Crispy Saba Shioyaki with Rice and Daikon

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Classic Japanese comfort: crisp, crackling mackerel skin with juicy, rich flesh.
• Simple method, big flavor: a quick salt cure does most of the work.
• Balanced meal: fish, fluffy rice, soothing miso soup, bright lemon, and cooling grated daikon.
• Flexible cooking: broiler, grill, or cast-iron all work beautifully.

Grocery List

• Produce: Daikon radish, 1 lemon, scallions
• Dairy: None
• Pantry: Mackerel fillets, short-grain Japanese rice, white miso paste, instant dashi (or homemade dashi ingredients), dried wakame, soy sauce, kosher salt, neutral oil, sake (optional)

Full Ingredients

For the Saba Shioyaki

• 4 skin-on mackerel fillets (5–6 oz/140–170 g each), pin bones removed
• 2 tsp kosher salt (use 1 1/4 tsp if using Morton brand)
• 1 Tbsp sake (optional, for deodorizing)
• 1 Tbsp neutral oil (canola or grapeseed), for brushing

For the Rice

• 1 1/2 cups short-grain Japanese rice (300 g)
• 1 3/4 cups water (415 ml)

For the Miso Soup

• 4 cups dashi (960 ml) or 2 tsp instant dashi granules + 4 cups water
• 3 Tbsp white miso paste (about 45 g)
• 6 oz silken or soft tofu (170 g), cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 Tbsp dried wakame, soaked 5 minutes and drained
• 2 Tbsp thinly sliced scallions

To Serve

• 1 cup coarsely grated daikon (about 8 oz/225 g piece), gently squeezed
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges
• 2 tsp soy sauce (optional, for seasoning the daikon)
• Shichimi togarashi, a pinch (optional)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Salt-cure the mackerel (60 minutes)

Pat the mackerel fillets very dry. If using, lightly spritz or brush the flesh with 1 Tbsp sake and pat dry again. Evenly sprinkle 2 tsp kosher salt over both sides (about 1/2 tsp per fillet). Set the fillets skin-side up on a wire rack over a tray and refrigerate uncovered for 60 minutes to draw out moisture and concentrate flavor. For a stronger cure, you may extend to 2–3 hours.

Step 2: Rinse and soak the rice, then cook

Place 1 1/2 cups rice in a bowl, cover with cold water, swirl, and drain. Repeat 3–4 times until the water is mostly clear. Add 1 3/4 cups water and soak for 20 minutes. Stovetop method: bring to a boil over medium heat, then immediately reduce to low, cover, and cook 12 minutes. Turn off heat and let stand, covered, 10 minutes. Rice cooker method: run the standard white rice cycle with the same water amount.

Step 3: Make the miso soup

Bring 4 cups dashi to a bare simmer (about 185°F/85°C). Add tofu and heat gently for 1–2 minutes; do not boil. In a small bowl, whisk 3 Tbsp miso with a ladle of hot dashi until smooth, then stir it back into the pot off the heat. Stir in the soaked wakame and sliced scallions. Keep warm below a simmer so the miso stays fragrant.

Step 4: Prepare daikon and lemon

Peel and coarsely grate enough daikon to make 1 cup. Gently squeeze out excess liquid so it’s juicy but not watery. Divide into four small mounds. Cut the lemon into wedges. If you like, place a few drops of soy sauce on each daikon mound right before serving.

Step 5: Preheat the broiler and ready the fish

Adjust the oven rack so the top of the fish will sit about 6 inches from the broiler element. Preheat the broiler on High (about 500°F/260°C) for 10 minutes. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and set an oiled wire rack on it. Remove the fish from the fridge and gently wipe off any moisture and excess surface salt with paper towels (do not rinse). To prevent curling, lightly score the skin at 1/2-inch intervals without cutting into the flesh. Brush the skin with neutral oil.

Step 6: Broil until the skin crackles

Place fillets skin-side up on the rack. Broil 5–7 minutes, rotating the pan once if browning unevenly, until the skin is blistered with small charred spots and the edges are deep golden. Flip and broil 1–2 minutes more until the flesh is just opaque and flakes easily. Target an internal temperature of 130–135°F (54–57°C) for moist fish; cook to 145°F (63°C) if you prefer well-done or to align with USDA guidance.

Step 7: Plate and serve

Fluff the rice and portion into bowls. Place each mackerel fillet on a warm plate with a mound of grated daikon and a lemon wedge. Add a few drops of soy to the daikon if desired. Serve immediately with steaming miso soup. Optional: finish the fish with a tiny pinch of shichimi togarashi.

Pro Tips

• Salt amounts vary by brand: 2 tsp Diamond Crystal ≈ 1 1/4 tsp Morton. Adjust to avoid over-salting.
• Dry skin equals crisp skin. After curing, wipe thoroughly and oil lightly before broiling.
• Score the skin to prevent curling and to help render fat evenly.
• Keep miso soup below a simmer after adding miso so its aroma stays fresh.
• Use a wire rack for broiling to promote air circulation and crackly skin with less smoke.

Variations

• Grill it: Preheat to 450–500°F (232–260°C). Oil grates. Grill skin-side down 3–4 minutes covered, flip 2–3 minutes more.
• Cast-iron sear: Heat 1 tsp oil over medium-high. Cook skin-side down 4–5 minutes (press gently for contact), flip 1–2 minutes.
• Citrus twist: Swap lemon for yuzu or serve with ponzu instead of soy on the daikon.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Salt-cured fillets can be held, uncovered, in the fridge up to 24 hours; wipe well before cooking. To freeze, cure 1 hour, pat dry, wrap tightly, and freeze up to 1 month; thaw overnight in the fridge. Cooked mackerel keeps 2 days refrigerated; re-crisp under a hot broiler 1–2 minutes. Miso soup keeps 3 days; reheat gently and add fresh scallions before serving. Rice keeps 2 days chilled or 1 month frozen; reheat with a sprinkle of water. Grated daikon is best fresh; prepare up to 6 hours ahead and keep covered and chilled, then gently squeeze before serving.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate: 610 calories; 25 g fat; 60 g carbohydrates; 39 g protein; 2 g fiber; 1,100 mg sodium. Values will vary based on salt brand and how much oil is absorbed.