To clean a fish properly, follow these steps:
- Prepare your workspace and tools
Have a clean cutting board or table, a sharp knife, a dull knife or spoon for scaling, a bucket for guts, and access to cold running water
- Bleed the fish (optional but recommended)
Make a shallow cut under the gills and snap the head back to break the spinal cord, then let the fish bleed out. This preserves flavor and makes gutting cleaner
- Remove scales
Hold the fish by the tail and scrape from tail to head with the back of a knife, spoon, or dull knife to remove scales. Remove scales on all sides. For thick-skinned fish, skinning may be easier
- Gut the fish
Lay the fish belly-up. Insert the knife tip near the anal opening and cut shallowly up the belly towards the head, being careful not to puncture intestines. Open the cavity and remove all guts with fingers or a spoon. Scrape out any dark kidney tissue along the backbone to avoid a strong flavor
- Remove gills and fins (optional)
Cut out the gills if you plan to remove the head or want to clean thoroughly. Trim off dorsal and other fins if desired
- Remove the head (optional)
Cut behind the gills if you want to remove the head. Some fish like trout are often cooked with the head on for flavor
- Rinse and dry
Rinse the fish inside and out with cold water to remove blood, scales, and debris. Avoid excessive water to preserve flavor. Pat dry with paper towels
- Dispose of waste properly
Collect guts, heads, and scales and discard responsibly
After cleaning, the fish is ready for cooking whole, filleting, or cutting into steaks depending on your recipe
. This method ensures freshness and good taste for your catch of the day.
