How to Scale and Clean a Fish

The majority of fish have scales, except shark and some other kinds. Before cooking your whole fish, it must be scaled and cleaned (gutted). You could ask your fish market to do the scaling and gutting for you, which is usually free of charge. But if you want to do it yourself for experience, here's how.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Fish scaler
• Sharp knife
• Cutting board
• Disposable gloves, optional

1. Rinse your fish under cold running water and wipe dry with kitchen cloth or paper towel.

2. Before gutting the fish, it is best to first remove fish scales. Scales around the organ cavity and head area are almost impossible to remove if you do the gutting first.

3. To prevent your fingers being spiked when cleaning "saltwater" fish, cut all the fins off the fish using kitchen utility shears or a sharp knife.

4. You can use a fish scaler or knife, the former is preferred.
   
   The scales between the gill and tail is easy to remove. Run the fish scaler from the fish tail toward the head. The scaling way is important, because of the direction growth of the scales (scales are open-ended facing the tail).
   
   Tip: some force is required on some thick, heavily scaled fish species.

5. You may leave the fish head intact or cut it off using a sharp knife. If you remove the head, discard it or reserve to make fish stock. However, before you discard the fish head, think twice because you'll find a surprising amount of meat on the head, particularly on the cheeks and the cavity near the back of the head.

6. To cut the head off: start cutting from behind the gill plate and down to the backbone. Once reaching the backbone, continue cutting until your knife gets to gills on the other side.

7. If you wish to leave the fish head on for cooking, scale it as you would for the body. Pay attention to scale all the tiny fish scales from the fins, head and gills area.

8. Again, rinse the fish under running water to wash off any scales that might be still adhered to the skin. Wipe dry with cloth or paper towel.

9. Gutting a scaled fish is a simple task. You might want to wear disposable gloves before continuing.

10. In front of the anal fin (the underside of the fish), you will find the fish vent. Insert your knife tip into the vent and gradually stick the blade in.

11. Slit open the vent and then the underside fish body by running the knife towards the gill/head area. If there are fish eggs (fish roes), keep the knife at a flat angle to prevent rupturing the roe sack; fish ovaries.

12. You can remove the roe sack to cook it separately or cook together with your fish.

13. Remove by pulling everything from the fish cavity. Take out the gills if you have left the head. The gills can be pulled out on some fish species, while others are best snipped out with kitchen shears.

14. Rinse your fish again under running water and dry it with kitchen cloth or paper towel. Cook fish immediately as seafood is always best and flavorful when fresh.

[godfather25]

on 7/11/2009 Outstanding tips.