Filleting

Appears in

Published 2012

Lift up the side fin and, using a cook’s knife, cut at an angle just below the head.
Remove the head and the flap containing the lower front fins.
Using a filleting knife (see Seafood kit), make an incision along the top of the fish from the head end to the tail.
Holding the tail, make an incision into the flesh at the base of the tail.
Starting from the tail and placing the other hand gently on the fish to keep it steady, run the knife flat along the backbone to separate the fillet from the bone.
When nearing the head end, hold the tail to keep the fish in place and finish cutting all the way through to separate the fillet from the bone.
Lift off the fillet. Turn the fish over and repeat on the other side, starting with Step 3.
Cut out and discard rib bones from both fillets (see Step 8 butterflying small fish).