Filleting This is how fish becomes bone-free

Fish without bones: How to fillet
Fish is healthy and tasty. But many shy away from the preparation for fear of bones or doing something wrong. There is no art in excluding and filleting fish. Then you are not dependent on the purchase of kitchen fish or fish fillets.
To remove the fish, you need a pair of scissors and, in the case of a fish with scales, a fish shovel or a large knife. First, back and belly fin are separated. Then hold the fish by the caudal fin and scrape the scales from the tail to the head. Our tip: It is best to dehusk in the sink so that the scales do not spread throughout the kitchen. To exclude, carefully prune the fish with the pair of scissors from the anus opening to the gills and spread the flaps slightly apart. This allows the innards to be removed and disposed of. The gutted fish is briefly cleaned under cold water and dried.

Filleting is not as difficult as many imagine. Image: Quade - fotolia

The fish can now be filleted. For "round" fish such as herring or trout, two fillets are cut. To do this, cut with the knife along the spine and across the gills. Run the knife lengthwise through the fish along the main bone and separate the bones from the filet. Who wants to prepare the fish without skin, then loosens the skin. In flatfish such as plaice or turbot, you will get a total of four fillets: the front and the rear fillet can be divided again. In flatfish, first the skin is peeled off and then filleted.

Cooking, poaching, roasting, stewing or grilling - fish can be prepared in many ways. When cooking, the water should boil only slightly. If it cooks too hard, the fish disintegrates. When poaching, the fish pulls in hot water with herbs and spices. This is how he comes to the table in a particularly gentle and low-calorie way. This also applies to fat-free stewing in the oven: Put the fish with herbs in an aluminum foil. Basil, dill, thyme and also curry, ginger and mustard harmonize particularly well with the marine life. Close the aluminum foil, but leave a bubble of air around the fish and then put the packet in the oven to cook.

It is best to salt the fish only shortly before preparation, because the salt extracts water from the connective tissue. The taste is thereby intensified, but the meat of the fish becomes drier over time. (Dr. Claudia Müller, aid)