Photos and Description by a Lifetime Fisherman
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Part One:
Knives
Knives
The most
important thing to make the perfect salmon fillet is buying the right
type of knives. Cheap knives are a fisherman's worst
nightmare. Therefore, the first thing you want to do is get good
quality knives. Believe me, spending a little more in the
beginning pays off in the long run.
I use two types of knives when I'm filleting a salmon. First, I use a large bread knife for the head and backbone. The bread knife can be either serrated or flat, as long as it is sharp. I prefer serrated, but for the last two years we've been using the knife shown in the bottom of the picture above--a formerly serrated breadknife that my grandpa filed down after the serrations lost their bite. You can buy a good bread knife at a restaurant supply store for about twenty bucks.
The second is a de-boning knife, good for small details. We use this to remove the rib bones. You can buy a good one at CUTCO for about 50 bucks.
The second most important thing to filleting a salmon--and probably the most ignored--is to wear a protective fillet glove. I can't count the number of times the knife has slipped and would have taken off my hand, were it not protected. Some people go without, but if somebody really knows what they're doing, they know how important it is to stay safe. Watching how easily those knives slice through skin and bone gives you a healthy respect for what they can do to your hand.
Part Two:
Getting Ready
Red Salmon with Deboning Knife,
Yentna River, Alaska 2006
Start with a salmon. Any type will do, though an average sized one is easiest to start, say, a red or a silver.
First Cut, Yentna River, Alaska, 2006
Insert the tip of the deboning knife in the small hole on the underside of the salmon. Cut towards the head, sliding between the two sets of fins along the way. Make sure not to cut too deeply and stab the backbone while making the incision, as this will make your final fillet look ragged.
Inside a Salmon, Yentna River, Alaska, 2006
This is what the fish should look like once you've made your cut. Note: Red Salmon are notorious for having worms. If you see worms, keep in mind that all red salmon are wormy, even the stuff they sell in cans at the grocery store. Freezing does NOT kill the worms. Be sure to cook all salmon thoroughly before eating. Clean your hands well afterwards and do not eat raw fish.
Now it's time to take off the head.
Removing the Head, Yentna River, Alaska 2006
Pick up your breadknife and slip the blade under the front fin. Push the edge as close as you can to the joint and cut at an angle aiming back towards the top of the head.
Taking Off the Head, Yentna River, Alaska 2006
Press down and in until you feel the blade of the knife hit the backbone. At this point, if you've got enough upper body strength, you should be able to push the blade down hard enough with one hand to cut through the vertibrae. If you can't do it with one hand, you can lever extra power on the blade with your gloved hand, making sure to keep your fingers out from under the blade. Only push hard enough to sink through the spine. If you go further, you lose meat for your fillet. Once you're through the spine, it's time to flip the fish over.
Separating Head from Body, Yentna River, Alaska 2006
Flip the fish so that the dorsal fin is facing you. Continue the cut at the same angle, meeting up with the cut you made on the first pass. If you've done it right, the result should have a V shape and the head will separate without having to cut through the spine a second time. Note: Some fishermen prefer to make their fillets without any of the previous steps, but for beginners, it is easier to see the backbone and find the angle you'll need to use if the head is removed and the stomach cavity is open.
Removing Innards, Yentna River, Alaska, 2006
This step is not necessary, but it makes for a cleaner finished product. Grab the "pull-tab" near where the head connected to the body and the entire stomach cavity should peel out as you slowly pull back towards the rear of the fish. It might take a few tries to find the "pull-tab" if you don't already know where it is, but a big hint is the soft membrane where the innards connect with the spine of the fish. Don't worry about the blackish-red stuff hidden behind the thicker membrane covering the spine--we'll take that out when we cut the ribs from the fillet.
"Pull-Tab" on an Alaskan Salmon,
Yentna River, Alaska 2006
Notice the hard, bluish membrane stays put.
On to Part Three: The First Cut
I use two types of knives when I'm filleting a salmon. First, I use a large bread knife for the head and backbone. The bread knife can be either serrated or flat, as long as it is sharp. I prefer serrated, but for the last two years we've been using the knife shown in the bottom of the picture above--a formerly serrated breadknife that my grandpa filed down after the serrations lost their bite. You can buy a good bread knife at a restaurant supply store for about twenty bucks.
The second is a de-boning knife, good for small details. We use this to remove the rib bones. You can buy a good one at CUTCO for about 50 bucks.
The second most important thing to filleting a salmon--and probably the most ignored--is to wear a protective fillet glove. I can't count the number of times the knife has slipped and would have taken off my hand, were it not protected. Some people go without, but if somebody really knows what they're doing, they know how important it is to stay safe. Watching how easily those knives slice through skin and bone gives you a healthy respect for what they can do to your hand.
Part Two:
Getting Ready
Red Salmon with Deboning Knife,
Yentna River, Alaska 2006
Start with a salmon. Any type will do, though an average sized one is easiest to start, say, a red or a silver.
First Cut, Yentna River, Alaska, 2006
Insert the tip of the deboning knife in the small hole on the underside of the salmon. Cut towards the head, sliding between the two sets of fins along the way. Make sure not to cut too deeply and stab the backbone while making the incision, as this will make your final fillet look ragged.
Inside a Salmon, Yentna River, Alaska, 2006
This is what the fish should look like once you've made your cut. Note: Red Salmon are notorious for having worms. If you see worms, keep in mind that all red salmon are wormy, even the stuff they sell in cans at the grocery store. Freezing does NOT kill the worms. Be sure to cook all salmon thoroughly before eating. Clean your hands well afterwards and do not eat raw fish.
Now it's time to take off the head.
Removing the Head, Yentna River, Alaska 2006
Pick up your breadknife and slip the blade under the front fin. Push the edge as close as you can to the joint and cut at an angle aiming back towards the top of the head.
Taking Off the Head, Yentna River, Alaska 2006
Press down and in until you feel the blade of the knife hit the backbone. At this point, if you've got enough upper body strength, you should be able to push the blade down hard enough with one hand to cut through the vertibrae. If you can't do it with one hand, you can lever extra power on the blade with your gloved hand, making sure to keep your fingers out from under the blade. Only push hard enough to sink through the spine. If you go further, you lose meat for your fillet. Once you're through the spine, it's time to flip the fish over.
Separating Head from Body, Yentna River, Alaska 2006
Flip the fish so that the dorsal fin is facing you. Continue the cut at the same angle, meeting up with the cut you made on the first pass. If you've done it right, the result should have a V shape and the head will separate without having to cut through the spine a second time. Note: Some fishermen prefer to make their fillets without any of the previous steps, but for beginners, it is easier to see the backbone and find the angle you'll need to use if the head is removed and the stomach cavity is open.
Removing Innards, Yentna River, Alaska, 2006
This step is not necessary, but it makes for a cleaner finished product. Grab the "pull-tab" near where the head connected to the body and the entire stomach cavity should peel out as you slowly pull back towards the rear of the fish. It might take a few tries to find the "pull-tab" if you don't already know where it is, but a big hint is the soft membrane where the innards connect with the spine of the fish. Don't worry about the blackish-red stuff hidden behind the thicker membrane covering the spine--we'll take that out when we cut the ribs from the fillet.
"Pull-Tab" on an Alaskan Salmon,
Yentna River, Alaska 2006
Notice the hard, bluish membrane stays put.
On to Part Three: The First Cut
Fillet Knives and Salmon Roe,
Yentna River, Alaska 2006