This grilled whole mackerel is juicy, slightly spicy and has that beautiful crispy skin that makes it a great family dinner for any day of the week. You'll need just a few simple ingredients, and it is incredibly easy to make.
If you've always found cooking a whole fish daunting, this simple recipe has your back!
Mackerel is an oily fish, and an excellent, inexpensive pick if you're looking for a wholesome and hearty fish that you can enjoy on any occasion. For this recipe, I've focused on striking a balance of heat and timing to get the perfectly cooked fish, just like I did with my juicy pan-grilled pork chops, which gave it a beautifully caramelized exterior.
If you're new to grilling fish, you can try using the techniques in this recipe and adapt them to other fish recipes, such as my tasty grilled whole catfish or my favorite juicy Caribbean grilled fish. If you'd like to try a quicker cooking technique, consider my Air Fryer Mackerel recipe.
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What I Love About this Recipe
The recipe is super simple and is perfect if you're looking for a quick, easy and affordable dish to make.
Mackerel is easy to find, and is packed with heart-friendly omega 3 fatty acids, making it a great lean protein alternative to beef.
You'll need no fancy ingredients or complicated cooking steps to make it. It's just some pantry staples.
The ingredients are easy to find and mostly pantry staples, and you'll need just 10 minutes of kitchen time.
Recipe Ingredients
Mackerel: You'll need a whole mackerel here. Make sure it's gutted and scaled. Tell your fishmonger to do it or buy already gutted fish.
Seasonings: To add flavor, I used a mix of onion powder, ginger powder, paprika, some chicken bouillon and ground coriander seeds.
Herbs: I used a mix of dried thyme and parsley here. You can experiment with other herbs and seasonings if you want to.
Cooking oil: Use any cooking oil of your choice. Canola oil works well too.
See the recipe card for quantities.
Variations & Substitutions
- You can play around with the different seasonings to bring variations to the flavor. I love using my green seasoning whenever I have a lot of fresh herbs at hand.
- If you love bold, pungent flavors, you can try marinating the mackerel in my Jamaican Jerk marinade. It's literally an explosion of flavors!
- To enhance the flavors of the grilled mackerel, drizzle some freshly squeezed lemon juice over the top, right before you serve it.
- You can also add some lemon zest into the marinade if you like citrusy and tangy flavors.
How to Make Grilled Whole Mackerel
To make the grilled whole mackerel, start by preheating the oven to 400℉. Also, line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and put the rack on it and set this aside.
- In a bowl, combine all the ingredients and stir using a spoon.
- Pat dry the fish with a paper towel and make deep diagonal slits on both sides of the fish. Rub the marinade on both sides and the cavity.
- Cover it and let it marinate for about 30 minutes to 1 hour. Put the fish on the rack, spray or rub oil on it, and let it go to the oven for 10 minutes on each side at 400F.
- Test doneness with a thermometer or use a fork to pull a small fish section. Fish should be white and flaky or removed easily from the bone. Transfer to a plate and serve right away.
Storing Leftovers
If you have some leftover grilled whole mackerel, you can store it in an airtight container for up to 3 days, refrigerated. To reheat it, I would recommend microwaving it, stopping at every 30 second intervals, until the fish is warm.
You can also pop it in a preheated oven for a few minutes, but make sure you cover the fish with foil to keep it from drying out. I wouldn't recommend freezing the leftovers, as it can ruin its texture.
Tips & Tricks to Make Grilled Whole Mackerel
- If you want to reduce the fishy smell, wash it with vinegar and lemon juice, then rinse it with water.
- It's always advisable to make deep cuts on both sides of the fish so the marinade can penetrate the flesh.
- You can also use a BBQ grill. If your oven has no grill option, use the broil or roast option.
- If you want to bake the mackerel, this is a perfect baked Mackerel recipe
Serving Ideas & Suggestions
There are lots of ways to enjoy this grilled whole mackerel dish. I personally love pairing it with some steamed rice or a flatbread like my East African chapati to mop up all that delicious sauce.
To make it a hearty and filling meal, you can also serve it with some sides like crispy baked potato wedges or garlic herb roasted potatoes. You can also turn it into a healthy meal by pairing the fish with some Mediterranean pasta salad or a light Mediterranean tomato and cucumber salad.
Recipe FAQs
To check if the mackerel is fresh, look at its eyes. If they appear cloudy, sunken or bulging, the fish is not fresh. Also, fresh fish usually smells like the ocean, and doesn't have that strong, fishy odor.
You can try the same recipe using other kinds of fish too. Tilapia, red snapper, Branzino, sea bass and sea bream are some good options.
You can, but you'll need to let it thaw and then come to room temperature before you marinate, or the excess liquid will cause the fish to get all watery.
More Fish Recipes to Try
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
If you tried these grilled whole mackerel or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Grilled Mackerel
Learn how to make the perfectly flaky and delicious grilled whole mackerel with just a few pantry staples and 10 minutes of prep time.
- Broiler pan
- Baking sheet with rack
- 1 Whole mackerel (scaled, gutted and washed)
- ½ teaspoon Parsley (dried)
- ½ teaspoon Thyme (dried)
- 1 teaspoon Seasoned salt
- 1 teaspoon Ginger powder
- ½ teaspoon Onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Bouillon (or seasoning powder)
- 1 teaspoon Paprika
- ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ teaspoon 4 Peppercorn Blend (or ½ teaspoon Blackpepper)
- ½ teaspoon Coriander seeds (ground)
- 1 teaspoon Chilli flakes (optional)
- ¼ Cooking Oil (for marinade and basting)
Preheat oven to 400℉. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and put the rack on it. Set aside.
In a bowl, combine all the ingredients and stir using a spoon.
Pat dry the fish with a paper towel and make deep diagonal slits on both sides of the fish. Pat dry again.
Rub the marinade on both sides of the fish and belly, making sure it goes deep into the slits.
Cover it and let it marinade for about 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Put the fish on the rack, spray or rub oil on it, and let it go to the oven.
Grill or broil for 10 minutes on each side. Make sure you rub more oil before and after you flip sides.
Test doneness with a thermometer or use a fork to pull a small fish section. Fish should be white and flaky or removed easily from the bone.
Transfer to a plate and serve right away.
- If you want to reduce the fishy smell, wash it with vinegar and lemon juice, then rinse it with water.
- It's always advisable to make deep cuts on both sides of the fish so the marinade can penetrate the flesh.
- You can also use a BBQ grill. If your oven has no grill option, use the broil or roast option.
- If you want to bake the mackerel, this is a perfect baked Mackerel recipe
Bilikis says
Delicious
Bilikis says
Wow.This is irresistible