HANDLING AND CLEANING FISH
Michigan State University Extension 
Preserving Food Safely - 01600798 
08/03/99 

The quality of the preserved fish begins with the 
handling of the fish when caught. Handle fish carefully; 
they bruise easily. Keep fish out of the sun. Clean, dress 
and wash fish immediately; then pack them in ice, or 
refrigerate them as soon as possible to prevent 
deterioration. Use within 1 to 2 days. 

Follow these basic steps for cleaning, dressing and 
steaking fish. 
1. Wash fish. Use clean, drinking-quality water. 
2. Scale or skin as required. Remove scales by 
scraping with dull edge of a knife from the tail to the 
head. If you skin the fish, it is not necessary to scale 
it. To skin, split the skin down the back, and loosen 
around the fins. Use pliers to remove the skin, pulling 
from head to tail. 
3. Cut entire length of belly from vent to head. 
Remove viscera and gills if the head is not to be 
removed. 
4. To remove the head (if desired) cut to the backbone 
above the collarbone. Break the backbone over edge of a 
table or cutting board, then cut any tissue holding the head 
to the body. 
5. Remove dorsal (large back) fin by cutting along each 
side and pulling the fin and attached bones out. Never trim 
off fins because the bones at the base of the fins will be 
left in the fish. 
6. Wash fish thoroughly in cold running water. 
7. Large fish may be steaked. To steak, cut fish 
crosswise into portions about 1 inch thick. 

Fish may be filleted without first removing the 
viscera. With a sharp knife, cut down the back of the fish 
from the tail to the head. Then cut down to the backbone. 
Angle the knife to cut away the flesh from the backbone, 
allowing the knife to run over the rib bones. Lift off the 
side piece, freeing the fillet at the tail. Turn the fish 
over, and cut the fillet from the other side. If you wish 
to skin the fillet, lay it skin-side down on a cutting 
board. Hold the tail end with your fingers, and cut through 
the flesh away from it by running the knife forward while 
holding the free end of the skin firmly between your 
fingers. 


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