Devilled Mackerel Bites
Tinned mackerel fried hard with a devil spice mix. Fifteen grams of fat per ounce carried.
- calories
- 420
- weight
- 5.5 oz
- cal / oz
- 76
- protein
- 26 g
- serves
- 2, scales
- prep
- 5 min
- cook
- 8 min
- total time
- 13 min
- water
- none
- cost
- $
Calorie and protein figures are my own estimates, good enough for planning a food bag and not meant as precise nutrition data.
- Dinner
- Lunch
- Snack
- Canister stove
- Campfire coals
- Grill grate
- Car camping
- Basecamp
- Canoe / raft
- Backpacking
- Dairy free
- Nut free
- One pot
- Pre-mix at home
- Shelf stable
- Basic
Ingredients
| Tinned mackerel fillets in oil | 2 tins, about 4 oz each | drain most of the oil, keep a spoonful |
|---|---|---|
| Mustard seeds | 1 tsp | |
| Mustard powder | 1 tsp | |
| Ground cumin | 1 tsp | |
| Cayenne pepper | 1/4 tsp | more if you want it to actually bite |
| Szechuan pepper | 1/2 tsp | crushed, it does the tingling |
| Paprika | 1 tsp | |
| Ground cardamom | 1/4 tsp | |
| Worcestershire sauce | 2 tsp | in a small dropper bottle |
| Olive oil | 1 tbsp |
Method
- Mix the six ground spices and the mustard seeds together at home. In camp it is one packet.
- Drain the tins. Break the fillets into chunks the size of a thumb and pat them dry on the tin lid or a bandana.
- Put the pot or pan over medium heat with the olive oil. Wait until the oil moves thin.
- Add the spice mix and let the mustard seeds pop, about thirty seconds. Do not walk away, cardamom scorches fast.
- Add the mackerel chunks. Leave them alone for two minutes so a crust forms, then turn once. Two more minutes.
- Off the heat, splash in the Worcestershire and shake the pan until it steams off and coats everything.
- Eat straight from the pan, or fold into a tortilla.
The original is a restaurant plate made from fish caught that morning. Tinned mackerel is the trail version and it holds up better than you would expect, because the fish is already cooked and oily enough to take a hard sear without falling apart. The point of the pan time is crust, not doneness.
Blooming the spices in oil before the fish goes in matters. Mustard seed, cumin, and cardamom are fat-soluble, so dumping them on at the end just leaves grit. Thirty seconds in hot oil pulls the flavor out and into everything that follows. The Worcestershire goes in off the heat so it reduces to a glaze instead of burning.
Packing
Premix the spices into a small bag or a film canister. Worcestershire goes in a leakproof dropper bottle inside a zip bag, since it will find a way out otherwise. Tins are heavy but need no water and no fridge.
Variations
- Foil pouches of mackerel instead of tins save about two ounces per serving and there is nothing to pack out.
- Spoon it over instant rice or couscous to turn a snack into a full dinner.
- No Worcestershire: a splash of soy sauce and a pinch of sugar gets close.
https://hedgecombers.com/devilled-mackerel-bites-plymouth-foodie-tour