Saba Shioyaki — Japanese Salt-Grilled Mackerel

Other Fast With Fish Published June 13, 2026

Saba shioyaki is the quiet backbone of the Japanese home meal: a mackerel fillet salted, rested, and grilled until the skin is lacquered and crackling and the flesh underneath is hot, oily, and falling apart. The technique is almost nothing — salt and fire — but the salting draws out moisture and concentrates the fish, while a final squeeze of lemon and a mound of grated daikon cut the richness clean. It is fast, deeply satisfying, and built entirely around protein.

This is a fish-day dish for the days fish is blessed. Served with steamed rice and a bowl of miso soup, it is a full meal. The grated daikon and ponzu on the side are themselves fast-friendly, so on a strict day they can dress tofu or steamed vegetables instead.

FASTING LEVEL: Fast With Fish
SERVINGS: 2
TIME: 25 minutes (plus 20 minutes salting)

INGREDIENTS

- 2 mackerel fillets (about 350g total), skin on
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 tablespoon sake or rice wine (optional)
- 1/2 daikon radish, peeled
- Soy sauce or ponzu, to serve
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges
- Steamed white rice, to serve

METHOD

1. Pat the mackerel fillets dry. Sprinkle both sides evenly with the salt and, if using, the sake. Set skin-side up on a rack and rest for 20 minutes — moisture will bead on the surface.

2. Blot the fillets dry again with a paper towel. This step is what gives you crisp, non-stick skin.

3. Heat a grill, broiler, or grill pan to medium-high. Cook the mackerel skin-side up (flesh-side toward the heat) first for 4-5 minutes, then flip and cook skin-side toward the heat for another 4-5 minutes, until the skin is blistered and the flesh flakes.

4. While the fish cooks, finely grate the daikon and gently squeeze out the excess liquid to make a soft mound (grated daikon, or daikon oroshi).

5. Serve each fillet hot with a mound of grated daikon, a lemon wedge, a small dish of soy sauce or ponzu, and steamed rice.

NOTES

- Saba (mackerel) is classic, but salmon, sardines, or any oily fish takes well to the same salt-and-grill method.
- The 20-minute salt rest is the whole technique — don't skip it, and dry the fish well before it hits the heat.
- A splash of grated daikon mixed with ponzu makes a quick dipping sauce.
- For a strict no-fish day, serve the daikon and ponzu over pan-seared tofu or blanched spinach.