Shime Saba Recipe

fillet

If the mackerel is whole, rinse and pat dry. Lay the fish on a cutting board, remove head if present. Using a very sharp filleting knife, cut behind the gill plate and run the blade along the backbone to remove two fillets. Remove the belly bones and rib bones carefully with the tip of the knife or tweezers. Rinse lightly and pat dry with paper towels.

remove pin bones

Feel along the center of each fillet for pin bones and remove them with clean tweezers or fish bone pliers, pulling in the direction of the bone to avoid tearing the flesh.

salt cure

Place fillets skin-side down on a tray. Cover both flesh sides generously with the coarse sea salt (about 3 tbs total), massaging lightly so the salt contacts the flesh. Place a wire rack over the fillets and refrigerate uncovered for 30 minutes to 45 minutes. This firms the flesh and draws out moisture.

rinse and vinegaring

Rinse the salt off under cold running water and pat fillets dry. In a shallow non-reactive container combine rice vinegar (180 ml), sugar (1 tbs), mirin (1 tbs, optional) and 2 cups water. Stir until sugar dissolves. Place fillets skin-side down in the mixture; they should be submerged. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 6 hours depending on thickness — 2 hours for thin fillets for sashimi, up to 6 hours for a more pronounced cure for nigiri.

finish and dry

Remove fillets from the vinegar solution and pat very dry. For traditional shime-saba, place skin-side up on a rack and refrigerate uncovered for 1 to 2 hours to dry the surface slightly; this helps slicing and texture.

Rinse 300 g sushi rice in cold water until the water runs nearly clear. Drain and let sit for 20–30 minutes.

Cook rice with 360 ml water in a rice cooker or pot. Once cooked, transfer to a wooden or non-reactive bowl. In a small saucepan warm 45 ml rice vinegar, 1 tsp sugar and 1 tsp coarse salt just until dissolved; do not boil. Pour seasoning evenly over the hot rice and fold gently with a rice paddle to cool slightly and coat grains. Keep covered with a damp cloth until ready to shape.

slice for sashimi

Using a very sharp long knife (yanagiba or slicing knife), place the fillet skin-side down and slice at a 20–30 degree angle into thin (3–5 mm) slices. For sashimi present slices on chilled plate, garnish with grated ginger, scallion, and a wedge of lemon or yuzu. Serve immediately with soy sauce and wasabi on the side.

slice for nigiri

For nigiri, cut slightly thicker slices (about 6–8 mm) approx. 6–8 cm long. To shape, wet hands with a little water mixed with a tiny splash of rice vinegar. Take about 20–25 g of seasoned sushi rice, form into a small oblong by gentle pressing. Optionally place a small dab of wasabi on the rice, then lay the mackerel slice skin-side up over the rice and press gently to adhere. Garnish with grated ginger or scallion if desired and serve with soy sauce and wasabi.

storage and safety notes

Shime saba is a cured product but should still be kept refrigerated. Consume within 48 hours for best quality. If fish was not previously frozen, note that consuming raw fish carries food-safety risk; freezing fish at -20°C (-4°F) for 7 days or -35°C (-31°F) for 15 hours before preparation reduces parasites risk.

Arrange sashimi slices or nigiri on a chilled plate, add garnishes (grated ginger, scallion) and serve with soy sauce and wasabi. Offer lemon/yuzu wedge to squeeze sparingly over fish if desired.