7 UP Hot Sauce King Mack Fillets

Grilling king mackerel filets that have been soaked in a 7 Up hot sauce marinade makes for a great fish dinner on a warm June evening.

Don’t be afraid of oily fish; this recipe will turn on your taste buds

While we’ve had some warm weather already, summer will arrive June 21, and you can expect temperatures to rise. The good thing is that fishing has been heating up, too.

Spanish mackerel, bluefish and king mackerel are three fish typically available along Gulf beaches without requiring a long run on a late spring or summer day. However, folks have contrasting opinions on their quality as table fare. Opinions range from “I love them,” to “There’s no way I’m eating that.”

These are fish with gray meat, and many folks consider them to be oily, with a strong flavor. This recipe is designed to counteract the stronger flavor, and for lack of a better description, it bleaches the meat and turns it much lighter, often to white, with the combination of marinating and cooking. Don’t let the hot sauce scare you, either. At this amount, even the most sensitive palate doesn’t taste it. However, those who like it’s flavor and the spice can easily add more to kick it up a notch — or three.

The author puts king mackerel fillets on a grill that’s been preheated to medium.
The author puts king mackerel fillets on a grill that’s been preheated to medium.

Healthy too

These fish are good for you, too, so if you make them taste good, you could be doing yourself a favor by eating them more often. They contain Omega 3 fatty acids that lower triglyceride levels, decrease the potential for cardiac issues, help alleviate arthritis and have other health benefits. And I promise they’ll taste better than you are thinking. This has been an introductory recipe for years, and folks who previously didn’t care for them, now enjoy them prepared this way.

It seems like there are numerous steps in the preparation, but they flow together, and this is really a simple recipe. Once marinated, the fish can be fried or baked, but it best grilled and eaten on the deck or patio enjoying the cool-down at the end of the day.

To insure top table quality, begin by putting mackerel and blues in the fish box and covering them with ice as soon as they hit the deck. This is the right thing to do with any fish, and especially so with oily fish. When cleaning them, take the time to remove all the red meat, skin and gristle so the fillets are just prime meat. It takes a few more minutes, but it’s time well spent. If you take the time to do this once, I am certain it will become one of the ways you prefer mackerel and blues and it helps people who won’t eat them to enjoy them.

7 Up Hot Sauce King Mack Fillets

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 pounds of king mackerel fillets
  • 1 cup of 7 Up
  • 2 tsp of hot sauce (Trader Joe’s Chili Pepper Sauce)
  • 1 cup spicy seafood breader
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Non-stick cooking spray

 PREPARATION

Clean the fillets so there is no red meat, any bits of skin, gristle or anything that could influence its taste remaining. Wash the fillets, pat them dry and place them in a Ziploc bag.

Mix one cup of 7 Up and 2 teaspoons of hot sauce. Pour the 7 Up/hot sauce mix over the fillets and work the bag so the mixture penetrates all around the fillets. Work all the air out of the bag and seal it. Marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 2 hours.

Preheat grill to medium. Spray a vegetable tray with non-stick cooking spray. Remove fillets from bag, allow to drip, and place on a plate or platter. Sprinkle seafood breader on the top side of the fillets. Place fillets on grill, with the breaded side down. Cook 4 to 6 minutes, turn the fillets and cook 4 to 6 more minutes. Remove and serve hot.

This can also be fried or baked in the oven. If frying, liberally coat both sides of the fillets with breader and fry. At 350 degrees, the fillets will cook in just a few minutes. If baking in the oven, cover a cookie sheet with aluminum foil, spray the foil with non-stick cooking spray, and cook at 350, turning once at 4 to 6 minutes, then another 4 to 6 minutes.

Serve this with whatever sauces you prefer with seafood. Some folks like this with tartar sauce, and I like to mix a little of the hot sauce used for the marinade with some tartar sauce.

This combines well with a variety of vegetables. Potatoes are a favorite side, and they can be baked or fried. I have served it with baked shredded sweet potatoes and green beans. That’s a little unusual, but it works. A fresh green salad or lettuce wedge is a great way to begin. Just add your favorite beverage, and all will be well.

The post “7 Up hot sauce king mack fillets” first appeared on CarolinaSportsman.com.

About Jerry Dilsaver 148 Articles
Jerry Dilsaver of Oak Island, N.C., is a freelance writer, as well as a former national king mackerel champion fisherman. Readers are encouraged to send their favorite recipes and a photo of the completed dish to possibly be used in a future issue of the magazine. E-mail the recipes and photos to Jerry Dilsaver at captainjerry@captainjerry.com.