Grilled Mackerel or Saba Shioyaki (鯖の塩焼き) is a popular seafood dish served as an entree or part of a bento combination in Japanese restaurants in the U.S. What you may not know is how fast and easy it is to make it at home. This is the reason I love making this for my family dinner—it feels special, but is so very simple.
What Is Saba Shioyaki?
Saba (鯖) is mackerel and shioyaki (塩焼き) means salt (shio) and grilling (yaki). As you can guess, the only seasoning we need for this dish is salt, which brings out the rich flavors of the mackerel. I’ll show you a few tips you can use to make the dish extra delicious!
Ingredients You’ll Need for Saba Shioyaki
- mackerel (saba) fillets
- sake
- kosher salt – I use Diamond Crystal brand
- daikon radish – grated; for serving
- wedge lemon (cut in half)
- soy sauce
2 Tips for Better Grilled Mackerel (Saba Shioyaki)
1. Use of Sake (Japanese Rice Wine)
If you’re familiar with Japanese cooking, you’d notice that the majority of recipes call for sake (Japanese rice wine). There are many benefits of using sake in Japanese cuisine, and this recipe is no exception.
We use sake in this grilled mackerel to:
- add umami
- tenderize the fish
- make the texture more “plump” – fukkura (ふっくら) in Japanese
- remove any fishy odor
If you are not sure what type of sake to buy, read my sake pantry post to learn more.
2. Use of Salt
In this recipe, we use salt to:
- extract water from the fish
- remove any unpleasant odor
- season the fish
Once you sprinkle the mackerel with salt, let it rest for precisely 20 minutes. If doesn’t rest long enough, the fish won’t soak up enough salty flavor and the smell may still linger. If you rest it for too long, the flesh will get too tight and lose its texture.
How to Make Saba Shioyaki
- Sprinkle the mackerel (saba) fillets with sake. Pat dry with paper towels. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Sprinkle both sides of the fish with kosher salt. Let it sit at room temperature for 20 minutes and pat dry the excess moisture.
- Place skin side down on the parchment paper and bake for 15–20 minutes, or until the flesh is golden brown.
- Serve with a wedge of lemon and grated daikon radish drizzled with a few drops of soy sauce.
What to Serve with Grilled Mackerel
Thanks to its light yet flavorful texture, saba shioyaki pairs well with many dishes. Here are my suggestions:
Rice
Soup
2-3 Side Dishes
- Kinpira gobo (stir-fried burdock root and carrot)
- Chikuzenni (Nishime) (simmered chicken and vegetables)
- Spinach gomaae (spinach with sesame sauce)
- Simmered kabocha squash
- Pickled cabbage
More Mackerel Recipes on Just One Cookbook
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Grilled Mackerel (Saba Shioyaki)
Ingredients
- 2 fillets mackerel (saba) (10 oz, 280 g)
- 2 Tbsp sake
- ½ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
For Serving
- 1 inch daikon radish (2.6 oz, 75 g; grated)
- 1 wedge lemon (cut in half)
- 1 tsp soy sauce
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients. I cut my mackerel fillets in half crosswise for presentation.
- Coat 2 fillets mackerel (saba) with 2 Tbsp sake.
- Pat dry with paper towels (and discard the sake) and transfer the fish to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Sprinkle both sides of the fish with ½ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt.
- Let it sit at room temperature for 20 minutes. During this time, preheat the oven to 425ºF (218ºC) with a rack placed in the middle position. For a convection oven, reduce the cooking temperature by 25ºF (15ºC).
- After 20 minutes, pat dry the excess moisture released from the fish.
- Place the fish skin side down on the parchment paper and bake for 15–20 minutes, or until the flesh is golden brown.
To Serve
- Peel and grate 1 inch daikon radish (I use a ceramic grater) and squeeze out most of the liquid.
- Serve the grilled mackerel on individual plates with the grated daikon and 1 wedge lemon (halved) on the side. Pour a few drops of the 1 tsp soy sauce on the grated daikon and use as a refreshing condiment on the fish. Enjoy!
To Store
- You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 2 days.
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
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Editor’s Note: The post was originally published in April 2013. The images and content have been updated in February 2019.
