Skinning Eel

Appears in
top 1000La Varenne Pratique
La Varenne Pratique

By Anne Willan

Published 1989

  • About
Eel should be cooked as soon as possible after skinning. It is often sold live, as the tough skin is easier to remove immediately after the eel is killed.
  1. Grasp the eel just behind the head, using a cloth to get a good grip. Pierce the spinal cord through the back of the head with the point of a knife. (Alternatively pierce the eel with a strong hook.)

  2. Thread the hook through the gills of the eel and suspend it from a securely balanced pole or tie it with string. Slit around the skin just behind the head.

  3. Cut the edge of the skin loose, and with the help of a knife start peeling away, working from the head to the tail.

  4. Holding the skin with a rough cloth, or with the help of pliers, continue to strip it downwards to skin the eel completely.