Grandma’s Secret Recipe: Delicious Braised Mackerel with Zero Fishy Smell
Braised Mackerel: Grandma’s Secret Seasoning to Eliminate Fishy Odors
Missing my mom’s cooking, I’m making braised mackerel using the special seasoning she taught me to eliminate any fishy smell. This dish is a guaranteed hit at the dinner table!
Main Ingredients
- Mackerel 2-3 (cleaned)
- 1 Onion (medium)
- 2 Potatoes (medium)
Odor-Eliminating Special Braising Sauce
- 5 cloves Garlic (minced)
- 2 Tbsp Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 2 Tbsp Perilla Oil
- 5 Tbsp Soy Sauce (regular)
- 1 cup Mirin (or Soju)
- 5 cloves Garlic (minced)
- 2 Tbsp Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 2 Tbsp Perilla Oil
- 5 Tbsp Soy Sauce (regular)
- 1 cup Mirin (or Soju)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, to add depth to the dish, spread thinly sliced onions, rich in moisture, evenly on the bottom of your cast iron pot. Then, arrange the peeled and cut potatoes on top of the onions. Now it’s time for the star ingredient, the mackerel. Make a few shallow slashes on the thick flesh of the fish; this helps the seasoning penetrate beautifully. Place the prepared mackerel on top of the potatoes, and generously ladle the special braising sauce you’ve prepared over the fish and vegetables. Securely close the lid and let it simmer very slowly over the lowest heat for about 1 hour and 20 minutes. (The key to this low-moisture cooking is to absolutely avoid opening the lid during the cooking process. It’s crucial to cook using the natural moisture from the ingredients!)
Step 2
After your patient wait, open the lid to reveal a delicious braised mackerel dish, wonderfully reduced and flavorful. The rich broth, naturally rendered from the vegetables and fish, will enhance the overall taste of the meal.
Step 3
Gently ladle some of the warm broth over the braised mackerel and potatoes to ensure they stay moist, then artfully plate the dish for serving. Amazingly, this dish is cooked using absolutely no added water, relying solely on the moisture released from the onions, potatoes, and the mackerel itself. Take a bite of the mackerel, and you’ll be impressed by the clean, savory flavor that has deeply infused the fish, with absolutely no hint of any fishy smell!
Step 4
While the tender mackerel is exquisite, the fluffy potatoes, which have soaked up the braising sauce thoroughly, are truly out of this world. This dish has a magical quality that will make you want to finish a whole bowl of rice in no time, so be sure to try making it!
