Boning Through the Stomach

Once the innards have been removed through the opening in the stomach of the fish, you should also remove the backbone through the stomach. Gutting and boning a fish through its stomach, as with the salmon shown here, creates a natural cavity for stuffings.

1. Hold the fish on its back and use a filleting knife to cut upwards between the rib bones and the flesh on one side of the backbone so that the rib bones are loosened.

   

2. Slide the blade of the knife down the rib bones close to the backbone so that all the ribs on this side are detached from the flesh. Repeat from step 1 to free the ribs from the other side of the flesh.

   

3. Cut the backbone from the fish with a pair of kitchen scissors, and discard along with the ribs.

   

4. Remove the fine pin bones from both sides of the fish’s spine with a pair of tweezers. Run your fingers from the head to the tail, again on both sides, feeling for pin bones you may have overlooked. Wipe the fish dry with paper towels. The fish is now ready for cooking.