TigerChef

As a guest, you order your fish and presto! - you get a tasty looking piece of fillet fish presented to you on an attractive platter. As a chef, you get an order for a fillet fish dish. Some tips that will help you master the art of feeding your customers only the best fillet fish.

• Whether you choose to do your own fishing or get the fish delivered to your door, is ultimately your choice. However, for best results, clean and fillet your fish within the first 2 hours after catching it, and prepare and cook it within the next 24 hours.
• If you know that you will not be cooking the fish shortly, then fillet the fish, prepare it up to the cooking stage and get it into the freezer as soon as possible. Some signs of fish that is no longer fresh are a strong smell, a milky liquid on the fish, and if you press the fish with your finger, you indentation should disappear within seconds.
• You’ll need 3 essential kitchen tools in order to successfully fillet your fish: a fillet knife to remove the fish from its bones, scissors to snip off anything extra from the fish, and tweezers to remove any bones that stayed behind.
• It is extremely important that you use the correct knife. The knife must be a fillet knife that is strong, sharp, yet flexible at the same time. Flexibility is important since you want to make sure you get as much meat out of the fish as possible, and the flexibility gives you the option to beat around any obstacles that may be in your way.
• Make sure that the size of the fillet knife matches the size of the fish you’ll be working on to get the job done well, with the minimal amount of mess.
• The more water you use on your fish while filleting, the more firm the fish will become. Use water in moderation to keep the fish soft and buttery.
• Probably most important of all is the sharpness of your knife. Invest in a sharpening tool for your knives. The sharper the knife, the faster and cleaner your cuts will be. A dull knife will just give you heartache and waste much needed kitchen time, keeping your customers waiting and unhappy.

Filed under: How-To • General • Food Quality

Tags: fillet a fish, fillet knives, kitchen tools