There is nothing better than delicious fresh fish, but how do you go about preparing what you caught for the grill? Boning a medium-sized fish such as a trout is a fairly simple process and can be done before or after cooking. The most important thing to remember is that a fish's bone structure is simple: using gentle movements you should be able to remove all - or at least most - of the bones in a couple of moves.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Fillet and Duck
Step 1. Remove the trout head
You need to fillet a fish if you only want to serve the best part of it, instead of cooking it whole. Start by making a cut on the neck at the height of the gill slits, positioning the blade of the knife towards the head and not towards the rest of the body, in order to preserve the pulp.
Always use a special fillet knife or one with a sharp blade when preparing fish. It will allow you to cut more cleanly and efficiently
Step 2. Cut the first fillet along the part above the spine
Place the trout on its side with the belly opposite you and start cutting the part above the spine starting from the opening made by removing the head. Insert the knife into the hollow and slide it along the length of the fish, holding yourself just above the spine. Finish by making a cut through the area at the base of the tail and you'll get a clean, pulpy fillet.
If you hold yourself close enough to the central bone, you should be able to feel a sharp snap as you cut the rib cage
Step 3. Turn the trout over and cut the second fillet
Flip it over on the other side and repeat the process, starting with the head and gently slicing the part above the spine until you remove the entire fillet.
Step 4. Remove the bones
Lay each fillet on the side of the skin and remove any bones you find by scraping the pulp with the knife or grabbing the fillet and flexing it to expose the bones stuck inside. Nothing risks ruining a fish dinner like a bite full of fishbones!
It's not a problem if you can't recover all the smallest bones: even professional chefs sometimes lose a few
Step 5. Remove the skin
Once you have filleted the trout you just need to make another cut to remove the skin. Grab the fillet by the tail and with the knife make a diagonal cut through the meat until it reaches the outer layer of the skin. Run the edge of the knife along the underside of the tenderloin while gently pulling the skin away from you, which should come off clean. Repeat with the other fillet and you're ready to grill, bake, or fry it.
Although it is not necessary to remove the skin before cooking, this is usually done when you want to make fish fillets, as it makes it easier to eat
Method 2 of 3: Fillet a Trout Using Scissors
Step 1. Cut off the outer parts of the trout
If you intend to serve it whole, filleting it with scissors will allow you to keep it intact. Start by removing the fins, tail, and any bits of skin that may get in your way as you cut it. If you haven't removed the head yet, use a sharp knife to make a cut in the top of the gills, just below the head. Here there are natural cavities that act as ventilation ducts for the gills and are the ideal place to cut to remove it.
- It is not essential to remove the skin before cooking the fish.
- When you remove the head, press down on the knife and give a quick blow to the back of the blade to sever the backbone without mangling the fish.
Step 2. Make a cut all along the belly
Make a small incision in the upper part of the belly where you removed the head and start cutting slowly towards the other end. Make long, steady movements with the scissors to keep the cut clean and avoid chewing the fish. Keep cutting until you have covered the entire length and reached the end where the tail was.
Raw fish can sometimes contain small parasites and harmful bacteria: remember to wash the scissors after using them
Step 3. Loosen your spine
Open the body of the trout by separating it from the cut you just made and place the fish on the cutting board on the meat side. Slide a narrow, rounded surface - such as the knife handle or the tip of your finger - along the back of the trout, where the spine is. Apply moderate pressure and make quick back and forth strokes - this will help loosen the middle bone so it can be removed more easily.
Be careful not to apply too much pressure or you will damage the meat - the goal is to push the centerbone and ribcage away from the fish's body
Step 4. Remove the spine and rib cage
Flip the trout over and lay it on the skin side; grab the spine near the tail area and pull it up and away from the flesh to remove it. Pull slowly and gradually, being careful not to tear any skin or break the bones. If this is done correctly, the rib cage should come off effortlessly along with the central spine.
- You can also cut along the edges of the spine with the knife in case you struggle to pull it out in one fell swoop.
- Don't worry if your ribcage doesn't come off as easily as you'd like - you'll still need to worry about pulling out any remaining bones.
Step 5. Remove any bones left inside
After removing the central spine and the rib cage what you will have is a nice piece of fish cut in half and opened (what is called "fan open"). Keep the skin of the trout positioned downwards and slide the blade of the knife along the whole fish diagonally: in this way you will detach any small bones left in the meat which can then be removed by hand or with the help of tweezers.
- Most of the small bones are found in the darker flesh around the core of the trout.
- Remove as many bones as possible to avoid unpleasant surprises during dinner.
Method 3 of 3: Fillet after Cooking
Step 1. Cook the trout
With this method you will need to start by cooking the fish completely before removing the bones. The heat generated during cooking will soften the connective tissue around the spine, making it easier to remove the skin. This method allows the fish to retain its natural flavor: the bones can be quickly and easily removed later.
Whichever cooking method you choose to use should be fine for a whole fish as long as the heat is not intense enough to crumble it (watch out for frying for example)
Step 2. Make a small cut at the base of the tail
If you have cooked the fish whole, lift the tail and find the point below where the fillet begins, otherwise start from the area of the tail that has already been cut. Make a cut with a knife or by inserting a fork: this will create an opening to extract the bones from the meat.
You should be able to locate the best place to start separating the backbone by following the cut made for gutting the trout to where it ends in the tail
Step 3. Lift the tail while pulling the skin down
Using the knife or fork to clamp the trout, lift the tail or fin away from the meat. By doing this you should be able to rip the bones out with one sharp motion.
Step 4. Turn the fish over and repeat on the other side
While still holding the tail, flip the trout over, then make a cut in the meat on the opposite side and skin the tail to extract the backbone. In the end you will have the pulp left to taste without any bones.
While it shouldn't be difficult to remove the intact central spine and ribcage after cooking, be sure to check for small residual bones when eating the fish
Advice
- In case the trout is too small to be properly filleted, try fanning it to increase the cutting surface and allow it to cook more evenly.
- Although it is customary to serve medium-sized fish - such as trout - whole, as they retain their flavor better, they can also be cut, skinned and filleted before cooking to satisfy delicate or difficult palates.
Warnings
- Fish should be placed in the fridge as soon as it is caught or purchased.
- When gutting a fish, be especially careful to remove any parasites and lumps that may be in the intestinal tract - it's best to make sure they don't get on the dish you are preparing.
- Always prepare the fish on a sterile surface to prevent bacterial contamination.
- Always be very careful when handling sharp kitchen utensils such as filleting knives.
