How to Use a Fillet Knife

I used to just gut, remove the head and scale my fish, but picking through tiny bones took the fun out of eating it. Plus, the skin leaves a 'fishy' taste. I finally bought a fillet knife and learned how to use it properly. Now, with a sharp fillet knife and some simple technique, you can remove ALL of the fish bones with minimal meat loss and enjoy eating your catch!

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Fillet Knife
• Cutting Board
• Whole Fish

1. 
   A fillet knife has a thin, flexible blade

   CHOOSE THE RIGHT FILLET KNIFE -- A fillet knife is different from ordinary kitchen knives in a couple ways. One, it's got a thin, flexible blade that allows you to bend it as you cut along the fish. Second, the blade is long enough (6 to 11 inches) so you don't have to use much 'sawing' motion. The handle is usually made of a non-slip and washable material. Finally, it is made of high-grade stainless steel that will hold a fine, sharp edge.

2. 

   START AT HEAD -- Holding the fish by the head and gill cover, make the first cut at the angle shown. Cut down to the backbone and then turn the edge toward the tail of the fish.

3. 
   Slide fillet knife along backbone

   CUT ALONG BACKBONE -- Applying pressure to the fillet knife handle, bend the blade flat alone the backbone and slice along it using minimal 'sawing' motion. Try to smoothly 'slice' rather than 'saw' the fish. Keep the blade angled slightly down toward the backbone, but don't cut through the backbone.

4. 
   Stop before you cut through the tail

   DO NOT CUT THROUGH TAIL -- Stop just before you cut through at the tail end, as shown. This will help you hold the fish for the next step.

5. 
   Flip over the meat and insert knife again

   FLIP FILLET OVER -- Flip over the side that was just cut, as you see here. Then insert the knife blade on top of the skin and under the meat, angled slightly down toward the skin.

6. 
   Slide knife along the top of the skin

   CUT ALONG SKIN SIDE -- Now with the same blade angle and motion you used against the backbone, do the same on the skin-side of the meat. Slice smoothly with the blade pressed flat and angled slightly down toward the skin. You should be able to cleanly remove the skin from the meat, as you can see.

7. 
   Cut around rib cage

   CUT AROUND RIBS -- Now make an angled cut here around the rib cage. Continue around the rest of the ribs and remove the whole rib cage, and all of those tiny bones with it!

8. 
   The finished fillet - minimal meat loss, maximum bone loss

   FINISHED FILLET -- This is the finished fillet above with the ribs removed below it. Put the fillets into a bowl of cold water while you work on the rest of the fish.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep your fillet knife razor-sharp. This reduces having to 'saw' the meat to cut it.
• Use latex or other gloves like I have on when cleaning your fish.

Resources

• Here's a cheap and effective Rapala fillet knife