Culinary technique for filet a whole round fish & how to clean and Filet a Fresh Salmon Trout;
Please allow me to show and share with you how to clean and filet whole round fish.
General Information:
The filet process for round fishes is basically the same for all, this size of the fish can change but to get the filet off, we cut parallel to the bone on each side, to extract in total 2 filet. This technique we apply for small fish like herring and also to big fish like a Mahi Mahi.
The filet process for flat fishes is basically the same for all types of them like for example a flounder or a Heilbutt, this size of the fish can change but to get the filet off, start in the middle of the fish to cut parallel on the bone on each side, to extract in total 4 filet.
Ho can we recognize if our whole fish is fresh and good quality:
The eyes should be shining and not dried out
The skin and scales should be shining and not look dried out
The scales should be firm attached to the skin of the fish and not fall of
The scales should jump of when you descale
The meat texture should be solid and firm
The gills should look shiny and fresh
The fish should not smell
The fish skin should have preserved some of his own natural color
Steps to take, to filet a Whole fish:
Wash the fish and cut open the bottom part from the fish to extract the intestines (In case they still inside)
Take scissors and cut of all fin with spines
Descale the fish and wash it of with cold water
Take a filet knife and cut around the head and go deep enough to feel the centerbone but don't cut through it
Now start from the tail, cutting parallel on the top of the middle bone all the way to the head, to extract the filet
Repeat same cutting technique on the other side
Once you have the filets, cut of the thin rip bones and take of the spins from the center of the filet
Additional advices:
Secure your cutting board with a moist towel below
Use a sharp filet knife
Te descale use the back part of a knife, or a fork or a descaling tool
Descale your fish in the zink so you wont have scales all over
