How to clean small river fish. How to clean and cut fish

11.08.2020
  • fresh or fresh-frozen fish;
  • knife or tool for cleaning scales;
  • boiling water and cold water.

A quick way to clean fish from scales

If the fish is fresh, wash it thoroughly under running water. Freshly frozen carcasses must first be thawed. The least damage to the taste and integrity of the fish skin is caused by slow defrosting in the main compartment of the refrigerator. If there is no time to wait 6-10 hours, defrost the fish in cold salted water.

Put the washed fish in a deep basin or sink. Heat 1.5-2 liters of water. Scald the carcass with boiling water from all sides where there are scales.


Rinse immediately cold water or put on ice so that the fish is not partially cooked. When scalded, a whitish coating forms on the surface of the carcass, which is easily scraped off with a knife.


Now the scales can be simply removed by hand. Pry off the edge of the scales near the tail and, moving towards the head, against its growth, remove the entire scale layer in a single layer.


If you feel sorry for the manicure, remove the scales with a knife or a special peeler, prying it against the direction of growth. So that the scales do not scatter throughout the kitchen, it is necessary to clean the fish in a deep basin, immersing the carcass completely in water. Another method for a clean kitchen is cleaning in a large plastic bag. Not very convenient, but fast and accurate. You can then put the insides and fins there, wrap everything up and throw it away - there will be no smell.


Rinse the fish well again. white plaque and you can proceed to further cutting. To do this, remove the fins and gills with a knife or kitchen scissors. Cut open the belly and take out all the insides. At this stage, accuracy will be required: it is important not to damage the gallbladder. If, nevertheless, bile has flowed out, rinse the fish with plenty of salted water to get rid of the unpleasant, bitter taste. Next, if necessary, remove the head and tail.


Everything, you can cook fish according to your favorite recipes.

According to experts, a person should eat fish at least 4 times a month. These are the norms healthy eating, and this is due to the presence of phosphorus in fish, which is beneficial for the body. But housewives do not have a particular desire to cook such dishes, because they know that cleaning the carcass takes a lot of time, and flying scales will completely discourage all the zeal for cooking. Therefore, to simplify the task, you need to know what methods exist for cleaning fish from scales.

Standard cleaning

Everyone faces the common problem of cleaning fish using the wrong methods. You need to know that such a procedure has been carried out since ancient times and to this day. Many methods have been invented, and all the chefs agreed that the classic cleaning method is relevant and effective.

Classic technology

As a rule, it is better to clean the fish in fresh when it was recently caught or purchased from a store. Only after processing, the carcass is placed in a freezer for further storage. And it is better to do the work directly on the pond or in the yard. In this case, contamination of the kitchen with scales can be avoided. How to clean fish according to the classic method:

After the work done, the fish is washed again under running water.

Cutting in other ways

If you plan to fry the fish in pieces, it must be cut into even slices. The carcass is placed on a cutting board, and the tail and head are removed. Then, with a knife, make cuts on the side so that they are the same size, and then cut the product into pieces. First, in the cutting process, you will go through the pulp and encounter a strong spine. To overcome an obstacle, put one hand on the edge of the knife, and keep the other on the handle. Then, sharply and with force, press on the handle of the tool and break the ridge of the fish, after which the remaining flesh is cut off.

To remove the fillet, do not gut the fish into pieces, as some housewives do. The product is placed on workplace- cutting board. Take the carcass by the tail and cut it in half lengthwise so that the knife blade passes near the spine. It will turn out two parts, on one there will be ribs, and on the second - ribs and a ridge. Now remove the bones by picking them out with a knife. The job is done, cut the finished sirloin into equal parts.

To prepare fish cutlets with bones, you will have to remove all the skin with scales. Only after that, place the product in a meat grinder and twist until fine minced meat is formed so that the bones are crushed as much as possible. But it is desirable to remove all the bones and leave only the pulp for future cutlets.

Cleaning popular fish species

The complexity of cleaning depends on the type of fish. For example, species such as goby and salmon are not cleaned of scales at all. This is due to the small size of the scales, which are also soft. Other specimens are subject to mandatory removal of the skin, for example: eel, catfish and burbot. It is necessary to cut the base of the head shallowly and use a knife to remove the skin. How to quickly clean fish from scales:

Sometimes, after processing river fish, an unpleasant odor cannot be completely eliminated. To do this, the carcasses are placed in a container with salted water for two hours. Then they are taken out of the water and processed lemon juice. This is the most common odor removal method.

Fast scale removal

There are many methods and devices for removing scales on fish. All methods differ in the way they work. It remains to choose the most suitable option, which will not only speed up the process, but also create comfortable conditions. How to quickly scale a fish:

These are the main quick cleaning methods that are considered the best. There are many other options that craftsmen from all over the world have come up with, but they are less popular.

Housewives often use a plastic bag, which prevents scales from scattering. They take a fish carcass and put it inside, then scrape off the scales. Waste stays right in the bag. This means that you do not have to collect fish particles throughout the room. How to clean fish from scales using proven tips:

You can scrape off fish scales in all different ways, using improvised material.

Possible consequences

Quite often, housewives neglect safety precautions and face various injuries. In this case, it is important to be extremely careful. On the surface, it seems that the process of removing scales is a harmless matter, but it is not:

Removing fish scales is a nuisance and is considered one of the dirtiest jobs in cooking. But with gaining experience and the right tool, the cleaning process will be reduced. In order not to harm yourself, follow safety precautions and take your time. Then the risk of injury will be significantly reduced.

At home, so that the kitchen does not later resemble a house of scales? This will be discussed in this article. It turns out there are many ways. And even cleaning supplies.

Cleaning accessories

First of all, you will need at least a knife for cleaning fish. This is the most common option. There is a knife in every home, but all appliances suitable for cleaning should be comfortable, well-sharpened and small. Large scales are well removed with such a device.

In modern times, special devices are sold for cleaning fish. Outwardly and in their action, they resemble an ordinary grater. The devices have holes in which the scales fall during the friction of the fish. Such devices are well suited for removing small scales. Special boards with a clamp are also sold. As a result, it will no longer be necessary to hold the carcass by the tail.

How to quickly clean fish from scales? You can use a regular grater with several edges. It is convenient to use. Moreover, the scales are removed in several rows at the same time. And they do not scatter around, remaining inside the grater.

How to make a device for cleaning fish with your own hands?

You can make a device for cleaning fish yourself. This will require small nails, caps with corrugated edges from glass bottles. And a small board. Several covers are nailed to it with nails. Such homemade device Suitable for cleaning fish with large scales. In field conditions, instead of such a device, you can use a tin can by making torn holes in the bottom.

Fish cleaning

How to quickly clean fish from scales? This process is divided into several stages:


The process of cleaning fish is simple. But there are some nuances and little tricks to make the process more enjoyable and faster:


Methods for cleaning river fish

How to clean from scales? You can take it off different ways. But the most difficult to clean are perches and ruffs. Therefore, initially all prickly fins are cut off from the carcasses. Then the fish is placed in cold water for a few minutes. With a fork or knife, several grooves are made against the scales.

Roach scales are weak, but it is difficult to clean, as it scatters a lot around the kitchen. Therefore, it is better to clean this fish right on the pond. At home, it is better to clean it directly under water. It will be enough to dial it into the pelvis. You can sprinkle the fish with salt and rub. Then rinse with water.

For cleaning fish that have hard scales, a four-sided grater is best suited. The carcass is cleaned, as usual, from tail to head, against scales. Pike. Perch and pike perch can be scalded with boiling water before cleaning. Then the scales come off easily. Removes under running water.

Some types of fish, such as perch, are salted in the evening for quick and easy removal of scales and left in a cool place until morning. Fish from the freezer does not need to be completely defrosted, an hour is enough. During this time, the scales will thaw and it will be easy to remove it.

Some types of fish may not be scaled at all. For example, goby or salmon. The carcasses are fried along with the scales, as it is soft and small. The line is washed in water for a long time before cleaning. If mucus remains on the fish, then the carcass is doused with boiling water. Then the line is washed again under running water. Or the easiest way. The tench is immersed in boiling water for one minute, and then the scales are removed from the carcass directly with the skin.

Big fish

Cleaning the fish from scales will be much easier if you insert a stick all the way into the mouth of the carcass. It is taken and covered with newspaper, which is folded several times. The fish is thoroughly washed. Cleaning begins, as usual, from the tail, but at a slight angle. The tail and dorsal fins are cut off. A small hole is made near the head and the belly is cut to the anus with the tip of a knife.

When gutting, the entire contents of the carcass are cleaned. A white film comes off, passing along the ridge. A red-brown film is peeling off the walls. The head is cut off. If it is left, then all the insides are removed from the gills, otherwise the fish will be bitter.

Catfish, burbot and eel are cleaned by removing the skin from the carcass along with the scales. To do this, an incision is made near the head, and the skin is pulled together in one motion.

Sea fish

Sea fish are often cleaned differently than river fish. For this, a sharply sharpened knife with a thin blade is prepared. The fish is laid out on a hard surface (for example, a cutting board). A small incision is made at the tail. The skin is gently lifted with the tip of a knife.

The result is a small pocket. With the tip of a knife, he begins to expand further, moving towards the head. The skin is removed from the fish along with the scales, cut from the inside with a sharp blade.

How is salted fish cleaned?

Salted fish is sold already peeled. It remains only to gut it. She gets out of the brine, the fins are cut off. And an incision is made along the back. The same goes for the head. The skin is carefully separated and removed towards the tail with a stocking. Then the abdomen is torn open, and the insides are cleaned out. If desired, only caviar and milk are left. The fish is cleaned of the inner black film and washed in cold water.

How is perch cleaned?

How to clean It is quite slippery, so gloves are put on before the procedure. In order not to cut themselves on sharp fins, they are cut off with scissors. To make the cleaning process faster, the fish is sent to the freezer for 20-30 minutes.

After that, the scales will not scatter much on the sides. And it only takes a few minutes to clean the fish. But if the perch is planned to be baked or fried, then carcasses cannot be put in the freezer. While cleaning the fish, the knife is directed from the belly to the back. The tail at this time is tightly pressed against the board.

Zander

How to clean zander fish? There are sharp protrusions on his body. They are removed before cleaning with scissors or a well-sharpened knife. The container is filled with water, in which the fish is completely immersed. If cleaning is carried out with a knife, then it is held at an obtuse angle to the scales.

How is pike cleaned?

How easy is it to scale a fish? For quick and high-quality cleaning of pike, you need to prepare a lot of space. The knife for cutting should be with a wide, well-sharpened blade. Before cleaning, the fins are cut off with kitchen scissors. Then the pike is laid to itself with its head and with one hand is taken by the tail.

The scales are pulled off at the tail, and the knife is drawn towards the head of the fish. If the blade moves with difficulty, then its frequency of reference increases. But at the same time, the areas of scraping of the scales are reduced. In order for the knife to collect the scales completely on itself, it leans at an angle of 100 degrees from the carcass.

carp

Carp is cleaned on a wide cutting board. large, so a special device for cleaning fish is not required . You can use just your hands or a regular knife. One hand grabs the tail. The scales are scraped off towards the head with thumbnails. When approaching the head, you can clean the fish with a knife. Also - on the abdomen and near the tail.

How is the fish cleaned so that the scales do not fly to the sides?

How to quickly clean the fish from scales so that it does not scatter around? It has a fine structure. And sometimes hundreds of scales are removed from the fish. You can put the fish in a plastic bag and clean it. Movements should be neat and not abrupt.

The fish is well cleaned with an ordinary teaspoon, on the one hand having a thinner edge. Since it is not sharp, they do not rip off, but pry off the scales. It separates from the carcass at a slower rate and therefore does not scatter.

In nature or on the site of a private house, cleaning fish does not cause much trouble. But many housewives are interested in how to clean the fish so that the scales do not fly in different directions in a small apartment. It turns out that there are several simple ways to do this.

What you need for cleaning and cutting fish

To clean fish from scales at home, you can use the following tools:

  • kitchen long and sharp knife;
  • a tablespoon (tea) spoon or fork;
  • special tin grater;
  • shop fish scaler;
  • drill.

In addition to the listed tools, you will need a bulk container with water (bucket or basin). It is convenient to clean under water so that the scales from the fish do not scatter.

For butchering, you will need a board and culinary scissors to trim the fins.

It is recommended to clean and cut the fish fresh, and then only place it in the freezer for storage. First of all, it is necessary to cut off the prickly fins with scissors, so that in the process of removing the scales you do not accidentally injure your hands on them. The tail does not need to be trimmed, it is convenient to hold the carcass during cleaning.

Cleaning the fish carcass begins with the tail, gradually moving towards the head. When all the scales are removed, the carcass is cut, all the insides are removed and, if necessary, the head and tail are cut off.

If the fish is small, then for the time of cleaning it can be placed not under water, but in a plastic bag. All the scales will remain in the bag, it will not have to be collected throughout the kitchen.

If the scales from the fish are poorly peeled off, then the carcass is first doused with boiling water, and then lowered into a basin of cold water.

How to clear mucus

First, the fish is washed in in large numbers water from dirt and mucus. Then it is dried with a napkin or towel so that it does not slip in the hands. If there is a lot of mucus, then the fish is abundantly sprinkled with salt, left for 10 minutes, and then washed under running water.

To remove mucus, you can also dip the carcass for 10 seconds in a pot of boiling water, the mucus adhering to the scales curls up like egg white. By further rinsing with cool water, the fish is completely cleaned.

Another way is to rub the fish with plenty of salt so that it does not slip in your hands. To quickly remove mucus, the fish is placed for a couple of minutes in a prepared vinegar solution, 1 tbsp. l. table vinegar is dissolved in 3 liters of water.

The correct way to remove scales with a knife

Cleaning begins with the tail (for which it must be held), the knife gradually moves towards the head. If the scales from the fish are poorly peeled off, then the carcass is first doused with boiling water, and then lowered into a bucket of cold water. A small fish is simply held in the palm of your hand during cleaning.

After removing the scales, the fish is cut along the abdomen (trying not to damage the gallbladder, so that the finished a fish dish not bitter) and gutted, removing the insides. If the head remains, then the gills must be cut off. To remove the bones, a deep incision is made along the ridge, a large bone is taken out, and then those that are smaller. The gutted fish is washed in water and dried with a paper towel.

Cleaning the fast way

To clean carp, you can use a special scraper that has a container for collecting scales. Plastic, metal and electric scrapers are available for sale. Included with the tools you can find cutting boards with a fishtail clamp.

You can quickly clean the crucian from scales like this in a simple way. The fish is scalded with boiling water, after which the scales rise and are easily removed by hand, if you draw from the tail to the head. First, the sides are cleaned, and then the abdomen, while the skin is not damaged.

You can quickly and correctly clean the fish with a simple spoon or fork. The side part of the cutlery produces movements from the tail to the head against the location of the scales.

How to quickly clean a fish with a grater

Clean river fish or lake with hard scales is convenient with a simple grater. With one hand, the fish is held by the tail, and with the other hand, in which the grater is located, they are carried out with smooth movements with effort from the tail to the head. When fishing, you can try to make a grater from an empty, unnecessary tin can by breaking through its bottom several times with a large nail.

When using this method, for safety, it is recommended to wear rubber gloves with a ribbed base.

How to do it with a drill

It is difficult to clean a perch with a knife; this fish has small but strong scales. The fishermen came up with a method that made it possible to simplify the cleaning process. A thick board is prepared, a large nail is nailed to it, on which the head of a fish is planted.

A brush with metal bristles is inserted into the drill, the tool is turned on at low speed and they begin to remove the scales with it. At the same time, it is recommended to clamp the tail with pliers so that the perch does not slide on the board. It is convenient to use this method on the street, because the scales will fly around. To facilitate the cleaning process, the fish after the catch should be covered with a wet cloth.

How to clean frozen

To clean frozen fish after removing it from the freezer, leave it for 1 hour at room temperature. When the scales warm up a little, they are separated from the skin with the tip of a knife. For frozen fish, it is convenient to use a special knife with notches along the edge.

How to cut fish in different ways

Cut the fish depending on the chosen cooking method. The carcass can be cut into portions for frying, separate the fillet from the bones, or prepare for further stuffing.

How to quickly fillet

For getting fish fillet the carcass is placed on the board. With one hand they firmly hold the tail, with a sharp knife they cut the fish lengthwise into halves. In this case, the knife blade should pass close to the spine. After that, all bones and skin are removed from both parts with the help of a knife edge. The finished fillet can be twisted in a minced meat grinder.

For portioned round pieces

Before cutting into pieces, the head and tail of salmon and other large fish are removed. Then, on the board on the carcass, even small cuts are made on its lateral part in order to portioned pieces were the same size.

The flesh is cut with a sharp knife, when in contact with the vertebral bone, they press on the edge of the knife with one hand, and with the other hand they sharply and forcefully press on the handle. When the ridge is broken, cut off the rest of the pulp.

For stuffing

A whole fish can be used for stuffing; before cooking, the carcass should be carefully gutted. We clean the fish, put it on its back, pierce the tip of the knife into the belly at the base of the head and draw it to the beginning of the tail. The open belly is parted and all the insides are removed from it by hand, then the black film is removed.

Using one of these methods, cleaning and butchering fish will become a pleasant and quick task. The right tool and practice will shorten the cleaning process.

Love to eat fish love and clean her. I would like to say that this is some kind of ancient culinary proverb, but in fact this is an unspoken rule: you must admit, sometimes we simply refuse for lunch or dinner simply because the main ingredient needs to be thoroughly cleaned, and this takes a lot of time and effort.

Firstly, then the fish slips out of the hands, then the knife. Secondly, the scales stick to the skin tightly and you have to wield anything. Thirdly, until you get all the insides, in your hand is not a fish, but a mess.

What if our friendly team assures you that brushing can be done in less than a minute, and after several repetitions - in just 30 seconds? "With taste" shares techniques that work flawlessly and adds some tips from experienced anglers to it. So, cleaning can be the easiest step in cooking.

How to clean a fish in 30 seconds


The fish won't slip if you put some salt on your hands. You can also open the mouth of the fish and place it in it. This fixation will simplify the work. Carry out the entire procedure in a plastic bag if you are afraid that you will stain your clothes and kitchen surfaces.


If you have the most ordinary knife at hand and you are afraid that you will cut yourself, clean it with the blunt side. And the tail wrap with a dry cloth then it won't slip out of your hand.

You can save time and buy ready-made fillet. But the problem is that it is impossible to check whether fresh fish was butchered, how long the carcass lay in freezer And how many times has it been defrosted? Having learned how to properly prepare the product in this way, you will always serve only the most delicious and. Tell others about your fish cleaning options and follow the advice yourself regularly.