Filleting Fish

[SoonerATC]

Folks,

How do you all fillet your fish? When I fillet them, i start just behind the skull and cut along the backbone down to the tail. Then I go back and carefully cut away the meat from the rib cage, down to the belly. Finally I cut that whole piece away from the body, then fillet the meat off the skin.

I don't have an electric fillet knife, but it seems as if there should be an easier way with not quite as many steps.

 

[DanB]

start behind the gills. Cut to the spine. Not through it. Turn the blade and work straight back to the tail. Flip the filet skin side down so the skin lays as flat as possible. run knife down the filet between the skin and meat. This part takes practice to do it quick and not screw up. then last cut remove any portion of the ribs that came off in the first cut.

This method works great when you have a large number of fish to clean. Works so much better with a GOOD electric knfe.

 

[A.J.]

One thing Dan left out. Stop your lengthwise cut JUST BEFORE you reach the tail, then flip the fillet over, and with the tail still holding the skin, shave the fillet off the skin.

 

[DanB]

One thing Dan left out. Stop your lengthwise cut JUST BEFORE you reach the tail, then flip the fillet over, and with the tail still holding the skin, shave the fillet off the skin.

Oops. I knew I left something out. Thanks AJ

 

[A.J.]

I do that all the time. When I describe something I've done a million times, I just assume the person I'm talking to can read my mind.

 

[dennishoddy]

Thats pretty much the way I do it, but cut around the ribs, not removing them. As has been stated, I use cold steel, a not an electric.
Just because I haven't mastered the electric.

 

[SoonerATC]

That's what's getting me, is I can't get around the ribs without messing up the filet. I'll just keep trying.

 

[Oklahomabassin]

start behind the gills. Cut to the spine. Not through it. Turn the blade and work straight back to the tail. Flip the filet skin side down so the skin lays as flat as possible. run knife down the filet between the skin and meat. This part takes practice to do it quick and not screw up. then last cut remove any portion of the ribs that came off in the first cut.

This method works great when you have a large number of fish to clean. Works so much better with a GOOD electric knfe.

DING DING We have a winner.


OR
Usually works for me to make a bet that, he who catches the least fish, cleans the fish.

 

[A.J.]

When I was recently looking for a good electric knife for filleting fish, I went to youtube to see if anybody touted a particular knife when they did their demonstration. I didn't get that, but I learned the way to fillet a fish without cutting out the ribs. You should check that out Sooner. I'm thinking about the next time I catch a few good-sized hybrids or saugeye, I'm going to scrape them first to knock the scales off, then fillet them by cutting around the ribs, then figure out a good way to grill them with the skin still on.