| After proudly bringing you catch home and
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| | behind the pectoral fins, and peel the
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| bragging about it to all of your buddies,
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| | skin down toward the tail with pliers. To
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| what are you going to do with it? If you
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| | remove the head, backbone and entrails;
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| plan to eat it, one of the most important
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| | break the head off and pull it away from
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| things is to keep it fresh. This will
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| | the body, taking the insides with it.
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| avoid spoiling and the strong fishy
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| | Filleting:
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| smell. The best way to guarantee
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| | If you have a larger fish, you will
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| freshness is to keep the fish alive until
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| | probably choose to fillet it, and get the
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| it is cleaned.
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| | meat without the bones. Using a fillet
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| Avoid spoiling:
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| | knife, you will need to cut your fish
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| Freshwater fish can be placed in the live
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| | behind the gills to the backbone (do not
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| well on the boat, or on a stringer to
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| | go through the backbone). Keeping the
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| keep it alive until you are able to clean
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| | knife inside the fish; cut through the
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| it. If you cannot keep the fish alive,
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| | ribs toward the tail. Do this on both
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| clean it and place it on ice right away.
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| | sides. Then cut the ribs away from the
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| If you are not going to keep the fish,
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| | fish. Place the skin side down, and cut
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| release it quickly to avoid harming it.
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| | through the fillet a quarter inch above
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| Saltwater fish should be put on ice right
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| | the tail to the skin. After you wash the
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| away. Most will not stay fresh kept in a
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| | fillet in cold water and dry it with a
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| livewell or on a stringer.
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| | paper towel; you may choose to cook or
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| Clean up:
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| | freeze it. Fish tend to last longer when
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| Insert the knife into the vent of the
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| | frozen with the skin on.
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| fish, and cut up along the belly to the
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| | Freezing Tips:
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| head. Remember to keep the knife shallow
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| | The smaller the package, the quicker it
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| because placing it too deep will puncture
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| | will freeze and slow the deterioration
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| the intestines.
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| | process. If you choose to freeze a fish
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| Spread the body open and remove all of
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| | make sure it is wrapped tightly in an
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| the intestines. The kidney (if your fish
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| | airtight freezer wrap or bag. Vacuum
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| has one) is located by the backbone. You
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| | packing is the best method to lock in
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| can scrape it out with a spoon. Cut off
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| | moisture and reduce freezer burn.
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| the head, and rinse the fish in clean,
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| | Remember to date the package so you will
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| cool water.
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| | know how long it has been in the freezer.
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| Surround the cleaned fish with ice, and
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| | White fish last longer and will stay good
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| place in a cooler or ice chest. Drain
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| | in the freezer for several months. Oily
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| melted ice from the cooler, and do not
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| | fish tend to go bad after a couple of
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| store the fish in ice water.
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| | months. After removing it from the
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| Scaling or skinning:
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| | freezer the fish should be thawed as
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| Scaling a fish is beneficial because the
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| | quickly as possible by placing it in cold
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| scales retain an abundance of bacteria.
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| | water. You should never place it at room
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| Scaling most small types of fish and
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| | temperature, or in hot water. Thawing in
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| leaving the skin on, locks in moisture
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| | a refrigerator overnight can be done, but
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| and keeps the fish from drying out. To
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| | is less effective than cold water.
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| scale the fish, hold it down and scrape
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| | There are a couple of important tips to
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| upward starting from the tail and going
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| | follow when cleaning and preserving your
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| toward the head. If you don't have a fish
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| | catch. However, if you take the necessary
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| scaler you can use a spoon.
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| | precautions you will have a delicious
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| It is a good idea to skin larger fish
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| | fish dinner. Always remember to keep the
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| such as catfish and bullhead because it
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| | fish fresh. Unless you are going to cook
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| improves the taste and removes the layer
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| | it right away; freeze it as soon as
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| of fat under the skin. The fatty layer of
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| | possible.
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| the skin is where most of the
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| | Check out related articles on different
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| contaminants are stored. To skin a fish;
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| | mouth-watering ways to fry, grill, bake,
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| clamp the head down, cut through the skin
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| | sauté, op prepare your catch.
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