| Fish is one of the most wholesome foods that | | | | motion around the fins and remove them. |
| man can eat. In fact, people have been | | | | Finally, rinse the fish body and cavity under |
| eating fish throughout human history. These | | | | cold, running water. Now that the fish has |
| days, many cooks yearn to add fish to their | | | | been properly cleaned, you can move on to |
| repertoire, but the whole process of cleaning | | | | filleting. |
| and filleting fresh fish is a little scary to | | | | |
| them. The process of cleaning and filleting | | | | Begin the fish filleting process by laying |
| fresh fish is relatively simple once the | | | | the fish on one side and inserting your knife |
| steps are understood. | | | | into the fish body almost to the backbone. |
| | | | Guide your knife along the backbone, exposing |
| To begin, you must clean your fresh fish | | | | the fillet as you cut. You will have to lift |
| properly in order to maintain it's quality | | | | and separate the flesh from the bone as you |
| during the remaining steps of processing. | | | | cut. Next, repeat this process for the other |
| First, use a knife or fish scaling tool to | | | | side. Once you have created the two fish |
| remove all of the scales. Removing the | | | | fillets, place them skin side down and cut |
| scales early on is a key to easy fish | | | | through the flesh next to the tail. Do not |
| cleaning. Next, remove the fish head by | | | | cut through the skin next to the tail, as you |
| cutting just behind the first set of fins. | | | | will hold onto this skin as you separate the |
| Now, insert your sharp knife into the area | | | | skin from the flesh. Insert your fillet |
| where you just removed the head and make a | | | | knife between the flesh and the skin and use |
| slit in the belly of the fish. You will want | | | | a back and forth motion to separate the two. |
| to slit the fish belly all the way down to | | | | Rinse the fillets with cold water and be sure |
| the vent next to the tail. This should open | | | | to dry them before storing or using. |
| up the cavity of the fish and you can pull or | | | | |
| cut away any viscera or organs from inside | | | | These simple and easy steps are all that it |
| the fish. The next step is to cut away any | | | | takes to make the most out of fresh fish. |
| additional fins that the fish may have. Do | | | | With these steps in mind you can prepare |
| this by cutting into the fish in a circular | | | | fresh fish for any meal. |