Saba Shioyaki

also called さばの塩焼き · saba shioyaki · saba shioyaki · 鯖の塩焼き · サバの塩焼き · 焼き魚 · yakizakana · salt-grilled mackerel · grilled mackerel

Also written for Air Fryer (2 to wash).

Three ways to read this recipe

The table

Saba Shioyaki: ingredients down the left, what to do with them across. Tap any cell to cross it off.
Under a broiler the heat is further away, so the skin takes longer to blister and the flesh longer to dry.
1 lb(450 g; 2 fillets, skin scored twice on the diagonal)mackerel filletssalt, rest 30 minbrush with sakebroil 8 min, skin uptop with grated daikon
1 1/2 tsp(scattered from a foot up so it lands evenly)fine sea salt
1 Tbs(15 mL)sake
1/2 cup(120 mL; squeezed just once)grated daikon
1 tspsoy sauce
1 wedgelemon
Tap anything to cross it off.

What to lay out

Everything the recipe asks for, sitting under the step that eats it. Tick each one as you measure it.7 things to get out.

Before anything else

2salt, rest 30 min

3brush with sake

goes in with what step 2 made

5top with grated daikon

goes in with what step 4 made

Cooking it

Tap a step when it is done; the next one lights up.

The clock

Start to finish
at least 38 min2 of 4 steps give no time
Needs you
about 8 min
If you get it wrong
Unforgiving — the gap between done and dry under a broiler is about a minute wide, and nothing puts the rendered fat back
What you'll wash
Two things — the broiler tray, a rack to salt the fish on
  1. salt, rest 30 min

    30 minwalk awayfrom the start

  2. brush with sake

    not timed30 min in

  3. broil 8 min, skin up

    8 minneeds you30 min in

  4. top with grated daikon

    not timed38 min in

Goes with

See how it is written
>> title: Saba Shioyaki
>> category: Smoked & Grilled
>> tags: japanese, mackerel, fish, grilled, broiler, weeknight
>> counters: Japanese Home Cooking
>> aka: さばの塩焼き, saba shioyaki, saba shioyaki, 鯖の塩焼き, サバの塩焼き, 焼き魚, yakizakana, salt-grilled mackerel, grilled mackerel
>> pairs-with: gohan, tonjiru
>> servings: 2
>> time: 45 min
>> slack: unforgiving — the gap between done and dry under a broiler is about a minute wide, and nothing puts the rendered fat back
>> washing-up: the broiler tray, a rack to salt the fish on

>> step: Under a broiler the heat is further away, so the skin takes longer to blister and the flesh longer to dry.
In Japan this is cooked in a 魚焼きグリル, a shallow drawer under the burner built for nothing else.

>> step: salt, rest 30 min
Salt @mackerel fillets{1%lb}(450 g; 2 fillets, skin scored twice on the diagonal) with @fine sea salt{1 1/2%tsp}(scattered from a foot up so it lands evenly) on a rack and leave them ~cure{30%min}, until beads of water stand on the surface.

>> step: brush with sake
Blot @&(~1)salted mackerel{} dry and brush it with @sake{1%Tbs}(15 mL), which takes the last of it and helps the skin colour rather than just dry.

>> step: broil 8 min, skin up
Broil @&(~1)mackerel{} skin-side up about 4 inches under the element ~broil{8%min} without turning, until the skin has blistered and split and the thickest part flakes.

>> step: top with grated daikon
Serve @&(~1)saba shioyaki{} with @grated daikon{1/2%cup}(120 mL; squeezed just once), @soy sauce{1%tsp} poured over the daikon and not the fish, and @lemon{1%wedge}.