Five Steps to Filleting a Fish:
- An adult should always supervise young anglers as they learn to fillet. A fillet knife is dangerous and must be handled safely. If you have any slime on your hands or the knife handle, wash it off to prevent slipping. Always keep your hands behind the blade.
- To fillet a fish, lay it on its side on a flat surface. Unlike the cut described for preparing whole fish, filleting fish requires you to cut the fish behind its gills and pectoral fin, but only to the rib cage. Neither scaling nor removing the head is necessary.
- If not removing the head, turn the blade toward the tail and cut along the top of the ribs using the fish’s backbone to guide you. Turn the fish over and repeat steps 2 and 3.
- Next, insert the knife blade close to the rib bones and slice the entire rib section of each fillet away. Then, with the skin side down, insert the knife blade about a 1/2-inch from the tail. Gripping this tail part firmly, put the blade between the skin and the meat at an angle. Using a little pressure and a sawing motion, cut against – not through – the skin. The fillet will be removed from the skin.
- Wash each fillet in cold water. Pat dry with a clean cloth or paper towel. The fillets are ready to cook or freeze.
Have Fun and Be SAFE !!!