Filleting fish

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Livid · #1 Post by **Livid** » Mon May 22, 2006 11:13 pm

Is there a certain knack to it or can anybody do it? Just i'm sick of asking Tesco to do it for me and i've recently bought a decent knife so when i do some mack bashing for bait in the summer, i'd like to be able to do it myself, are there any decent guides around?

#2 Post by **stevecrow74** » Mon May 22, 2006 11:50 pm

i fillet all my own, coz those eejits in tesco's and dunnes and all those other chain stores cannot fillet to save there lives..

there is a little knack to it but its easy to learn... 99% bone free fillets..

one way to learn is grill or bake a fish and see where the bones are...
and on the next fish practice filleting around the bone line.....
nearly all fish have the same skeletal structure, so once youve mastered it on one fish, you should be able to fillet most other species..

flatties are a little bit trickier, but the same filleting rule applies

Esox lunatic · #3 Post by **Esox lunatic** » Mon May 22, 2006 11:58 pm

Livid,
Have a look at the web site below for instructions (with photos) on filleting round fish and flat fish. There is also information on scaling, skinning and boning fish.

http://www.martins-seafresh.co.uk/round_fish.htm

Good luck.

E.L.

Livid · #4 Post by **Livid** » Tue May 23, 2006 12:00 am

stevecrow74 wrote:i fillet all my own, coz those eejits in tesco's and dunnes and all those other chain stores cannot fillet to save there lives..

there is a little knack to it but its easy to learn... 99% bone free fillets..

one way to learn is grill or bake a fish and see where the bones are...
and on the next fish practice filleting around the bone line.....
nearly all fish have the same skeletal structure, so once youve mastered it on one fish, you should be able to fillet most other species..

flatties are a little bit trickier, but the same filleting rule applies

Good advice again there Mr Crow, you are quickly becoming my mentor, good luck with that btw... :lol:

[img]http://www.clicksmilies.com/s0105/sprachlos/speechless-smiley-002.gif[/img]

Livid · #5 Post by **Livid** » Tue May 23, 2006 12:00 am

Esox lunatic wrote:Livid,
Have a look at the web site below for instructions (with photos) on filleting round fish and flat fish. There is also information on scaling, skinning and boning fish.

http://www.martins-seafresh.co.uk/round_fish.htm

Good luck.

E.L.

Cheers!

#6 Post by **stevecrow74** » Tue May 23, 2006 12:09 am

Esox lunatic wrote:Livid,
Have a look at the web site below for instructions (with photos) on filleting round fish and flat fish. There is also information on scaling, skinning and boning fish.

http://www.martins-seafresh.co.uk/round_fish.htm

Good luck.

E.L.

just had a quick look at that... there was no mention of the little line of bones just above the frist 4 - 7 ribs (depending on species)
just barely visable in the pic
[img]http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/resources/Grzimek_fish/structure_function/v04_id131_con_fshskel.jpg[/img]
I know fish to the point of becoming a fetish.. :lol: :lol: :lol:

Esox lunatic · #7 Post by **Esox lunatic** » Tue May 23, 2006 12:10 am

Have a look at the following. I just found the link filed away on my PC. It is a video of a chef filleting fish. You might need Broadband to get the best from the show. Clearly shows gutting, filleting and boning fish (mackerel, trout and salmon). Also shows different cuts.

http://www.uktvfood.co.uk/index.cfm?ukt ... ayVideo=hi

The video doesn't automatically start so you have to press the start button on the onscreen player.

E.L.

Esox lunatic · #8 Post by **Esox lunatic** » Tue May 23, 2006 12:19 am

Another video. Same chef filleting and skinning flatfish. Recipe also included for poaching sole!

http://www.uktvfood.co.uk/index.cfm?ukt ... ayVideo=hi

E.L.

#9 Post by **stevecrow74** » Tue May 23, 2006 12:21 am

Esox lunatic wrote:Have a look at the following. I just found the link filed away on my PC. It is a video of a chef filleting fish. You might need Broadband to get the best from the show. Clearly shows gutting, filleting and boning fish (mackerel, trout and salmon). Also shows different cuts.

http://www.uktvfood.co.uk/index.cfm?ukt ... ayVideo=hi

The video doesn't automatically start so you have to press the start button on the onscreen player.

E.L.

saw it and was not impressed one bit... the waste.....
in the time i watched that i could have easily filleted 7 fish with less waste

#10 Post by **stevecrow74** » Tue May 23, 2006 12:22 am

Esox lunatic wrote:Another video. Same chef filleting and skinning flatfish. Recipe also included for poaching sole!

http://www.uktvfood.co.uk/index.cfm?ukt ... ayVideo=hi

E.L.

i dont want to watch this one... he did my head in on the last one :evil:
Like watching some one in dunnes hacking up a fish :evil: :evil:

Esox lunatic · #11 Post by **Esox lunatic** » Tue May 23, 2006 12:32 am

Steve,

Maybe you should introduce a cooking spot on your radio show. :wink:

There's a thought anyone got some good rock classics or metal suitable for Steve's 'Metal in the Kitchen' spot? :lol:

I think the chef was trying to demonstrate how to work with fish and was taking his time rather than showing us how fast he is at doing it!

Key to a good lecturer Steve. Also, don't forget he's preparing fish for a meal, not carving it up to lob it out on a hook as bait :D

E.L.

#12 Post by **stevecrow74** » Tue May 23, 2006 12:39 am

LOL....
was a chef once :shock: :shock: never again :lol: :lol: :lol:

Esox lunatic · #13 Post by **Esox lunatic** » Tue May 23, 2006 12:55 am

To get the ball rolling on requests for the Metal in the Kitchen Spot here's a few to begin with:

GUNS N’ ROSES “SWEET CHILE O’ MINE”

ROLLING STONES “BROWN SUGAR”

DIRE STRAITS “SULTANNAS OF SWING”

ROLLING STONES ‘JUMPING FLAP JACK FLASH”

GUESS WHO “NO SUGAR TONIGHT”

ERIC CLAPTON “COCOA”

NEIL YOUNG “CINNAMON GIRL”

BEATLES “SGT PEPPER

DON MACLEAN “AMERICAN PIE”

JEFFERSON AIRPLANE “WELSH RAREBIT”

JEFF BECK “FREEWAY JAM”

STEVE MILLER “THE STEAK”

ERIC BURDON “SPILL THE WINE”

VANILLA FUDGE “YOU KEEP ME HANGING ON”

STEELY DAN “PRETZEL LOGIC”

MIDNIGHT OIL “BREADS ARE BURNING”

followed by

DAVID BOWIE ‘ASHES TO ASHES”

and finally, if the cooking gets out of control

TALKING HEADS “BURNING DOWN THE HOUSE”

E.L.

#14 Post by **stevecrow74** » Tue May 23, 2006 1:00 am

i have come to the conclusion that i am not the only one with plenty of time to kill...

#15 Post by **pete** » Tue May 23, 2006 9:53 am

:lol: :lol:

#16 Post by **corbyeire** » Tue May 23, 2006 11:25 am

competition steve :lol:

#17 Post by **blackiemc** » Fri May 26, 2006 12:44 am

On the filleting,
I have learned to fillet mackeral something like that chef, but with a couple of notable differences that I would recommend
1. don't gut the fish before filleting, this is a waste of time if you are filleting the fish when it's very fresh (ie. you've caught it!)
2. don't cut off the head, as it gives you something to hold while sliding your very sharp knife down along the backbone.

Don't fillet too fresh, ie. before rigor mortis or the fillets will shrink before your eyes.

Also, when you're learning to fillet don't be too greedy about the fillets, in other words be prepared to leave some fish on the frame until you get handy.

Filleting something like a big pollack is a bit different. Because the rib-cage is much wider, and bones are stronger. You keep the point of the knife top-side of the rib bones while filleting towards the tail, when your knife leaves the rib-cage behind en-route to the tail you can revert to mackeral filleting style. The next step is to detatch the meat from the rib-cage. Voila, humongous fillet :D

That's all I know
Blackie

#18 Post by **corbyeire** » Fri May 26, 2006 2:18 pm

your making me hungry blackie

Esox lunatic · #19 Post by **Esox lunatic** » Fri May 26, 2006 2:52 pm

To tell you the truth, apart from cutting the odd fillet of mackeral to cook by the sea or pan fry with lemon at home, I don't really bother filleting fish or cutting off heads and tails. It's mainly a case of descaling, gutting them and cooking them.

Conger is cut into sections for inclusion in a nice risotto or for use in paella. Heads are generally saved to make a good fish stock.

Far less waste involved and less hassle.

I rarely, if ever, fillet flat fish: just gut them and cook them.

If you do chose to fillet, use a good quality and very sharp flexible knife. I have a Spanish steel filleting knife that is only used for this purpose.

I cannot understand that when cutting the heads of fish, there is so much waste. To many, the juiciest part of a fish is the area just down from the head. It's called la ventresca in Spain and you are privelleged if you are served with this section at meal.

E.L.

#20 Post by **blackiemc** » Sat May 27, 2006 3:13 pm

I wouldn't know what to do with a flattie.

It has been very handy to know how to fillet fish on the odd occasion where I've been lucky boat fishing, ie. I have been able to turn a box of pollack into wife friendly, freezer friendly fillets, with the waste returning to the seabed. eezy-peezy :D

Corbyeire, if your fond of fish for a nice dinner then here's one to remember, skinned pollack fillet (DIY it's surprisingly easy if you start from the tail, or get it done by fish-monger). The pieces closer to the tail are perfect for this as they are boneless.
Dip the skinned side in seasoned flour, fry on a nice hot pan skinned side down for about 8 min, turn over fry for another 4min approx, then slide it on to the plate (ie. skinned side up) and serve with whatever you want, lovely presentation, lovely food and easy!
Obviously cod etc. would work well also for this.

Blackie