Fish need to be gutted fairly quickly as their digestive juices can break down and start to decompose the flesh. Once gutted, use the end of a teaspoon to remove any visible blood lines that run along the length of the spine, then rinse well — leaving blood in the fish may taint the flesh. For the same reason, snip out the gills. If the fins are looking ragged, trim them with scissors.
Method
- To scale a fish, run the back of a knife or a fish scaler firmly across the skin against the lie of the scales.
- With scissors, snip from the vent along to the gills, along the soft belly and then remove the guts. Snip out the gills.
- For a smaller fish, pull the head downwards and snap the spine, then pull the guts out through the belly. Rinse and pat dry.