King Mackerel

King mackerel is one of the larger members of the mackerel family, with firm, dense flesh that holds up well to high-heat cooking methods like grilling, barbecuing, and pan-searing. Its pronounced flavour sets it apart from milder white fish and makes it a popular choice for those who enjoy a more robust seafood taste.

The flesh is greyish when raw, turning white and flaky when cooked. King mackerel steaks are the most common cut, often simply seasoned with lemon, salt, and pepper. It also takes well to smoking and is used in curries and fish cakes across Southeast Asian cuisines.

King mackerel is a pelagic fish found in warm waters, and while not as commonly seen in Australian fishmongers as Spanish mackerel, it appears in imported and specialty seafood selections.

Wild
photograph to come — from twenty years of markets, farms and kitchens

How it's made

King mackerel are wild-caught from open ocean waters using commercial methods such as trolling, longlining, and gill netting. Once landed, the fish are gutted and the flesh is filleted or cut into steaks, removing the skin and bones as needed. The flesh is sold fresh or frozen.

Nutrition (per 100g)

Energy 105kcal
Protein 20.3g
Carbs 0g
Fat 2g
Fibre 0g Sugar 0g
Mass Distribution

0.5 fillet is about 198 g — roughly 210 kcal of this.

What it costs the planet (per kilo)

Carbon ≈5.12kg
Freshwater ≈3515.02L
Land ≈3.72

≈ Estimated — worked out from a category-typical value further up its supply chain. Where this comes from →

Where it comes from

In the kitchen

Used as

bold oily fish fillet

Goes well with
Classic dishes
  • Grilled king mackerel steaks
  • Fish tacos
  • Caribbean escovitch fish

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Where this data comes from

Nutrition data from

USDA

How it was calculated

SR Legacy

Full credits, licences, and methods: the sources page →

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