How to Fillet a Fish

Whether you fish or purchase fish from the market filleting can be easy and gets even easier the more you do it. My Husband fishes so we usually have a lot of fish in the freezer. I wrap the fillets in butcher paper and freeze them, after they are frozen solid I place the fish (still wrapped in the freezer paper) into a seal a meal bag, seal and place back into the freezer. the fish will last longer and stay fresher longer. There are other ways to fillet fish, this is just one way.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Fish.
• Large cutting board.
• A very sharp fillet knife.
• Platter or plate.
• Lemon.
• Old towel or cloth.

1. 
    
   Gone fishing.

   Go fishing and catch your fish. Remember, don't let the big one get away.

2. 
    
   Store bought fish.

   If you don't have time or just don't like to fish, just purchase one at the supermarket. You should talk with the butcher and ask how fresh the fish are.

3. 
    
   Clean and rinse fish.

   After you bring your fish home, clean and rinse well.

4. 
    
   Fish on cutting board.

   Place fish on cutting board. Wrap an old towel or cloth around your hand (optional) and grab the head. (This is to safeguard your hand if the knife slips, and also to help you keep a firm hold on your fish.)

5. 
    
   Fillet knife kit.

   Place the very sharp fillet knife where the tail joins the body, sharp edge towards the head of the fish. Holding the knife at a 45 degree angle, cut along backbone to the neck. Repeat on other side.

6. 
    
   Throw away head.

   Cut off the fish head and throw away everything except the two fillets.

7. 
    
   Fish fillets.

   Place fish fillets skin side down and cut out rib bones, now place the fillet knife carefully between the skin and meat and slide the knife all the way down through the fillet until the skin is completely free from the meat.

8. 
    
   Finished fillets.

   Now your fillets should have no skin or rib bones left on them. Rinse well, Place on platter until ready to wrap. Fillets should be fairly dry before wrapping. Slice fillets into serving size pieces or leave whole.

9. 
    
   Scale fish if you choose to leave skin on.

   You may leave the skin on the fillets and just scale it, but it will have a stronger, fishy taste to the meat, which some people prefer. If we scale fish we hold it under running water to help keep the scales from going all over the place.

10. 
     
    Wrapping fillets.

    Now your ready to cook and eat or wrap and freeze the fish. When wrapping the fish try to wrap tight enough to help keep as much air out of the wrapping as possible.

Tips & Warnings

• When I'm finished filleting and wrapping the fish I use a lemon to scrub the cutting board and my hands before washing them, the lemon really helps with the fishy odor.
• There are books on different ways to fillet fish with step by step diagrams that can be very useful at the library and book stores.
• The fillet knife is really sharp even when it's dull. Handle with care.

[scleveland]

on 11/16/2008 Great article! Thanks for the tips.

[bmi57]

on 9/15/2008 My husband also agrees with bluefin. Thank you redhoss for your comment and rating.

[redhoss]

on 9/15/2008 Good job. Many people use your method and it works great. However, I agree with "bluefin". The starting at the head method is the easiest.

[Franco]

on 10/1/2007 thanks for the tips, im gonna try and see if i can catch a fish down near my lake, haha that should be fun! bluefin just seems to have tricks up his sleeve with his whole "i can fillet a fish witht eh skin still attached" skills, haha just playing, great advise.

[bluefin]

on 9/29/2007 Instead of starting at the tail - start your cut at the 'neck' or 'shoulder' (just behind the side fin). Slice the length of the fish along the backbone just until you reach the tail. Don't cut all the way. Now flip the filet longwise so that the scales or skin is now laying flat on the cutting board (fish should be twice as long). Now cut again but this time from the tail side and cut so that the skin stays and all you are cutting is the meat. You should have a clean filet with the skin still attached to the fish. Flip the fish over and repeat for the other side. Once you have the two filets throw away the unused fish and trim the new filets of any unwanted material and rinse.
Filets can either be stored in the freezer using freezer bags or can be put in a container full of water and frozen solid.