How to Fillet a Mullet Fish

Red mullet can be quickly filleted.

There are several varieties of mullet used for culinary purposes. Both the gray and red varieties being common in restaurants and at fishmongers. They are relatively small fish, common to shallow coastal waters in warm and temperate regions around the world. They are relatively simple to fillet, even for a novice. All you need is a sharp boning knife, some tweezers and a steady hand.

Things You'll Need

• Mullet
• Cutting board
• Sharp boning knife
• Tweezers

Instructions

1. Place each mullet in turn on the cutting board and scale them by holding onto the tail and scraping the scales with the back of the knife. Rinse the fish under cold running water and return them to the cutting board.

2. Hold the head of the fish firmly in your non-dominant hand. Place the knife blade behind the head and angle it at about a 45-degree diagonal so that it runs behind the pectoral fin and bypasses the belly and ribs.

3. Cut down and away from the pectoral fin until you reach the backbone, then sweep the knife along the backbone in a single long stroke to separate the fillet.

4. Turn the fish over and do the same on the other side. If you have positioned your knife correctly, the entire rib cage should be left behind on the carcass. Repeat for the remaining mullet.

5. Feel the fillets for a row of small pin bones running down the central section of the fillet. Remove these with a pair of tweezers. The fillets are now ready to use or package for freezing.

References

• "On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen"; Harold S. McGee; 2004
• "Professional Cooking"; Wayne Gisslen; 2003
• Filleting Fish: Mullet
• BBC Good Food; Seared Red Mullet with a la Greque Vegetables and Basmati Pilaf; Gordon Ramsay; May 2006
• Food Network; Le Rouget; Joel Robuchon