How to Fillet a Salmon
Filleting a salmon is a useful skill to prepare fish for cooking. Here's a step-by-step guide to fillet a salmon:
Tools You'll Need:
A sharp fillet knife
A cutting board (preferably non-slip)
Kitchen towel or gloves for grip (optional)
Step-by-Step Instructions:
Prepare the Work Area:
Place the salmon on a large cutting board. If it’s slippery, use a kitchen towel or gloves for grip.
Remove the Head (Optional):
If you want to remove the head, position the fish so that its back faces you. Make a diagonal cut just behind the gills down to the spine, then cut through the bone to remove the head.
Make the First Fillet Cut:
Lay the salmon with its belly facing you and tail away from you.
Starting just behind the head area (or where the head was), insert the tip of your knife at the top of the spine.
Run the knife along the backbone, keeping the blade as close to the spine as possible, using long, smooth strokes. Slice the meat away from the ribs, working from head to tail.
Separate the First Fillet:
Continue running the knife along the ribs, releasing the first fillet. Keep the blade angled slightly down toward the bones to minimize wasted meat.
Flip the Fish:
Once the first fillet is removed, turn the fish over, keeping the tail toward you.
Follow the same process as above, running the knife along the backbone and down the ribs to separate the second fillet.
Remove the Rib Bones:
On each fillet, carefully slice away the rib bones. Hold the knife flat and cut just under the ribs to remove them.
Pin-Bone Removal:
Run your fingers over the surface of the fillets to locate any pin bones. Use tweezers or needle-nose pliers to pull them out.
Trim the Fillets (Optional):
Trim off any excess fat, skin (if desired), or any remaining bones.
Skin the Fillets (Optional):
If you want skinless fillets, place the fillet skin-side down on the board.
Grip the tail end of the skin, angle the knife slightly downward, and slide it between the skin and the flesh, pulling the skin taut as you cut.
Brown Sugar Salmon
When it comes to 15-minute weeknight dinners, nothing is better than a simple piece of flaky, tender, savory-sweet brown sugar-glazed salmon. It takes 5 minutes to prep, 10 minutes to cook, and cleanup is an absolute breeze.
Tips:
Use a sharp knife for clean cuts.
Long, smooth strokes minimize jagged edges and wasted meat.
Be patient and practice; the more you fillet, the better your technique will become!
Now you have beautiful fillets ready for cooking!
Oven-Baked Salmon
One of the most versatile mains we've ever developed, this sheet pan salmon is a weeknight dinner that you can return to again and again. Whether you're looking for the easiest way to feed a crowd or a simple, hands-off meal, this is a recipe to keep up your sleeve.
