servings of kebab. The calorie content of the dish is about 300 kcal per 100 g.

Marinating whole carcasses should last about an hour. When cutting, marinate fish fillets or steaks for half an hour. There is no need to keep mackerel in the marinade for more than an hour. It can easily take on a form that is unsuitable for further use as a barbecue.

When working on the marinade, you should keep in mind that strong ingredients, such as table vinegar or wine, are not suitable for mackerel. It will lose density, become watery, and begin to fall apart. It will not be possible to properly mount it on skewers or fry it properly. Ultimately, you won't get a good barbecue.

Therefore, it is worth using gentle ingredients - lemon or other fruit juice, mild balsamic vinegar. There are recipes when the future marinade is completely devoid of any acidic ingredients.

When using fruit juices or other similar products, do not use aluminum containers for marinating. It will simply oxidize. Compounds harmful to humans can get into the dish.

Properly marinated mackerel cooks over coals relatively quickly. Whole fish are fried on the grill for no more than 20 minutes. Fish steak skewers will be ready even faster – within 10–15 minutes. The fillet will take 10 minutes.

The taste of the future kebab largely depends on the marinade. You can use a variety of spices for it, so that as a result of experiments you can find a suitable option for yourself.

Marinades for mackerel kebab

It is believed that the following spices are best combined with fish such as mackerel:

  • black pepper;
  • Bay leaf;
  • ginger;
  • cumin;
  • garlic;
  • cilantro.

Classic marinade

You will need:

  • zest, juice of half a lemon;
  • two garlic cloves;
  • a teaspoon of cumin;
  • a bunch of fresh cilantro;
  • salt;
  • ground black pepper.

To prepare the marinade, you need to chop the garlic, finely chop a few sprigs of cilantro, then mix with other ingredients. Whole fish or pieces of fillet should be kept in this marinade for no more than an hour.


When stringing fish pieces onto skewers, they can be diluted with thick onion rings and cherry tomatoes. When frying whole fish on a grill, you can put leftover cilantro and thin lemon slices inside the fish.

Classic marinade No. 2

You will need:

  • 50 ml olive oil;
  • 25 ml lemon juice;
  • a bunch of fresh parsley;
  • two garlic cloves;
  • half a lemon;
  • salt, ground white pepper.

Preparation procedure:

  1. Divide the lemon in half.
  2. Cut one half into thin slices, squeeze out the juice from the second.
  3. Mix it with olive oil.
  4. Wash the parsley, then finely chop it and add to the marinade.
  5. Send garlic crushed using a press there.
  6. Add salt, season with ground white pepper, stir.

Pour the prepared mixture over the mackerel. Place lemon slices on top of the fish. Marinate in the refrigerator for 20 to 60 minutes, depending on the size of the fish pieces.

Dry version of the marinade

For 2 kg of mackerel you will need:

  • 50 ml vegetable oil;
  • one tablespoon of fennel seeds;
  • one teaspoon of coriander seeds;
  • half a dozen clove buds;
  • a dozen peas of black and allspice;
  • salt.

This marinade is good when you are short on time. In this case, it is better to cut the fish into steaks for frying using a wire rack. The thickness of the pieces is 3–4 cm.

All spices should be ground together with vegetable oil in a mortar. Then rub the prepared mixture onto the mackerel steaks, then place them in a bowl, tightly on top of each other. Marinate for no more than 20 minutes, then fry over coals.

Honey based marinade

A great-tasting kebab can be made from mackerel marinated in a mixture of honey, balsamic vinegar and other spices.

You will need for 2 kg of fish:

  • a pair of medium onions;
  • 50 ml balsamic vinegar;
  • 75 ml honey;
  • 20 ml soy sauce;
  • a couple of clove buds;
  • ground black pepper.

For the marinade, mix melted honey with balsamic vinegar. Chop the onions as finely as possible. Grind the spices in a mortar. Mix all ingredients into a spicy marinade. Pour it over the fish and put it in the refrigerator for an hour.

Immediately before cooking, remove any remaining onion from the mackerel pieces.

Coconut marinade

You will need for 1 kg mackerel fillet:

  • 200 ml coconut milk;
  • 30 ml soy sauce;
  • medium sized ginger root;
  • one chili pepper;
  • three garlic cloves;
  • 75 g brown sugar.


You can add a little exoticism to the harsh everyday life of barbecue with the help of a marinade with coconut milk, which will undoubtedly appeal to all fans of Pan-Asian cuisine

First you need to prepare all the ingredients. Grate the ginger root and pass the garlic through a press. Wash the chili pepper, cut it in half, remove the seeds, and chop it into smaller pieces.

Mix ginger, chili pepper, garlic with brown sugar in a mortar and then grind. Dilute the resulting mixture with soy sauce.

Transfer to a saucepan, add coconut milk, whisk everything.

Place the mackerel in the marinade and put it in the refrigerator for half an hour.

Ready mackerel kebab should be served hot. A suitable side dish would be fresh vegetables, herbs, boiled potatoes or rice, and tomato ketchup. The ideal drink is dry white wine.

I'll tell you how to cook mackerel on the grill. In the distant times of our childhood, when abundance was a punishable luxury, the fish menu of a Soviet person, as a rule, consisted of salted anchovy, ivasi herring, hake and smoked mackerel. Sometimes in the fall fish carriers with carp appeared. Well, and some more little things.

To the question: “What kind of fish do you fry?” - surprised look. Heck, of course.
Fresh mackerel was something perhaps exotic. As, indeed, now. Ice cream - at least there are heaps. And it costs less than local carp.

As an adult, I learned that mackerel and mackerel are the same thing.
We weren't taught this at school. However, recipes for mackerel fried in batter are familiar to us from childhood.

Dry the fish with a napkin and cut it in half along the spine

  • Lightly pepper the fillet or sprinkle with a mixture of spices: pepper, aromatic herbs, coriander. You don't need to add salt. And leave for dry marinating for 10 minutes to 1 hour. In principle, you can add a little dry or semi-dry white wine. Then the fish will be juicier and the smell will be better removed. But this is optional.
  • Now it's time for lunch. Remove the fish from the marinade. Wipe dry with napkins.
  • Coat the fillet on both sides with a small amount of vegetable oil. And immediately to the bars. The grill is either electric or coals. What is.

    Coat the fillet on both sides with a small amount of vegetable oil. And immediately to the bars

  • It is better to start frying from the skin side. Wait until the mackerel on the grill is well browned and turn it over. Mackerel fries very quickly on the grill. The smell tickles the nostrils and causes profuse salivation.

    It is better to start frying from the skin side

  • While the mackerel is fried on the grill, prepare the side dish. Cut fresh vegetables: tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers. A little . And definitely a quarter of a lemon.
  • Now the mackerel on the grill is ready. Place on a large plate. Usually two fillets per person are enough for lunch.