| After the catching,
or even the buying, there are a few steps between the lake and your plate.
While not for the eternally queasy, cleaning a fish is not as messy as
one might think. And don't worry about the guts. It's part of the full
fishy experience. Cover your work area with plenty of newspaper or heavy
paper bags. Have a plastic bag handy for the guts, bones, etc. Make sure
to seal them well before disposing.
Step 1: Prepare the body
First, wash the fish in cool running water to
remove any slime. With a sharp knife, cut off the pectoral fins on both
sides of the fish. Not all fish need scaling. If you're not sure, run the
blade of the blunt knife at almost a 90 degree angle to the body from tail
end to head. If the scales are thick and come up easily, you need to remove
them. Continue until the body is smooth.
| Step 2: Gut
the fish
Using the sharp knife, drive the blade point into
the vent (small anal opening near the tail, where the body begins to widen).
Cut right through the belly all the way to the gills. Remove the guts from
the cavity. With the spoon, scoop out the dark reddish-brown kidney line
that lies along the backbone. Important: Cut out all parts of the gills. |
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Step 3: Remove Head and
Tail
Cut the head off right below the gills. Cut the
tail where it joins the body. |
| Step 4: Remove Dorsal Fin
and Bones
Cut along the length of each side of the dorsal
fin (top) of the fish. Remove the dorsal fin and connected bones by giving
a quick pull from tail end to head. This step is not essential, but eliminates
those tiny, annoying bones that can ruin a meal. |
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