How to Fillet a Yellowtail Snapper
The yellowtail snapper (Lutjanus chrysurus), also known as yellowtail or cola, lives in the Atlantic Ocean between Massachusetts and Brazil, and is most common off the coast of Florida and in the Caribbean. They are a popular fish both for sport fishing and for food. One way to prepare yellowtail snapper for cooking is by filleting the fish; that is, removing the meat on each side of the fish's body from the bones and skin. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Whole yellowtail snapper
- Ice and ice chest
- Fillet knife
- Cutting board
- Gloves (optional)
Instructions
-
-
1
Keep your yellowtail snapper fresh by storing freshly caught fish on ice until you can reach a refrigerator. Check your fish for freshness before you fillet. The gills should be moist and have a red or bright pink color, and the fish should not smell "fishy."
-
2
Lay the yellowtail snapper on your cutting board. Wear gloves when handling the fish, if you like, to prevent injuries from its fins. Make sure the fish is dead before you begin cutting.
-
-
3
Make a cut behind the gill. When you reach the top of the gill, curve the cut toward the head rather than cutting straight up; you don't want to lose any of the meat in that area.
-
4
Slice down the back of the yellowtail snapper until you reach the backbone. Do not cut through the backbone.
-
5
Cut between the muscle and the rib cage, beginning at the cut you made by the gills. The knife should rock up and down as it moves over each rib so that you get all of the fish's meat. Continue the cut down to the tail.
-
6
Lay the fillet on the cutting board, skin side down. Make a small cut on the tail end of the fillet between the skin and the flesh. Move your knife across the fillet from the tail end to the head end, holding the loose skin down with your other hand, to remove the rest of the skin.
-
7
Repeat the process for the other side of the fish.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Fillet knives are sharp, flexible knives with thin blades which are good for removing the skin from fish.
Make sure your fillet knife is longer than the fillet is wide, or you will have trouble removing the skin.
Consuming yellowtail snapper can cause ciguatera poisoning, a result of toxins produced by microalgae on the snappers' food. Symptoms of ciguatera poisoning include gastrointestinal issues and weakness in the limbs.
Refrigerate your yellowtail fillets and eat within two days.
