Cleaning and gutting fish is an important skill if you want to cook fish whole. Since the bones and entrails of the fish are inedible, you must carefully remove them with a knife. To do this, you'll need a clean work area, a sink or faucet, and a sharp filet knife. With patience and careful cutting, you can get fresh fish filets in no time.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Killing Fish and Removing Scales
Step 1. Beat and kill the fish if it is still alive
If the fish has just been caught, you will need to subdue it and kill it before cleaning and eviscerating it. Place the fish on a firm, flat surface, then press the center of the fish's belly with your non-dominant hand. Use a bat or other heavy blunt object to hit the top of the head to knock out the fish. Next, pierce the fish brain with a small nail or knife by sticking it in the back of the head, slightly above the eye.
- Shake the nail/knife around the head so that the brain is completely ripped apart.
- While you can kill a fish by hitting its head multiple times, the most humane way is to stab its brain.
Step 2. Clean the fish by rinsing it with cold water
Transfer the fish to the sink or area you use to clean it. Run cold water on the fish, then rub the body with your hands. This initial rinse will remove dirt, mucus, and debris from the fish scales. This is to prevent unwanted objects from entering the fish's body when you cut it later.
- If using a fish cleaning station, be sure to throw the carcasses and entrails into the grinder, and clean the place when you're done.
- You can wear rubber gloves to keep your hands clean when handling fish.
Step 3. Remove the fish fins by slicing them
Although optional, cleaning the fish can be made easier if you trim the fins. Use your non-dominant hand to lift the tip of the fin. Next, cut a filet knife at the base of the fin. Cut off any large fins that you think are interfering with the fish cleaning process.
- Depending on the type of fish, the dorsal fin can be very long and difficult to cut. Cut lengthwise into small pieces to make the process easier.
- You can use any knife, as long as it's sharp, to clean and dislodge the fish. However, it's best to use a flexible filet knife, as the thin blade will prevent the fish from tearing.
Step 4. Remove fish scales by scraping the sides with the back of a knife
Transfer the fish to a large sink or clean-up area. Grasp the tail with your non-dominant hand and lift the fish up to a 45-degree angle. Hold the knife tightly with your dominant hand and scrape the scales with the back of the knife in a long, strong motion. Start at the tail and work your way up to the head. Turn the fish over and repeat this step to remove the scales on the other side.
- Rinse the fish that have been handled so that the scales that have been removed do not enter the abdominal cavity.
- If you want, you can remove the scales after the entrails have been removed.
Tip:
On fish that have a tough skin, you can use the sharp side of a knife. Be careful to make sure the blade of the knife scrapes the top of the scales and doesn't scratch the flesh.
Step 5. Insert the tip of the knife until it reaches the hole in the fish's digestive tract
Place the fish on a firm surface with the belly up. Tilt the fish at a 45-degree angle with the head facing away from you. Bring the sharp edge of the filet knife toward the fish's head, then insert the tip of the knife into the anus. Insert the knife about 3-5 cm deep into the digestive tract hole (depending on the size of the fish).
- The digestive tract hole is at the very bottom of the fish's stomach.
- The fish digestive tract is a small hole at the bottom of the tail. This hole usually has a color that is not the same as the other fish ventilation holes.
Step 6. Move the knife towards the neck
Hold the knife firmly, then move it up and down at intervals of about 1 cm as you move it through the opening of the fish's digestive tract. Keep cutting until you reach about 3–5 cm below the fish's mouth.
- Don't push the knife too deep into the fish's belly when slicing it. If the intestines are ruptured, the inside of the fish will be messy and chaotic.
- You can continue cutting until you reach your throat and gills if you want to remove the head later.
Part 2 of 3: Removing Fish Stomach
Step 1. Open the fish's stomach and remove the intestines and entrails
Without tearing the pieces, carefully spread out both sides of the fish so that it opens 5–15 cm wide in the digestive tract opening. Use your thumb and forefinger to pinch the organ near the fish's head that connects to the head. Gently pull the organ until it is removed. Continue pulling the organ until it reaches the tail, then slowly pull out the intestines and entrails of the fish.
- Check the cavity in the fish's body for any remaining organs, and remove them by hand.
- Dispose of fish organs in the trash. If this is done at a fish cleaning facility, remove the fish organs by placing them in a grinder.
Tip:
Removing the intestines, entrails, and gills is relatively easy to do. You won't have any major difficulties and you won't have to cut anything with a knife.
Step 2. Take the fish kidney in the spine, if any
Some fish have small kidneys in the spine in the middle of the body. Look for a small bean-shaped organ on the inner side of the spine. If the fish has kidneys, you can remove them with a spoon.
Step 3. Rinse the fish using cold water and clean the stomach cavity
Place the fish in a large sink or sink with the vents up. Run cold water and open the belly of the fish. Let the water run through the stomach cavity while you rub the inside of the fish with your hand or a spoon. This is to remove any remaining organ residue and clean the flesh.
Wash the fish for at least 1 minute so that all parts of the stomach cavity are clean
Part 3 of 3: Fish Filet
Step 1. Cut off the head of the fish if you don't want to cook it
Place the fish flat on the cutting board. Find the gills and move the knife 3–5 cm behind them. With the knife facing down, point the knife at the fish head. Grasp the fish's body with your non-dominant hand as you cut it at a 15-degree angle toward the spine. Turn the fish over and repeat this cut on the other side of the fish.
- If the head hasn't come off after you've made 2 cuts, hold and twist the head until it's free from the fish's body.
- Some fish, such as gourami, are usually cooked with the heads.
Tip:
If you want, you can cut straight down behind the gills. However, there will be pieces of meat left behind if you do this. There is a lot of meat just under the gills. By cutting it at a certain angle, the meat will still stick to the fish's body.
Step 2. Make steak slices by cutting the meat through the spine
With the head cut off, take a steak knife and place it across the body of the fish so that the blade is perpendicular to the spine. Place the knife about 5–8 cm from the hole in the neck and move the knife back and forth along the same line until you get a piece of steak from the body of the fish.
- Repeat this process by making slices of about 5–8 cm thick for each piece until all parts of the fish are covered.
- The difference between a steak and a filet is in the way the bone is cut. The steak is cut until it hits the bone, while the filet is cut around the bone.
Step 3. Turn the spine of the fish toward your body and make a filet by cutting the part above the spine
Place your finger on the back of the filet knife and stick the knife through the back of the fish, just above the spine. Move the filet knife sideways through the bottom of the fish. Slowly move the knife along the fish's body, keeping the filet blade parallel to the spine. Keep the knife about 0.5–1 cm above the spine, depending on the side of the fish being handled.
- You may have to bend slightly to get the right angle when making the cut.
- You can place the thumb of your dominant hand in the hole you made in the initial cut to pull the skin back and make cutting easier.
Step 4. Peel the flesh on the sides of the fish to cut the filets
Use your non-dominant hand to peel the flesh so that the sides of the fish are exposed by 35-45 degrees. Use a small incision to slice through the connective tissue found on the underside of the fish to remove the filet. Remove the filet from the fish body and set aside. Turn the fish over and repeat this process on the other side.
- If you want, you can slice the meat around the bone. Depending on the type and size of the fish, you may need to do this when preparing to cook the fish to prevent the flesh from accidentally falling off.
- Rotate the fish as you flip it over so that you stay facing your spine. To cut a second filet, start the incision from the tip of the tail to the head.
- If you'd like, you can peel or cut off the thin layer of fish skin that's stuck to the filet, although many recipes call for the skin to stick together when cooked.
