CSchieck
Knows what a fatty is.
Caught a bunch of King Mackerel with my eldest boy on a charter boat, and am looking for ideas for smoking some. Ideas?
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King Mackerel
- Thread starter CSchieck
- Start date
CSchieck
Knows what a fatty is.
sorry about the sideways photo...
jbuntingsr
Full Fledged Farker
Awesome, good day.
bearohs
Knows what a fatty is.
OK..
So Kings are pretty bad to eat man. Fun to catch on light gear but smoked is about all you can do with them.
Brine them first, id suggest some soy, sugar, ginger sugar type brine.
Smoke as low as you can.
The other way to cook kings are to steak them and cut out nuggest and fry..
We have some monster kings right now off St Pete. Schools of 50lb fish about 15 miles offshore.
So Kings are pretty bad to eat man. Fun to catch on light gear but smoked is about all you can do with them.
Brine them first, id suggest some soy, sugar, ginger sugar type brine.
Smoke as low as you can.
The other way to cook kings are to steak them and cut out nuggest and fry..
We have some monster kings right now off St Pete. Schools of 50lb fish about 15 miles offshore.
ace27705
Knows what a fatty is.
they look like Spanish mackerel...I could be wrong....anyways her are 2 easy ways that always work for me ... gutt em and smoke them whole. How you ask ?
1. brush them in olive oil and season them with sonny salt or lawrey's season salt. Even that tony's cha.... I cant spell it creole salt. smoke at 225 to 250 for about 45 minutes to 1 hour.I cook mine longer about 1 hour 30 I like them to dry up an bit and flake them off as a snack with crackers.
2. for a nice dinner.....Brush em in oil stuff them with a little sautéed onion (I like to add tomatoes too) Light salt pepper and lemon juice and wrap them in very thin bacon or prosciutto from head to tail. grill indirect at 350ish for about 15 minutes maybe 25 if using bacon or smoke 250 for about 1 hour 15 minutes. depending on the size of the fish of course check one and make sure the meat is flakey and opaque and the bacon is done if using bacon. Serve those bad boys up with some grilled asparagus and some roasted new potatoes or flavored rice. Blam !!! You'r reign as king of the grill will easily remain intact. Feel free to message me for my legendary smoked fish dip.IT Can't be publicized !!! LOL
1. brush them in olive oil and season them with sonny salt or lawrey's season salt. Even that tony's cha.... I cant spell it creole salt. smoke at 225 to 250 for about 45 minutes to 1 hour.I cook mine longer about 1 hour 30 I like them to dry up an bit and flake them off as a snack with crackers.
2. for a nice dinner.....Brush em in oil stuff them with a little sautéed onion (I like to add tomatoes too) Light salt pepper and lemon juice and wrap them in very thin bacon or prosciutto from head to tail. grill indirect at 350ish for about 15 minutes maybe 25 if using bacon or smoke 250 for about 1 hour 15 minutes. depending on the size of the fish of course check one and make sure the meat is flakey and opaque and the bacon is done if using bacon. Serve those bad boys up with some grilled asparagus and some roasted new potatoes or flavored rice. Blam !!! You'r reign as king of the grill will easily remain intact. Feel free to message me for my legendary smoked fish dip.IT Can't be publicized !!! LOL
bearohs
Knows what a fatty is.
chingador
is Blowin Smoke!
Kings are not the best eating fish out there, that is for sure. The smaller ones are much better. The larger ones are not too good to be honest. The consistency of the meet is pretty soft and dries out too easy. The color is greyish. The flavor isn't that bad though. Sort of oily, kinda like salmon. It is best to cut the blood line out before you cook them. The meat with the blood line is worthless.
Kingfish are not bad fried. I like to marinade them in buttermilk for at least a couple of hours. Rinse off excess, roll in cornmeal and fry in peanut oil. They are good grilled too. I suppose you could look up any recipe to smoke salmon with for Kings because the meat is oily.
My favorite thing to do is to make King mackeral salad. Use your favorite tuna salad recipe and simply replace King mackeral for tuna. I grill the king mackeral, let it cool, then mix with mayo, lemon juice, chopped celery, green onion and dill. Very good on ritz crackers. This is pretty much the only way I eat king mackeral now. I love it and will box one just to make this.
Kingfish are not bad fried. I like to marinade them in buttermilk for at least a couple of hours. Rinse off excess, roll in cornmeal and fry in peanut oil. They are good grilled too. I suppose you could look up any recipe to smoke salmon with for Kings because the meat is oily.
My favorite thing to do is to make King mackeral salad. Use your favorite tuna salad recipe and simply replace King mackeral for tuna. I grill the king mackeral, let it cool, then mix with mayo, lemon juice, chopped celery, green onion and dill. Very good on ritz crackers. This is pretty much the only way I eat king mackeral now. I love it and will box one just to make this.
Nice catch My father had a king fish smoked I think that he got in FL Tasted pretty good
We love most fish, including Kings! 8)
Here is a King cook I did awhile back.
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=171530&highlight=king
We also do them sauteed in clarified butter with sprigs of Rosemary.
Did some Trigger fish last night--a totally underappreciated fish and I hope it stays that way 8)
Keeps the price down.
Good Eats!
TIM
Here is a King cook I did awhile back.
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=171530&highlight=king
We also do them sauteed in clarified butter with sprigs of Rosemary.
Did some Trigger fish last night--a totally underappreciated fish and I hope it stays that way 8)
Keeps the price down.
Good Eats!
TIM
What ever you decide to do be sure to remove the bloodline that runs along each side.
Spanish Mackeral are spotted. These are small Kings.
They are great rolled in seasoned (peppered) bread crumbs and deep fried.
Spanish Mackeral are spotted. These are small Kings.
They are great rolled in seasoned (peppered) bread crumbs and deep fried.
FTFY...
Haveuseen1?
Full Fledged Farker
I like them fried, and I like them in smoked mackeral dip. I think mackeral get a bad rap, because there are so many good fish to eat. What I have found is like most fish, the fresher the better.
Looks like you had a great day, and congrats!
Looks like you had a great day, and congrats!
Haveuseen1?
Full Fledged Farker
One more quick note. I have fished the entire Windes fleet. I have always had a great experience with them. They are some of the most top rated captains in Destin.
jjrkegler
Knows what a fatty is.
We don't have Mackerel up here but it looks like Mackerel are oily. We do have Lake Trout that are also oily. While most people don't like them, I smoke them and almost prefer them to smoked salmon.You will need to brine them first.
To brine them, add a measured amount of water to a large bowl (I start with 8 cups). Add pickling salt a little at a time (1/4 cup), stir and set an egg in the water. When the egg floats you have enough salt (it's around a full cup for me). Then double the water by adding another 8 cups or whatever you started with. Drop the filets in at night (with a plate or something to keep them submerged) and you're ready to smoke the next day. You can add seasonings (herbs, brown sugar, teriyaki, etc.) to the brine or add some on top before smoking.
I smoke them with apple/cherry at 225-250 and it can take 2-3 hours for filets (from 10-15# fish). Yours look to be in the 3-5# range so probably less. When they start to flake they are done. I then let them cool, vacuum seal them and put them in the freezer.
To brine them, add a measured amount of water to a large bowl (I start with 8 cups). Add pickling salt a little at a time (1/4 cup), stir and set an egg in the water. When the egg floats you have enough salt (it's around a full cup for me). Then double the water by adding another 8 cups or whatever you started with. Drop the filets in at night (with a plate or something to keep them submerged) and you're ready to smoke the next day. You can add seasonings (herbs, brown sugar, teriyaki, etc.) to the brine or add some on top before smoking.
I smoke them with apple/cherry at 225-250 and it can take 2-3 hours for filets (from 10-15# fish). Yours look to be in the 3-5# range so probably less. When they start to flake they are done. I then let them cool, vacuum seal them and put them in the freezer.
CSchieck
Knows what a fatty is.
Thanks for the input/advice. This was our first trip out, and we had not really planned on catching this much. Smoked some, grilled some. All agreed that the smoked was considerably better. Nothing fancy. Little butter, little spice, lots of smoke.
The Captain and his deck hand did a great job, and I would recommend them to anyone looking for a charter in the Destin area.
The Captain and his deck hand did a great job, and I would recommend them to anyone looking for a charter in the Destin area.
ace27705
Knows what a fatty is.
Woot SMOKED MACKREL DIP !!!
burgersb
Knows what a fatty is.
Nice Mess of Fish.
