How to cut mackerel? What kind of fish is this? You will find answers to these and other questions in the article. Fish is a useful and tasty food, but bones prevent us from fully enjoying it. Therefore, it is important to be able to process any kind of fish. How to properly cut mackerel is described in the article.
Advantages and disadvantages of fish
Mackerel is one of the best fish in terms of price and quality. Today, one kilogram of fresh unbroken mackerel costs about 130 rubles. Of course, this is more expensive than many types of fish sold in stores, but it is always necessary to take into account that part of the fish is sent to waste, and you should not discard the taste properties. The mackerel has few viscera, its head is small.
Cutting this fish is very simple - you do not need to clean the scales, you just need to cut off your head (for some recipes this is not required) and clean out the entrails. It is easy to get rid of the intestines - the abdomen of the fish is dense, thick, and cleans well.
Large blood volume for fish is the only inconvenience. But the carcass will have to be washed in any case, and all the blood will easily be washed off.
Mackerel
Few know how to cut mackerel. This is a fleshy fish, there are few bones in it, and they are all quite thick. That is why the fillet is not necessary to separate, the bones of the finished mackerel can be easily removed with a fork, and guests do not have to spit. The situation is the same with the fins - there is no need to cut them out.
Mackerel is a very satisfying fish (half of the carcass replaces a meat cutlet), tasty (there is no need to trick it especially during cooking) and healthy (there is a lot of fat in it). By the way, it is known that fish oil is an amazing prophylactic against heart and vascular ailments. The mackerel fat is mouth-watering, light, does not go rancid for a long time, looks like the fat of Iwashi herring.
Mackerel can be smoked, cooked, fried, baked. She cooks quickly and well in the microwave. Almost all fish dishes can be prepared from mackerel.
Nuances
Mackerel has a huge number of vitamins, micro and macro elements. Therefore, her meat could well be suitable as a basis for the elixir of health and youth, if such an existed.
The human body absorbs mackerel protein three times faster than beef. This fish contains omega-3 fatty acids, due to which cholesterol levels are normalized. It contains fish oil, which dilates blood vessels, vitamin A, which helps the regeneration and growth of the mucous membrane and skin, sulfur, which prevents the growth of harmful bacteria, phosphorus, strengthens bones and teeth, selenium, which contributes to the normal functioning of the immune system.
It is best to carve a carcass of a mackerel in an icy state, then the process is implemented much faster and easier. Also remember that the meat of this fish is very tender, from contact with water it loses its taste and becomes sour. Therefore, after cutting, the fillets are never washed, because the taste of the dish will deteriorate.
How to chop fillet?
How to cut mackerel into fillet? To implement this method, you will need:
- cutting board;
- sharp knife;
- frozen mackerel.
Follow these steps:
- Cut the fish horizontally from the side of the abdomen.
- Remove the insides.
- Make an incision in the direction of the head above the fin at an angle of 35 °.
- Perform the same incision on the other side. Now separate your head.
- Cut the fins.
- Peel off the black film from the abdominal cavity.
- Perform a longitudinal incision along the entire spine.
- Cut deep into the spine.
- From the abdomen to the tail, perform an incision.
- Separate the fillet with a sharp chopping knife.
- Turn the fish over to the other side and separate the second fillet with a knife from the ridge.
- Trim the fillet edges to remove fins. Remove all bones from the fillet, feeling them with your hands. It is very convenient to remove bones with tweezers.
Mackerel fillet is ready.
Helpful advice
So, you know how to cut mackerel. But in the city it’s very difficult to buy good fish. Some unscrupulous sellers increase its weight with a manual injector. In other words, they pump it with plain tap water.
And fish can also be “instantly salted” in the same way by adding salt to the water. To taste it turns out to be salty, but in fact - raw. So that the mackerel does not spoil, it is still flavored with a large portion of preservatives. And they will sell it to you as a “salted tender fish,” and even very cheaply. Therefore, purchase the right product only from trusted sellers.
An economical way of fillet cutting
You need to have:
- thin, sharp, long knife;
- paper napkins (optional);
- mackerel.
To implement this method, follow these steps:
- First make two oblique incisions near the head behind the side fins.
- Then, also obliquely, incise the skin behind the ventral fins.
- Hands break off the head towards the back.
- As you can see, almost all the insides were easily removed. Delete what's left later. If the head does not come off on the back, cut the skin and meat, completely separating the unnecessary part.
- Now make an incision from the back, along the ridge, along the entire length of the fish to the middle of the carcass. Cut by pressing the knife to the bones.
- Then, from the back in the tail zone, pierce the mackerel with a knife through the knife and, pressing the knife to the ridge, cut the tail fillet.
- Separate the first half of the fillet completely, cutting it off from the abdominal area of the body. The costal bones on the filet may remain, it’s okay, you will remove them later.
- Separate the other half of the carcass from the ridge in the same way. As you can see, the remaining viscera are easily removed along with the bones.
- Peel the black film with the knife, the remains of the entrails and cut off the surviving fins.
- You already have almost two ready-made fish fillets. But the work is not finished yet. If you hold the finger in the middle of the fillet, you can feel the bones. They are placed along almost the entire length of the carcass in darker meat. You already know how to cut mackerel. And how to free her from these bones? This is very easy to do, as they are not attached to the skin. Just cut them with a knife.
Now the carefully separated boneless fillet is ready! From it you can cook something. With this cut, you completely get rid of the bones and almost all the meat of the fish goes in the fillet. Waste makes up about one third of the mass of a whole mackerel. That is, if the fish weighed 300 g, you will receive 100 g of waste and 200 g of fillet.
Smoked Mackerel Cutting
But how to cut smoked mackerel? Such a fish very often takes part in the menu of a festive feast. She is very appetizing, therefore loved by many. In order for fish dishes on the table to look festive and dignified, you must also provide an original and beautiful presentation.
Pitted fish is always a pleasure to eat. In addition, smoked mackerel fillets can be used as a component for savory sandwiches, salads, canapes. You do not know how to cut smoked mackerel? Follow these steps:
- Cover the cutting surface with parchment and lay cellophane on top.
- Separate the head and tail with a knife from the fish.
- Next, you need to stretch the abdomen, remove the insides, clean the cavity with a knife.
- Take away the newspaper with waste, lay new polyethylene.
- Make a deep incision throughout the back, then from the abdomen to the tail.
- Expand the carcass, like a book, you should get two parts.
- Helping slightly with a knife, remove the ridge from the first part along with the ribs.
- Remove the remaining costal ossicles from the second part.
- Carefully cut the fins.
- Remove dirty cellophane with bones, put a paper towel together with it.
- Place the fish half with the skin up.
- Cut the skin slightly from above with a knife, then gradually remove it with your fingers while holding the meat.
- With the second part, do the same.
It's just that you can get a delicious fish without bones and skins.
Smoked Mackerel Fillet Canapes
This dish looks very elegant and appetizing. In addition, it is very convenient to eat. We take:
- parsley;
- cream;
- fresh cucumber;
- smoked mackerel fillet;
- olives;
- skewers.
Follow these steps:
- Cut the fillet into thin slices, cucumbers into slices.
- Put the olive on the skewer, then the fillet, rolled into a roll, and at the end - a circle of cucumber.
- Place the canapes on the round dish with the skewers up.
- Garnish randomly with sprigs of parsley.