How to Clean and Skin a Catfish
After a day of fishing for catfish, there is nothing more rewarding than a fish fry. In order to prepare for the big meal, you need to clean and skin your catch. By following these helpful guidelines, you will learn how to properly de-bone and fillet the fish.
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Things You'll Need
- Butcher knife
- Fillet knife
- Knife sharpener
- Strong pliers
- Small board
- Hammer
- Nail
Instructions
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Sharpen your knives. Both the butcher knife and fillet knife need to be extremely sharp. Knives can easily be sharpened by using a hand-held stone or an electric knife sharpener.
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Kill the catfish. Fish can be easily killed by simply hitting them on the head with either a hammer or a stout board.
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Secure the fish. Hammer a nail into a small board. Secure the fish onto the board by pushing its head onto the nail. Be sure that the catfish head is facing upward during this process.
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Remove the fins. Remove the fins from the body by holding each one with the pliers and removing them with the knife.
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Remove the skin. Using a fillet knife, make a cut into the skin going from head to tail. Use pliers to pull the skin down toward the tail.
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Remove the head and tail. Using the butcher knife to cut through the bone, chop off the head and tail of the catfish.
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Remove the bones. When filleting the fish, use the fillet knife. Start slicing meat from the backbone down to the ribs, moving parallel to the ribs. This will ensure that no small bones get into the meat.
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Tips & Warnings
Use non-slip gloves for the process of cleaning a catfish.
Never keep sharp knives within reach of children.
