Food preparation
For our dishes you will need fresh or frozen mackerel. But if you live far from the sea, then you have only one option. Don't believe the advertising and buy chilled fish. Most likely, you are offered defrosted mackerel at an inflated price. In addition, it is unknown how many times the fish was frozen and under what conditions it was stored.
When choosing frozen carcasses, pay attention to their shape. If the fish is not bent, has no dents or damage, then you have found a wonderful product. If these signs are not observed, then this means that the fish was thawed and then frozen again. The value of such a product, of course, is questionable.
Mackerel also needs to be defrosted correctly. To do this, place it in a colander and close the lid. Place the structure in a deep bowl and place it on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. Thanks to the correct use of cookware, you will solve several problems at once. Firstly, the fish will not get wet in the liquid, and secondly, its open side will not become airy.
Fish in tea and onion brine
Mackerel in tea leaves is incredibly tasty. However, it will be much tastier to cook fish with onion brine. For this dish you need to purchase the following products:
Mackerel in onion skins in 3 minutes
This delicate dish goes well with stewed vegetables, mashed potatoes and various salads. If you like boiled fish or are on a strict diet, then you will love this recipe.
Ingredients:
- one carcass of frozen mackerel;
- peels of five large onions (regular and red);
- a tablespoon of salt.
How to cook mackerel in onion skins in 3 minutes? The recipe for this delicious dish is very simple, so it won’t cause you any difficulties.
Thaw the fish on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator, then cut off the head, tail and fins, and remove the entrails. Remove the skins from the onions, wash them well, place them in a saucepan and add water. Place the pan on the fire and bring its contents to a boil.
Place the prepared fish on the bottom of the stewpan, under the husk. After three minutes, the mackerel can be removed and served. For a side dish, prepare boiled potatoes, rice or stewed vegetables. We hope you enjoy this 3 minute onion skin mackerel recipe. You can read the recipe for other interesting dishes from this popular fish below. Believe me, there are a lot of them.
Mackerel in tea leaves. Recipe
The cooking process itself takes a lot of time. So be patient and start cooking! The exquisite taste will definitely delight you. We provide a recipe for mackerel in tea leaves with a photo:
Mackerel in onion skins and tea leaves
Next, we want to tell you how to salt fish using a simple set of products.
This time you will need the following ingredients:
- sugar - two tablespoons;
- water - one liter;
- mackerel - two pieces;
- salt - three tablespoons;
- black tea - two tablespoons;
- onion peel - two handfuls.
Preparing mackerel in onion skins and tea leaves is very simple. You need to carefully read the instructions and repeat all the steps after us.
Thaw the fish, gut it, cut off the head and gills. Next you need to prepare the brine. Pour water into the saucepan, add tea leaves, husks, salt and sugar. Place the saucepan on the fire, boil the liquid, and then cool it under the lid. Strain the brine and add the mackerel to it. In two days the fish will be ready to eat. The skin and meat of mackerel will acquire a golden hue, like a smoked product.
Mackerel in onion peel - the most delicious recipe for boiled or smoked fish
Lovers of fish dishes will appreciate such an option as mackerel in onion peels, the most delicious recipe for which can be mastered using available home remedies. A method like cold smoking will help you achieve what you want. The result will be a dish that is not inferior to store-bought.
How to cook mackerel in onion skins?
In order for unsurpassed mackerel in onion peel to come out, the most delicious recipe requires that certain conditions be met.
- The husks and tea give the fish a golden color. A brine is prepared from them, to which salt, sugar, coriander, and bay leaf are added.
- You can add “liquid smoke” so that the mackerel cannot be distinguished from truly smoked mackerel.
- To make mackerel in onion skins cook faster, it is first boiled. Large-leaf long leaf tea, which is brewed in clean, filtered water, is most suitable.
- The mackerel is selected, fatty. If the recipe does not include tea leaves, you can still use it at the rate of: 2 tsp per 1 liter of water.
- The fish is marinated for 2-3 days. After this period, the mackerel is taken out and dried, hanging by the tail. Then cut into portions.
- Taking into account individual preferences, the fish is given a more pronounced smoked or salty flavor using a variety of ingredients.
Boiled mackerel in onion skins
A dish like mackerel boiled in onion skins is prepared quickly and turns out delicious. It is suitable for both an outdoor picnic and family gatherings. Frozen fish should first be defrosted and the water drained from it. It is best to cook and marinate mackerel in an aluminum casserole dish; this is the most suitable container.
Ingredients:
- mackerel – 3 pcs.;
- black loose leaf tea – 2 tbsp. l.;
- husk;
- water – 1.5 l;
- sugar – 3 tbsp. l.;
- turmeric – 1 tsp;
- salt – 4 tbsp. l.
Preparation
- Boil the fish.
- Add tea and washed onion peels to the water.
- Boil, cook for 4-5 minutes.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the marinade.
- Pour the marinade over the fish. Leave for 3 days in the cold.
Salting mackerel in onion peels and tea
Mackerel in tea leaves and onion skins is characterized by unsurpassed taste. Adding these additional components will help saturate the fish with taste qualities that are as close as possible to smoked. This is facilitated by adding tea and all kinds of seasonings to the marinade.
Ingredients:
- mackerel – 2 pcs.;
- onion peel;
- brewing tea – 3 tsp;
- water – 1 l;
- bay leaf – 4 pcs.;
- coriander;
- salt – 3 tbsp. l.;
- sugar – 2 tbsp. l.
Preparation
- Cut the mackerel.
- For the marinade, boil the husks in boiling water for 7 minutes, then add all the ingredients except the fish.
- Immerse the fish in the marinade and leave it in a cold place for 3 days.
Mackerel in 3 minutes in onion skins
Busy housewives will appreciate this option, like mackerel in onion peels, the most delicious, simple recipe for which is made in 3 minutes. It is ideal when you need to instantly set the table or prepare a treat for guests. Salad, boiled potatoes, and cereal are served as a side dish. The fish retains its beneficial properties, looks appetizing and tastes just as good as smoked fish.
Ingredients:
- mackerel – 2 pcs.;
- water – 1.5 l;
- husk;
- sea salt – 5 tbsp. l.
Preparation
- Dissolve salt in water. Add the husks.
- Put the brine on the fire. Boil for 5 minutes.
- Reduce heat. Place the fish in the brine and cook for 3 minutes without turning.
- Remove the fish. The recipe for mackerel in onion skins is completed by cooling it and serving it to the table.
Even seasoned gourmets will love smoky mackerel in onion skins. In this case, it is possible to recreate as much as possible a taste similar to smoked fish. This can be achieved in terms of taste and appearance, but the beneficial properties do not disappear. Mackerel is good for lunch, dinner, it will become an indispensable product in the refrigerator.
Ingredients:
- liquid smoke – 1.5 tbsp. l.;
- mackerel – 2 pcs.;
- water – 1 l;
- husk;
- salt – 2 tbsp. l.
Preparation
- Fill the husk with water. Cook for 15 minutes.
- Strain the liquid through cheesecloth. Add the remaining ingredients except the fish. Mix.
- Pour the marinade over the prepared fish and leave for 2 days.
Baked mackerel in onion skins
An excellent solution for a delicious lunch or dinner would be mackerel with onion peels at home, baked in the oven. It is pre-marinated so that it is saturated with unsurpassed taste and aroma, and then brought to the desired state using a household appliance. The result will be a dish with indescribable taste.
Ingredients:
- mackerel – 1 piece;
- husk;
- water – 1 l;
- salt – 150 g.
Preparation
- Boil the husks with salt for 5 minutes.
- Place the mackerel in the brine and cook for 3 minutes.
- Then bake the fish in the oven for 15 minutes.
Smoked mackerel in onion skins
Another fish recipe that reliably resembles the original version is homemade smoked mackerel in onion skins. During the marinating process, you need to place a saucer with a weight on it. The dish is perfectly combined with funchose, beans and peas; they will act as an organic complement to the main product.
Ingredients:
- water – 1 l;
- mackerel – 1 piece;
- salt – 3 tbsp. l.;
- husk;
- sugar – 1.5 tbsp. l.;
- tea leaves – 100 ml;
- allspice;
- coriander – 1 tsp;
- bay leaf – 3 pcs.
Preparation
- Pour the husks into boiling water, after washing them first.
- Cook for 10 minutes and leave for another 15 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients except fish.
- Pour in the tea leaves, stir and cool.
- Cut off the tail, head and entrails from the fish. Rinse. Pour over the marinade.
- The recipe for cooking mackerel in onion skins is completed after 1.5 days, after which time you need to get the fish.
Mackerel with liquid smoke
Fish prepared according to this recipe turns out very tender and tasty. It can be used as an independent snack or as an ingredient for a holiday salad.
Required products:
- mackerel - one or more carcasses;
- water - one liter;
- salt - four or five tablespoons;
- tea bags - two pieces;
- husk - three handfuls;
- liquid smoke - one tablespoon.
Mackerel in onion peels with liquid smoke is prepared according to the following recipe.
Mix water with sugar and salt, and then bring it to a boil. After this, place the well-washed husks and tea bags into the brine. Cool the liquid and add one spoon of smoke to it.
Cut off the neck of a plastic bottle and place the fish in it, tail up. If desired, you can put several small carcasses in the dish at once. Pour brine over the fish. Of course, mackerel in onion skins won’t have time to cook in 3 minutes, so forget about it for three days.
When the required time has passed, hang the carcasses over the sink overnight. Store the dried mackerel in the refrigerator.
Mackerel marinated in prunes and onion skins
Ingredients:
- Water 1 liter;
- A handful of onion peels;
- Prunes 200 g;
- Salt 5 tbsp. l.;
- Sugar 2 tbsp. l.;
- Mackerel 1 pc.
We prepare all the ingredients. Take a large handful of onion peels. Measure sugar and salt in heaped tablespoons. We use prunes with pits. According to the recipe, the marinade is enough for 3 large mackerel.
Gut the mackerel. Rinse. Rinse a large handful of onion peels well in a colander. Place in a saucepan, add water.
Add prunes. Boil for 10 minutes. At the end add salt and sugar. Cool the marinade. Place the fish in the marinade. Place under pressure in the refrigerator for 2 days. Ready!
Spicy salted fish
Salting mackerel in onion skins will give the fish a special golden color, and the spices that we will use in this recipe will make its taste bright and unique. This time you will need the following ingredients:
- three frozen mackerel;
- one liter of water;
- three large spoons of salt (heaped);
- sugar - two tablespoons;
- dry brewing of loose leaf tea - two tablespoons;
- red onion peel - one handful;
- two bay leaves;
- 12 peas of allspice;
- two dry clove buds;
- teaspoon coriander.
How to prepare mackerel at home in onion skins? We offer you a simple recipe for an original snack.
Combine water with sugar, onion peels, tea and salt. Boil and then cool the brine. Process the fish, remove the entrails, trim the gills, tail and head. Add bay leaf and spices to the cooled brine.
Place the carcasses in a cut-off plastic bottle or an oval plastic salted herring mold. Keep the fish at room temperature for a day, and then refrigerate it for another 48 hours. When the mackerel is ready, hang the carcasses by the tails and carry them to the balcony. The treat can be served when the fish has dried a little.
Recipe for salted mackerel in tea and onion skins
The main difference between this recipe and the previous one is the use of onion peels. As you know, it is rich in vitamins and nutrients necessary for our body to function properly. Onion peel can replace many medications, so all kinds of decoctions, infusions, and ointments are prepared on its basis. It brings incredible benefits to the human body because:
- stimulates the immune system;
- fights effectively against all kinds of bacteria and germs during colds;
- works as a natural antiseptic;
- cleans blood vessels and helps heal scratches and wounds;
- helps cure cancer;
- improves blood circulation;
- fights allergens.
Onion peels are actively used in cooking. One way to use it is to salt mackerel. This makes the fish even more healthy and flavorful. To prepare the dish you will need:
- one or two mackerel carcasses;
- liter of water;
- salt – ninety grams;
- sugar – thirty grams;
- onion peel - four tablespoons;
- strong brewed tea - one glass;
- spices, bay leaf, coriander - to taste.
Boil the husks for about five minutes over medium heat. Then set aside for a while to infuse and return to the heat for ten minutes. Immediately before removing from the heat, add already brewed tea, all the necessary spices, salt, and sugar to the water. The finished mixture should cool to room temperature.
Washed mackerel, cleaned of its entrails, whole or cut into pieces, is poured with the prepared marinade and infused in the refrigerator for about three days. It is important to stir the contents regularly. Before serving the fish, guests should first rid the carcass of excess liquid. To do this, place the pieces on paper napkins a couple of hours before the feast.
If you want to achieve a taste like store-bought mackerel, you can add a spoonful of liquid smoke to the marinade. But you should understand that there is nothing useful in this ingredient for our body, so it is recommended to enjoy the dish without its participation.
Mackerel with juniper
Here is another option for an unusual snack that resembles a smoked product in appearance.
Ingredients:
- five small mackerel carcasses;
- two liters of water;
- eight tablespoons of salt;
- four large spoons of sugar;
- three spoons of black leaf tea;
- a handful of washed onion peels;
- five peas of allspice;
- five juniper berries.
Home-smoked mackerel in onion skins is prepared quite simply and quickly.
Pour water into the pan, add spices, juniper, sugar, tea, salt and husks. Boil the brine, reduce the heat and cook for another quarter of an hour. Cool the liquid to room temperature and strain it.
Rinse the fish well, clean it, remove the head and tail. Place the carcasses in a suitable container, fill with brine and place pressure on top. Keep the mackerel for three days, remembering to turn it over periodically.
When the fish is ready, hang it in the kitchen. Place newspapers on the floor to absorb the brine. Brush the carcasses with vegetable oil using a pastry brush, and then leave them overnight.
Serve the treat with hot boiled potatoes, a salad of fresh or salted vegetables, or black bread. This appetizer goes well with strong strong drinks, and therefore is ideal for the holiday table.
Mackerel in tea leaves. Ingredients
Mackerel in tea brine is quite easy and simple to prepare at home. For this you will need the following ingredients:
Some tips
Experienced chefs recommend using plastic bottles with the neck cut off for pickling. It is easier to rotate the fish placed in them so that each carcass is colored evenly.
Use different herbs and spices for pickling. Every time you get fish with an original taste and aroma.
During drying, mackerel should be lubricated with vegetable oil. This step will allow you to achieve even greater similarity between the fish and its smoked “brethren”.
Try salting mackerel and herring in the same bowl. Experts say that this method allows you to achieve an unusual effect. The finished fish will taste like sprats, beloved by many.