Dry Cured Mackerel (Seledka Style) With Wet Brine Option -

Dry Cured Mackerel (Seledka Style) With Wet Brine Option

Learn how to preserve fresh mackerel at home using a traditional Eastern European fast curing method. This dry cured mackerel recipe creates a firm, buttery fish similar to seledka (salt-cured herring). I prefer the dry cure method because it gives better texture, cleaner flavor, and more consistent results with fatty fish like mackerel. I use a relatively light salt cure because I prefer a milder, rather than heavily preserved salted fish. This is meant to be eaten within a few days, not stored for weeks.

A wet brine variation is included in the notes.

Course Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine Eastern European

Diet Dairy Free

Prep Time 25

Curing Time 3

Total Time 3 25

Servings (or a total of 650 g cured mackerel)

Calories 220kcal

Author Olga Caz

Ingredients

Dry Cure (Recommended)

2 whole fresh Atlantic mackerel about 2.2 lb / 1 kg total
2-2.5 tbsp sea salt
⅓ tsp black peppercorns lightly crushed
2 bay leaves crushed
½ tsp whole coriander seeds optional
1 tbsp sugar optional

For Serving

sliced onion
olive oil
fresh dill
lemon juice or vinegar optional

Instructions

Remove the scales

Using the back of a knife scrape off the scales from tail toward the head.

Even though Atlantic mackerel have very fine scales, I still like removing them because it helps clean off surface slime.

Clean the fish

Open the belly and remove all internal organs. Scrape out the dark bloodline along the backbone.
Rinse briefly under cold water.
Cut off the head / remove the gills if still attached.
Pat dry with paper towels.

Cut into pieces

Cut the cleaned fish crosswise into thick pieces, keeping the bones intact. You can also cure the fish whole if preferred.

I prefer curing mackerel this way because: it fits more easily into jars or containers, salt penetrates more evenly, curing is slightly faster and the bones help protect the delicate flesh.

Prepare the cure

Mix the salt, sugar (if using), crushed bay leaves, peppercorns, and coriander seeds.

Cure the fish

Rub the cure mixture over all fish pieces, coating them evenly on all sides.
Arrange tightly in a glass or ceramic container.
Cover and refrigerate for 2–4 days, depending on how cured and salty you like it.
Flip or rearrange the pieces once daily.
As the salt pulls moisture out, the fish will gradually create its own concentrated brine.

Serve

Once cured, remove the pieces and lightly rinse if they taste too salty.
Serve with sliced onions, fresh dill, and a drizzle of oil. Add lemon juice or a splash of vinegar if desired.

Notes

Why I Prefer Dry Cure

After testing both methods multiple times, I found dry curing works better for mackerel.

Compared to wet brine, it gives: firmer texture, cleaner flavor, less mushiness, has lower spoilage risk and it's easier to control.

Because mackerel is a fatty fish, it spoils faster than lean fish and benefits from a stronger, more controlled cure.

Wet Brine Alternative

If you prefer a softer, more traditional seledka-like texture, try wet brining instead.

Mix:

1 liter filtered water
3.5-4 tbsp sea salt (~60g)
1 bay leaf
1 tsp peppercorns
optional coriander seeds

Cure:

24–48 hours for pieces
maybe up to 72 h max if very fresh and fridge is cold

Submerge cleaned fish or fish pieces completely and refrigerate at 32–39°F (0–4°C).

Because mackerel is highly perishable, I don’t recommend curing much longer unless temperature and salt concentration are carefully controlled.

Best consumed within:

Dry cure: 3–5 days (up to 7 days if extremely fresh and stored properly)
Wet brine: 2–4 days

Nutrition