To cook mackerel fillets tonight without preparing a whole fish, look for raw fillets sold as fresh and keep them chilled until you cook them. A whole mackerel is a good choice if you can prepare it and make use of the quantity; tinned fillets are better suited to a dinner that doesn’t involve cooking raw fish.
If you want to cook mackerel without filleting it yourself, look for fresh, raw fillets. Keep them chilled on the way home and eat them promptly: Anses recommends eating fresh fish on the day of purchase if possible, or within 48 hours.
When comparing unprocessed products, look beyond the name on the pack. The scientific name, production method, fishing area, fishing gear used and whether the fish has been defrosted all provide useful detail. The DGCCRF says this information must be given to consumers in France.
Tinned fillets can make a meal that doesn’t require preparing raw fish. They’re already processed, so check the recipe and don’t buy them for a dish that calls for fresh, raw fillets to cook.
Choose these: to cook fillets tonight without having to fillet a fish at home.
Bear in mind: they need to be kept chilled during transport and storage, and eaten promptly.
Choose this: if you can have it prepared or prepare it yourself, and make use of the amount you buy.
Bear in mind: it takes more preparation; the Auchan listing described here is a 3 kg box of fish that has not been gutted or headed.
Choose these: for a meal that doesn’t involve cooking raw fish.
Keep in mind: these processed fillets aren’t a substitute for fresh, raw fillets in a recipe that needs cooking.
| What to check | What to look for | Who is this for? |
|---|---|---|
| Freshness and storage | Check the date and storage instructions. Anses recommends keeping fresh fish between 0 and 4 °C and eating it on the day of purchase if possible, or within 48 hours. | If I’m cooking tonight, I want to keep the fish chilled until mealtime and avoid putting off cooking it. Around 37% of consumers would put this first. |
| Format for cooking | Make sure they’re fresh, raw fillets, then check the portion weight; the word ‘fillet’ on its own can also refer to a tinned or already cooked product. | For a small dinner, I’m looking for fillets I can cook without having to prepare a whole fish. This convenience would be the top priority for around 36% of consumers. |
| Identity and traceability | For an unprocessed product, compare the scientific name, production method, fishing area, fishing gear and whether it has been defrosted, in line with the information specified by the DGCCRF. | Before choosing my fish, I want to distinguish the species and fishing details rather than rely on a prominently displayed origin. Around 27% of consumers would make this check a priority. |
A search for ‘mackerel fillets’ may also bring up tins or fillets that are already cooked. These aren’t suitable for a recipe that calls for raw fish.
Check the product description, section, ingredients and storage instructions before choosing.
According to Anses, storing mackerel incorrectly can encourage histamine to form, and neither cooking nor freezing will destroy it.
Buy it close to mealtime, keep fresh fish between 0 and 4 °C and eat it on the same day if possible, or within 48 hours.
For an unprocessed product, the fishing area is just one of the details to compare. The DGCCRF lists the scientific name, production method, fishing gear and whether the fish has been defrosted among the information that must be provided.
Check all the details shown on the label or at the fish counter.
The whole mackerel listing described by Auchan is for a 3 kg box of fish that has not been gutted or headed. You’ll need to be prepared to handle and use that quantity.
For a small dinner, compare it with a portion of fresh fillets, or ask the fishmonger what preparation options are available.
Carrefour lists fresh Pavillon de France mackerel fillets in a 250 g tray, with the origin given as the North-East Atlantic.
The fresh product described by Auchan is whole mackerel sold in a 3 kg box, rather than as a portion of fillets.
The Petit Navire product described here is a tin of plain mackerel fillets, suited to a store-cupboard meal.
The Saupiquet product described by Auchan is a tin of plain grilled mackerel fillets.
E.Leclerc lists Pêche Océan plain grilled white mackerel fillets in a 97 g tin.
For unprocessed fishery or aquaculture products, the DGCCRF says the end consumer must be given the commercial name, scientific name, production method, fishing area or country of farming, fishing gear category and information on whether the fish has been defrosted. Check the label or the information displayed at the fish counter.
Anses recommends storing fresh fish in the coldest part of the fridge, between 0 and 4 °C, and eating it on the day of purchase if possible, or within 48 hours. Keep mackerel chilled during transport too: histamine can form if it’s stored incorrectly, and it won’t be destroyed by cooking or freezing.
No, not in a recipe that calls for fresh, raw fillets: the tins featured here contain fish that has already been processed. They can, however, be a good choice if you want to make dinner without cooking raw fish. Check the recipe and ingredients of the product you choose.