Creamy Jamaican Mackerel Rundown Recipe

I have always loved the richness and soulful depth of a mackerel rundown (or rundung, run-dung). The sauce cooks down to a silky, oily custard-like texture, infusing every flake of fish.

This salt mackerel rundown recipe is one I’ve refined over time for home kitchens, balancing saltiness, creaminess, and aromatics.

While many see rundown as a breakfast dish, I often enjoy it for lunch or dinner too, especially when paired with boiled dumplings and ground provisions like yams and bananas, or even Jamaican fried dumplings.

“Run down,” sometimes called oil-down in other Caribbean islands, refers to the process of cooking coconut milk until it reduces (runs down) to a more decadent sauce or custard base.

Below is my version for two hearty portions. You can adjust quantities upward, and I’ll include notes for tweaking the coconut reduction or salt levels as needed.

Ingredients For The Salted Mackerel Rundown

• 260 g (≈ 9 oz) salt mackerel
• 360 ml (1½ cups) full-fat coconut milk (or a mix of coconut milk + cream)
• 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 1 medium tomato, chopped
• 1 scallion (green onion), chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 4–5 pimento berries (allspice)
• 1 whole Scotch bonnet pepper (leave intact, do not cut)
• 1 bell pepper (small), optional, chopped
• Black pepper, freshly cracked, to taste
• A small splash of cooking oil (coconut oil or neutral oil)
• Lime or lemon (for rinsing the salted Mackerel)
• Optional: extra coconut cream if you want a rich sauce, or a bit of water if the sauce reduces too far

Note: Because the salt mackerel carries most of the sodium, adjust the final seasoning after tasting.

Recipe at a Glance (Steps Summary)

1. Rinse and boil salt mackerel → debone and flake
2. Sauté aromatics (onion, garlic, scallion, pepper)
3. Add coconut milk + thyme, pimento berries, tomato, Scotch bonnet; reduce
4. Fold in Mackerel and simmer until the sauce thickens / “runs down”
5. Remove whole pepper and thyme stems
6. Serve hot with callaloo & saltfish side, Jamaican fried dumplings, and possibly boiled bananas or plantains

In Detail Preparation & Cooking Instructions

1. Desalting & preparing the salt mackerel

1. Rinse the salt mackerel under cold running water, and squeeze with a bit of lime or lemon to reduce the surface salt. (Do this twice.)
2. Place the fish in a pot, cover it with fresh water, and bring it to a boil. Simmer for 8–12 minutes — just enough to soften and release some saltiness, but not so much that the fish disintegrates.
3. Remove the fish, rinse it under cold water, and let it cool slightly. Carefully remove the bones, skin, and head if present, and break into large flakes or bite-sized pieces.

Tip: Avoid overcooking or breaking the fish too finely at this stage. You want noticeable flakes in the final rundown sauce.

2. Build the coconut reduction (the “rundown”)

1. In a heavy skillet over medium heat, add a small amount of oil. Sauté onion, garlic, scallion, and bell pepper (if using) until fragrant and soft.
2. Pour in the coconut milk (and optional extra coconut cream). Bring gently to a simmer (don’t boil violently).
3. Add thyme, pimento berries, tomato, and whole Scotch bonnet pepper. Cover loosely.
4. Let the coconut milk reduce gently, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes. The milk should begin to thicken and transform toward a coconut custard texture. (This is the reducing coconut milk stage, moving toward an oily custard-like sauce.)
5. At this point, taste the sauce. If it’s reducing too quickly, lower the heat or add a splash of water or extra coconut cream.
6. Gently fold in the flaked Mackerel. Stir carefully just to coat with the sauce. Avoid breaking the flakes further if you prefer chunks of fish when serving.
7. Continue simmering for another 8–10 minutes, letting the flavours meld and the sauce “run down” (reduce) further. The goal is a thick, rich sauce that clings to the fish.
8. Remove the Scotch bonnet pepper and thyme sprigs before serving (unless you prefer to leave them in for aesthetics or heat).

Serving & Side Dish Pairings For the Mackerel Rundown

This salt mackerel rundown is rich and intensely flavoured, so it pairs beautifully with sides that can absorb the sauce and balance it. Here are my recommended pairings:

Callaloo

As a complementary green side, callaloo adds brightness and texture. I’d sauté callaloo (or spinach/taro leaves) with onions and garlic to create a savoury greens side. Serve it alongside the rundown so diners can alternate bites of rich fish and greens.

Jamaican Fried Dumplings

No rundown plate is complete without Jamaican fried dumplings. Use our go-to fried dumpling recipe:

Easy Jamaican Fried Dumplings Recipe

The dumplings are perfect for soaking up the custard-like sauce, making the meal more filling.

Other Side Suggestions

• Boiled green bananas or boiled yams
• Steamed white rice or coconut rice
• Fried plantains (ripe or semi-ripe)
• Roasted breadfruit (if available)

In my own table, I often put the rundown in a shallow bowl, with callaloo on one side and fried dumplings piled close, letting diners scoop and mix as they like.

Tips, Variations & Troubleshooting

• Salt balance: Since the salt mackerel serves as your sodium source, taste after combining and adjust with fresh pepper or a tiny pinch of salt if necessary.
• Control reduction: If your coconut milk is reducing too quickly, lower the heat or add a bit of extra coconut cream or water. The goal is to achieve slow evaporation, resulting in a coconut custard or lightly oily texture.
• Rundown texture: Some prefer their rundown almost entirely broken (oil separated), others like it smooth and creamy. You can stop just before the oil breaks for a silky sauce, or continue to get some separation for that rich oily depth.
• Heat level: The Scotch bonnet pepper infuses heat; I leave it whole so it warms the sauce gently. If you want more heat, you can pierce or split it.
• Adding extra vegetables: Some versions include pumpkin, squash, or root veg. That’s fine, but in a salt mackerel rundown, I prefer to keep it simple to let the coconut sauce and fish shine.
• Using fresh Mackerel: If you can’t find salted Mackerel, a lightly salted fresh mackerel can work—but you lose some of the characteristic salty contrast. Some alternatives (like Saltfish) might change texture.

When to Serve & Occasion

• Breakfast: Many Jamaican households serve salt mackerel rundown in the morning, pairing it with dumplings, green bananas, and callaloo.
• Lunch / Dinner: Because it’s hearty and flavourful, it works as a satisfying lunch or dinner, especially when portioned with sides.
• Festive / Weekend Brunch: I enjoy preparing this on a lazy weekend, when I have more time to get the coconut milk just right.

Why I Enjoy Jamaican Rundown

I’ve always been drawn to the deep contrast in flavours the rub-dung brings to the palate. The salty, intense bite of the Mackerel (or Salted Cod, which I prefer to use for run-dung) is balanced by the sweet, creamy, reduced coconut custard. When you get the coconut milk just right (reducing it carefully), the sauce turns almost silky, with an oily, custard-like sauce that clings to the fish pieces. Using Salted Cod instead of gives a milder flavour.

Try This Mackerel Run-dung Recipe

I hope this salt mackerel rundown recipe becomes one of your go-to Caribbean-style meals. I love how the run-dung process transforms simple coconut milk into an intensely flavoured custard sauce that highlights the Mackerel.