Vinegar-Cured Mackerel (Shime Saba)

Shime saba is one of the oldest techniques in Japanese cooking and still one of the best. Fat mackerel fillets are salted to draw out moisture, then cured in rice vinegar for a carefully judged length of time — long enough to firm the flesh and lift the umami, short enough that the centre stays soft and rosy rather than cooking through.

The result is rich and oily on the palate with a clean, bright acidity behind it that cuts straight through the fat. It is ready to eat: no cooking, no preparation, just slice and serve.

Why Choose Our Shime Saba?

• Ready to eat: thaw, slice, plate. Nothing else to do.
• Traditional cure: salt first, then rice vinegar in measured proportion — the classic method.
• Rich with a clean finish: full, oily flavour balanced by a bright vinegar acidity.
• Firm yet tender: the cure sets the texture without drying it out.
• Entrée sized: enough for two to share, or for several pieces of sushi.

Serving Suggestions:

• Sliced as sashimi: cut 7-8mm thick, serve with grated ginger and a little soy. Skin on.
• Battera or oshizushi: pressed over sushi rice with a sheet of kombu — the Osaka classic.
• Nigiri: over sushi rice with a dab of grated ginger instead of wasabi.
• Seared: blowtorch or a hot pan for a few seconds on the skin, which changes it completely.
• With rice: sliced over a warm bowl with shredded shiso and sesame.

Serving Note:
Serve cold but not frozen-hard. The skin is edible and is part of the dish — do not remove it. A very thin silver membrane can be peeled off if you prefer.

Thawing:
Thaw in the refrigerator (0-4°C). Slice while still cold and firm. Never use hot water or a microwave.

Storage:
Keep frozen at -18°C. Eat within 1 day of thawing and do not refreeze.

Raw Consumption Note:
This product is cured, not cooked. If you are pregnant, elderly, very young or have low immunity, cook it through or choose a cooked mackerel instead.

The izakaya plate you can put together in two minutes. Order now.