Seasoned Advice Asked on March 25, 2021
Properly cooked fish is meant to be flaky and not tough or chewy.
I just had some canned mackerel and noticed it was not flaky but rather a bit tough and chewy. Is it just a bad batch or does the cooking process cause it to be like this?
Fresh fish is considered ready for serving at 60-65°C (plus minus a bit, depending on what kind of fish, cut, personal preference etc.). At that point, fish will fall apart into moist flakes if pressed with a fork, but not crumble on its own. Heat the fish further, and the proteins will denature in a way that the fish is perceived as tough and dry.
Safe canning for non-acidic protein-based foods requires temperatures of above 117°C, in practice up to 130°C. This is necessary to ensure food long-term safety and to destroy heat-resistant pathogens like the infamous C. botulinum.
In short, you can either have perfectly cooked, juicy and tender fresh fish or a shelf-stable product. They are mutually exclusive.
Your canned fish is perfectly fine for canned fish, not a bad batch, but simply can not have the taste and mouthfeel of a freshly cooked à point mackerel.
Correct answer by Stephie on March 25, 2021
(if I remember correctly)
Mackerel is not quite flaky (or at all), at least compared to Tuna or Salmon, even in cans.
Different fish, different result.
Answered by Max on March 25, 2021
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