How to Clean and Fillet a Salmon: An Easy Guide

Filleting salmon may seem daunting, but the technique is not difficult to learn. Knowing how to fillet fish properly helps prevent you from ending up with a bony piece of fish or wasting meat. Read on to learn how to prepare salmon for filleting, wield a fillet knife with skill and make clean, meaty fillets.

How do you fillet salmon?

Private chef Jeff Woodward says to use a very sharp knife with a flexible blade. Cut down the body of the salmon, right behind the gills. Cut by the back fin, parallel with the ribcage. Lift off the part you filleted, then run the knife down the skin to remove it. Remove any pin bones with tweezers.

Part 1

Part 1 of 4:

Removing the Entrails

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Make sure the fish is completely washed on all sides.
2
Open the belly. Place the fish on its side on a large cutting board. Hold the tail down with one hand, and with the other insert a fillet knife into the vent, or the anus, located on the underside of the fish near the tail. Pull the knife from the vent along the belly toward the head, and stop just between the gills.^{[1]
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Expert Source

Sean “Pooch” Rivera
Chef, Restaurateur, and Culinary Media Personality

Expert Interview}
- Make sure you're using an extremely sharp knife to make the cut to avoid tearing the flesh up.^{[2]
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  Chef Jeff Woodward
  Private Chef
  
  Expert Interview}
- You should not have to make a sawing motion; the cut should be clean.
- Take care not to actually cut deep into the vent or belly, since the organs inside may contain bacteria that could contaminate the fish. If your initial cut is too shallow, you can go back and make a deeper cut.
- If you do cut into the organs, rise the liquid off immediately. Make sure it flows out of the fish, rather than deeper inside.
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Make a cut from the fish's back to its belly. Start at the backbone above the pectoral fin. Press your knife down until you can feel the spine, then make a downward cut that extends behind the pectoral fin and ends at the belly.^{[3]
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Expert Source

Sean “Pooch” Rivera
Chef, Restaurateur, and Culinary Media Personality

Expert Interview}
- Don't cut too deeply, since you want to avoid damaging the organs.
- Gently lift the meat to make sure it is detached from the head area. You should be able to lift a flap from the side of the fish. If it's still attached to the head, use the knife to cut it away.
In a similar fashion, start the cut at the bellow below the pectoral fin. Since you're coming at it from the other side, extend the cut in front of the fin and end it at the backbone. Lift the flap of meat to make sure it is no longer attached to the head.^{[4]
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Expert Source

Sean “Pooch” Rivera
Chef, Restaurateur, and Culinary Media Personality

Expert Interview}
5
Place the salmon on its belly and cut off the head. Use a heavier, sharper knife, rather than the fillet knife, to make a cut straight through the background just behind the head.
- The intestine will still be attached to the vent. Use your knife to cut it cleanly.
- The head, internal organs, and pectoral should come off in one piece. Discard them.
- A serrated knife makes it easier to cut through the backbone.
The long, dark red organ along the salmon's backbone is its kidney. Use the fillet knife to carefully cut it away and lift it from the fish.
Use a large knife (preferably serrated) to saw off the dorsal and caudal fins, then discard them.

Part 2

Part 2 of 4:

Making the Fillets

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1
Remove the meat from one side. With the salmon resting on its side, insert the fillet knife at the end where the head used to be, just above the backbone. Begin using a gentle sawing motion to cut through the ribs and separate the meat from the contoured spine.
- Don't cut too far away from the backbone, since you want to preserve as much meat as possible in the fillet.
- Cut until you reach the tail. Make a perpendicular cut across the tail and lift the fillet from the salmon.
Turn the salmon over and insert the knife where the head used to be, just above the backbone. Use the same technique to saw through the ribs and remove the meat from the spine, creating a second fillet. When you reach the tail, cut the fillet away from the body and set it aside.

Part 3

Part 3 of 4:

Removing the Bones

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1
Remove the ribs. Lay the fillet skin side down on the cutting board. Insert the fillet knife just underneath the first few ribs. Slowly work the knife under the ribs, angling it toward the thicker part of the fish and toward the tail, to loosen a thin flap of meat containing the ribs. Continue until you have removed the ribs, then discard the flap.
- Don't cut too deeply underneath the ribs, or you'll lose too much meat. Cut as closely underneath the ribs as possible, so you only remove a thin layer of meat attached to them.
- Repeat with the second fillet.
Extract the remaining small rib bones near the tail end of the fillet with needle-nosed pliers.

Part 4

Part 4 of 4:

Finishing the Job

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Some consider this portion of the meat to be too strong in taste. Simply slice it off and discard.
Salt may be added to remove superficial impurities from the meat.
Do not let the meat sit out for too long, or it will spoil. You can also freeze the meat in freezer bags for up to six months.
The backbone and head may be saved to make a broth for soup or risotto.
Put the fish trimmings, entrails, and carcass in a tied-off plastic bag and toss in the garbage.

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Question

How do I remove the gills?

Community Answer

You can also use a fillet knife to remove the gills.

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