Cleaning Fish

Rhino

I love fried bluegill fillets... me and my girlfriend can catch them pretty well also.

The problem, is I don't know how to clean them (my friends dad or aunt always did it).

I've watched them, and got the basic idea... but any protips would be helpful. I don't want to waste any good fish (and apparently is pretty easy with bluegills since they are so small)

Also

I'm kind of a wimp when it comes to killing and cutting up things

I heard you just bash them on the head with something hard till they are knocked out and then start cutting. Is there any better way?

I live in the city, can I just cut these up in my garage? What do I do with the left over parts?

KingMoo

there should be plenty youtube videos that describe how it is done. There are a few different ways to cut the fish: fillet, whole fish w/o head, or steaks.

Rhino

KingMoo wrote: »

there should be plenty youtube videos that describe how it is done. There are a few different ways to cut the fish: fillet, whole fish w/o head, or steaks.

hrm, can you just cut the head off blue gills and then fry them on a grill? That would be ideal.

amateurhour

Cut off the heads using a butchers knife for the least amount of trouble.

Then, use a fillet knife to make an incision down along the bottom and remove all of the insides

Use a scaler or spoon to remove the scales, fillet knife works even better honestly, but you risk losing more of the fish if you don't know how to use it.

Cut the fish in two

Fry, and don't swallow any bones.

RNEMESiS42

http://www.instructables.com/id/Skinning-and-Filleting-Catfish/

Improvolone

Don't hit with anything. It's a fish, not a mugger.

Tokled

I've found that the exact method of cleaning of fish will vary by the type of fish. The main concern is avoiding bones, which can really ruin a meal, although many of the bones in a small fish like a bluegill will be unnoticeable after it is thoroughly cooked.

I would try to describe in detail the way I do it for most fish, but to do it well can be a somewhat delicate operation that's hard to put into words. Your best bet is to watch someone else do it a few times, or search google for videos.

Rhino

Improvolone wrote: »

Don't hit with anything. It's a fish, not a mugger.

How do you put them out? Or you do it while they are still alive and moving around?

Barrakketh

Rhino wrote: »

Improvolone wrote: »

Don't hit with anything. It's a fish, not a mugger.

How do you put them out? Or you do it while they are still alive and moving around?

They stop moving after you remove their head with a cleaver :P

fightinfilipino

Barrakketh wrote: »

Rhino wrote: »

Improvolone wrote: »

Don't hit with anything. It's a fish, not a mugger.

How do you put them out? Or you do it while they are still alive and moving around?

They stop moving after you remove their head with a cleaver :P

well, not for a few minutes :rotate:

it's generally a good idea to get rid of the guts, as they can contain some nasty bacteria and other microorganisms that can survive being cooked if the gut is left intact.

FuzeBox

Conk them on the head with the butt of the knife, or your pliers. This is basically to knock them senseless so they stop moving around on you too much, then you want to cut around the gills and cut off the head. Then you make an incision in their urogenital pore (anus), and cut up from there to where the head used to be. Then take your thumb and run it from the back to the front along the spine to remove the guts. Next you have to remove the skin and fins, so you cut the tail fin off, then pull the other fins out with a pair of pliers. Then you can use the pliers to peel back the skin and remove it (or you can use a knife to cut it out). Wash off the meat you have left and you are good to go.

This is the method as I remember it, but it's been a while heh.

We used to go out and bury the leftovers, but I suppose you can just throw them away, although racoons and cats might like to get into your trash. Cut them up on your counter next to the sink after you put down some old newspapers. Or your garage if you prefer, but use the newspapers.