How To Fillet a Steelhead

The Ultimate Guide To Fillet A Steelhead

How To Fillet A Salmon

Filleting salmon may seem daunting, but with practice, you can turn a whole fish into clean fillets ready for cooking. This guide covers filleting, cleaning, and cutting salmon, and answers common questions like washing and reskinning fillets. Let's get started.

Preparing To Fillet A Salmon

Before starting, ensure you have a clean workspace, a sharp fillet knife, paper towels, and fish tweezers for removing pin bones. A sharp knife is crucial to avoid tearing the delicate salmon flesh."

Steps To Prepare:

1. Lay the salmon on a cutting board, making sure the surface is stable.
2. Rinse the salmon under cold water and pat it dry with a paper towel. This step is important for cleanliness and ensures your knife has a better grip on the fish's skin. However, this raises a common question:

Position the Salmon Correctly

Place the salmon on your cutting board with the head facing you and the belly toward the knife. You'll start the cut from the head down toward the tail. Insert your knife into the belly near the tail and slice upward toward the head. Remove the internal organs and rinse the inside of the fish.

Once You Have Your Fillets, You May Want To Remove The Skin, Depending On Your Recipe. Skin-On Salmon Is Great For Grilling Or Pan-Frying, But Many Recipes Call For Skinless Fillets.
Lay the fillet skin-side down on the cutting board.

• Starting at the tail end, make a small incision between the skin and the flesh, holding the skin with your non-dominant hand.
• Angle your knife slightly down toward the skin as you gently saw back and forth, pulling the skin away as you cut. With practice, the skin should come off in one piece, leaving a clean fillet.

Do You Need To Remove The Pin Bones?

Pin bones are small, thin bones that run down the center of the fillet and are often left behind after the filleting process. While they are not dangerous to consume, they can be an unpleasant surprise in a bite of salmon. Use fish tweezers to remove them by running your fingers along the fillet and gently pulling each bone out.

How To Cut A Salmon Fillet

Once you have your fillet, you can portion it out for various recipes. Cutting your fillet into steaks or smaller portions depends on how you plan to cook it.

• For Salmon Steaks: Lay The Fillet Skin-Side Down And Slice Perpendicular To The Length Of The Fillet, Creating Thick Steaks.
• For Smaller Portions: Simply Cut The Fillet Into Smaller Pieces, Making Sure Each Has An Even Thickness For Consistent Cooking.

How To Store Salmon

Proper storage is key to maintaining the flavor and quality of your salmon. If you plan to use the fillet within a day or two, store it in the coldest part of your refrigerator, wrapped tightly in plastic or parchment paper. For longer storage, freezing is the best option. To freeze, wrap the salmon in plastic wrap, followed by aluminum foil, and place it in an airtight freezer bag.