Pictorial on how to filet a salmon

[Jennie@ifish]

I took these last year, in an attempt to help me learn how to filet a salmon.

Please feel free to comment tips and tricks, and I'll just share the pictures. (hopefully in the right order!)















[ 07-30-2003, 10:24 AM: Message edited by: Jennie@ifish ]

[Jennie@ifish]

and... the rest of the story...











[ 07-30-2003, 10:06 AM: Message edited by: Jennie@ifish ]

[Jennie@ifish]

If anyone has time to narrate the pictures and write the story, I'd love to make this a featured page on ifish. I feel it's very helpful... at least for me!

I'm going to try it soon. It's just so darn easy to say, "Bill! Get the knife and come filet this critter!"

I just have to do it a couple times, right?

Jen

[FEAR NO FISH!]

Electric Fillet knife is much faster.

[BrionLutz]

Jennie,

That is pretty much how I do it but some folks are strong on gutting the fish first. From the pix it doesn't look like these were gutted.

Their explanation is that gutting the fish gives you a better cut with less loss of meat.

Brion

[Eric]

Good topic Jen. Your pictorial is a very popular method that many anglers use but I see a few flaws and would like to offer some friendly constructive criticism:

1) When a fish is landed, ALWAYS bleed it right away and clean it ASAP. We usually bleed it while still in the net in the water. The blood that appears on the fillet in the photo is not good. While it certainly isn't the end of the world and can be rinsed, a bled and cleaned fish will fillet with less mess and taste better.

2) The best technique I have found IMO for producing a clean, smooth fillet is to remove the head and run a sharp knife along the backbone from the head end down to the tail. It can be done in one continuous cut and produces a smooth, attractive looking fillet with little to no meat loss. Once the fillet is separated from the carcass, put it skin side down and cut away the rib bones. it takes no more time and prduces (I think) a cleaner fillet.

This is not meant to undermine your technique as it is also a good one. Just offering another perspective.I would, however, emphasize again to bleed and clean the fish before filleting.

[Jennie@ifish]

You are absolutely right, and we usually do bleed them first. This one was caught in really rough water, and by the time we got around to it, it was too late.

Thank you! Good hint, and VERY important for both the eggs, and the meat.

Jen

[Jennie@ifish]

None of our meat is ever lost. We cook that mid section up, peel the meat off, and use it in other recipes. YUM!

Jen

[TundraIII]

I'm one of those guys that guts first then filets. I start the filets from the inside. It takes way longer but I end up only wasting a couple ounces of meat. After removing the rib bones and membrane in one piece I remove the last row of bones through the thick part of filet with a pair of salon tweezers (they look sorta like scissors with the finger holds) They are more precise than a pair of needle nose and cause far less damage to the filet. When I'm done the filets look absolutely perfect and smooth and no bones. Maybe you could post pictures of a couple different ways to filet.

[Sturgeon 42]

Very good pictures, I do mine that way and I don't bleed, never have I don't know why. Always use fairly long sharp knife and after fileting like in the pictures I filet all the little pieces for Ourderves..... :grin: :grin: :grin:

[Tanner]

I use the same method as Jen's pictoral and have very little waste. One method I am curious about but have not tried yet is a method that Jim Bradbury uses in a couple of his videos. He actually peels the skin off the fish like you would a sturgeon and then filets the meat off.
Anyone ever try this with salmon or steelhead?

[FallRiverGuy]

I have slightly different twist that I use for kokanee that a friend showed me. I start at the tail making a straight cut perpendicular to the fish until I get to the anus. At that point I tilt the handle of the knife towards the head and make the cut along the back until I get to the head. That way the blade is facing down into the fish. I find this much faster and for me, I waste less meat, as it is easier for me to keep the blade in contact with the bone.

[Killertraylor]

I do it the same way Eric does - gut, cut the heat off, and run the fillet knife all the way down the spine on both sides - then lay the fillet skin side down and fillet the belly bones out. That center piece that you end up with with all the bones makes a great smoker piece - just whack it in half, brine it and smoke it with the rest - the bones help keep the meat really moist, and just like any meat, the best part is around the bones. You can also throw it in the frying pan and then use a fork to pick the meat off - plenty for a salmon omlette or to put on a salad.

[PhoebusGroup]

Hi Jennie, et al.,

For what it's worth, I simply cut the salmon
in 6-8" pieces and then filet out the backbone
w/out cutting the skin on the back. The
fishmonger who showed me this called it a
'book fillet.' I've never understood the need
for a full-length fillet, especially for larger
fish.

Also, Karla's Smoke House on 101 in Rockaway
has a videotape of how to smoke fish and the
most useful part of the video is Karla butchering
a rock cod, a salmon, a sturgeon, and a tuna.
Her salmon technique is exactly the same as
Bill's.

Kind regards,

[h20dog]

I'm waiting for the pictorial on how to CATCH a salmon.

[luguando]

I usually like to grill my salmon (especially springers) so I leave the skin on. During the Fall I like to make a batch of salmon burgers. I fillet and skin my fish then. The family loves them.

RECIPE:

Gind up the salmon in a meat grinder. Add some bread crumbs (Progresso or other brand)and eggs and mix it up. (I use my hands. You got enough eggs in there when the salmon takes on a meatloaf consistency. Just make patties out of them and you are done.

I usually make a big batch and put most of them in a vacuum pack bag and throw them in to the freezer. I put wax paper on the top and bottom of the patties prior to putting them in the vac pack bag so they won't stick to the bag.

I usually throw them on the grill and baste with teriyaki sauce. GREAT STUFF!!

[Killertraylor]

Pete in Keizer does it just like Bill too. I just can't do it as fast or bone it as good that way. This is starting to sound perverted so I'm going to stop....Maybe steaks are the way to go...

[The Overfishin Condition]

Glad to hear that you use all that meat off the bones Jennie! When we were in AK, out guides filleted the fish, well actually a person at the lodge, which was a little odd for us, dad made the mistake of watching, and on a 50 lb fish, that sort of fillet style leaves a lot of meat. At home we simply cut off the head, then cut directly down the back bone, so that there are bones on both halves, bbq it skin down, the peel the bones back. Less flavoring and spices, oninons etc gets to the meat then, BUT, I love to eat the meat with all the good stuff on it off the back bone, I have permenant dibbs on it. Can't say that anyone has had anything but the best to say about my dads fish to! Plus no waste, just our style I guess. My grandma and grandpa always used to cook the meat off the bones and head, fish head stew! "Kalamoikka"

[Rauly]

Geez Jen
I usually don't bother with fileting a fish that small. Just throw the whole thing in the smoker or turn it loose. :grin: Maybe even cut plug it and send it back out for a bigger one. :grin:

Great series of pics Jen.

If I was you I would just continue to say "hey butcher boy, come clean this fish." You know he does a pretty good job. :tongue:

Rauly

[Jennie@ifish]

OK, next time we get one like that, you are going to swallow it whole, right?

:smile:

Jen

[Green Machine]

That's how I do it. One suggestion, maybe this was done and couldn't tell. Cut down the backbone on each side before taking the first fillet off. A lot of people can cut a great first fillet, but the second is hard because the fish is laying flat on the ribs. By cutting both sides first, you can then finish up both sides picture perfect. At meat markets they fillet by leaving the ribs on, then go back and slice them off. Both work well.

Green Machine

[Huntar]

Last week, while up in Alaska I learned something new on bleeding fish. I was taught to cut or tear a gill out, but DO NOT thump them on the head. When the guy I was fishing with (John Konig, inventer of "John's Jigs") clubbed a King on the head I commented on bleeding them. He laughed and said "O.K., check your watch", at which point he cut the heart out and threw it on the deck. After being clubbed, and in the King for a few minutes, that heart kept beating for another 15 minutes AFTER being cut out!!!!

[go fisch]

Jennie,
You got to small of knife!!!! You need a bigger knife. The knife I use you can make one swipe on each side and you are done. Cut the anal and the dorsal fines off. Place the knife behind the gill plate and cut down to the backbone then cut to the tail. No meat wasted. The knife blade is 14-inches long and has some flex to it. Sometimes on smaller fish you don't even have to gut them first.

[C-lice]

I'm an absolute zoo with a filet knife, so I cut up my salmon and steelhead the "idiot-proof" [img]graemlins/dork.gif[/img] way.

I gut the fish, then cut off all of its fins, the head, and the tail. Then I cut the carcass into 3-5"chunks--each chunk essentially being a 3-5" thick horseshoe-shaped steak (except the tailmost section, which is enclosed in the skin on the belly and back.)

Then I take each chunk and slide the tip of the filet knife, with the edge toward the dorsal side of the fish, along the backbone. When the tip comes out along the backbone on the opposite end, I cut toward the dorsal side. When this cut is complete and the meat is sliced down to the spine, I reverse the knife and cut downward along the ribs. Repeat on the other side, and then with each chunk.

Two things that simplify this--1.) A relatively tacky or dry fish, and 2.) Latex gloves. These also, obviously, keep your hands clean, which is reason enough!

This method is definitely slower than fileting, but it's easier and when I'm done I can read the newspaper through the amount of flesh I've left on the carcass chunks.

[trap50]

FallRiverGuy
I really like your little twist. I am going to try that. I don't have any problem now but that handle towards the head seems like a natural. Thanks..

[Lo-Pro16]

I learned a great technique of getting all the meat off the bones by fellow ifisher, Sportster. After you are done filleting, just get a teaspoon and scrape along the bones. In a few minutes you will have every bit of meat off the backbone and the bones will be completely free of any meat. You will have enough to make several delicious salmon pattys. You gotta love the how to do posts with pictures. Thanks Jenny. :smile:

[Troller]

I guess we all do it a little different. I do bleed and gut the fish as soon as the downriggers are back out and fishing. But when I cut the fillets off I cut the ribs of with them. I then cut the the first three ribs out. Then cut the rest of them at the same time. Check out the pictorial at www.salmonuniversity.com to see it done this way. I might also give you some ideas for your pictorial..Becides no matter how bad you hack it up it still tastes just as good. Best advice I would give someone just learning is your going to waste some meat. I either cut them off and smoke them or bag and freeze for the next crab outing. Equaling no waste.

[Walleyed]

How many people have the first side come out sweet,but the other not so sweet.I keep the fish really cold and i don't gut the fish.Keeps the fish more even on the cutting block and gives you more to hang on to.Same with walleye! :grin:

[fishingchef]

Hi Jennie and all,
There are some great tips here. Nice pictures Jennie.
When you want to remove the skin cut about an inch and half up the tail then cut a little finger hole in the skin. keep tension on the skin while you run your knife up the rest of the way up the body. This will help remove all the skin easily.
This is a good method. IT is always best to bleed and remove the gills of any fish you intend to keep. I recommend gutting them before fileting them.I prefer to take the head off. Then run a long bevelled slicing knife down each side of the spine.

[Dakotan]

What length of fillet knife does everyone use for filleting salmon? I fillet just like Jenny's pictorial, starting from the head down on the top side of the fish and working down. I watched my friend fillet from the bottom of the fish up towards the dorsal fin and then cuts the rib bones out. He can do it in two knife swipes. Much quicker than my method. As far as steaks go, how do you cut through the spinal cord on the big fish (30-50 pounders)? I used my cutlery meat scissors and it took all of my strength. Any suggestions?

[FishaholicAZ]

Dakotan - I find that a really sharp ax or a rotary saw make the steaking thing really easy. Although when I used the chainsaw that one time, it was rather messy. :shocked:

Seriously, I prefer to steak them just because that way I can get all the meat off the bones. I usually use the biggest knife I got with a serrated edge and I usually need someone to help hold the salmon so that I can finish the cut.
I am still working on the fillet technique and it is getting better.
I like the idea with the spoon and taking all the meat off the bones that way. I will definitely try that the next time I fillet me a salmon...

Fish on...
Romeo

[love2fish]

The best way I found to filet a salmon, is to take Depoe Bay Dan fishing with you. That guy is a master with a filet knife.

love2fish

[outdoor.spec.ops]

I always get the chainsaw and cut a hunk out of my Cedar Picnic table to cook it on. Yummy Cedar Plank Salmon!

[GutZ]

Originally posted by Sturgeon 42:
I do mine that way and I don't bleed,

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">We wouldn't expect you to bleed, after all you are a surgeon

I like to work from the inside also. Run the knife all the way through and then down the back bown. I then place fillet meat down and get ribs out by lifting front edge to expose first rib bones. Cut down on them against table. Works quite well and is very easy!

Here is a little finished work! This is a fill-et as it was caught in Canada!