How to clean fresh fish. How to quickly and correctly clean the fish

How useful fish is, and how tasty it can be cooked! But ... Probably, you can not find a woman who would not wrinkle her nose at the mere thought of these torments. Like, it needs to be cleaned, which means that the whole kitchen is again in scales, the hands are cut, scratched, and the smells will haunt for several days.

  • What do you need for cleaning
  • We clean the fish
  • Helpful advice

Want to make cooking a joy? Let's learn how to properly prepare this product. After all, fresh fish is not cut everywhere.

And buying fillets is not always desirable - who knows how long the carcass had lain in the freezer before and how many times it had been thawed. So, I offer several options for cleaning fish.

What do you need to clean fish?

  • sharp knife. If this is your first time doing this, do it with the blunt side and or take a blunt knife. After all, large scales can be removed even with a fork. If you have a scraper adapted for this purpose, or a grater, then in the case of small scales, this will be great.

TIP: Make your own grater. Previously, bottle caps helped out - nailed a few to the plank, and wield. Now you can take an empty tin can, cut its ends, and nail the bottom to the plank.

  • Paper towel.
  • Cutting board.
  • Kitchen scissors.
  • Water for rinsing hands.

Preparing fresh fish for cutting - step by step instructions with photos

The first thing to do is rinse the fish under the pressure of water. This is especially true for large specimens (like mine - it was a Carp weighing 2 kg).

After washing off the dirt from the carcass, removing the mucus with a napkin, look into the mouth of the fish bought at the market - if there is any bait left in the form of corn or something else.

TIP: Cooking headless fish? Don't cut it off! Indeed, in the process of cleaning, you will have to hold on to it, otherwise the slippery carcass will strive to slip onto the floor.

And now - the main options and stages!

Option number 1

And why clean the fish! What a question? Of course, in order to cook and comfortably eat a dish. But, by the way, sometimes the scales are not removed at all. After all, it can sometimes enhance the taste of the dish. It also retains nutrients.

Did you guess? But I'm not just talking about the ear. After all, this is also done when cooking for a couple or when stewing. Dishes are flavorful and rich.

In this situation, cleaning is limited to gutting and straining the broth, if it is an ear.

TIP: The fish should only be fresh, but not defrosted!

Option 2

We put a clean carcass on a cutting board. So that you do not get injured even from a tiny fin, arm yourself with scissors. It is urgent to cut off everything that can cause injury. You can also do this with a knife, making cuts. But I love scissors - so the fish is whole.

What scales do fish have? What size is it? If a small specimen is caught, take the carcass in your free hand, pry off the scales with a knife near the tail and, pressing the blade almost flat, start moving the knife towards the head.

If the fish is large, like mine, keep it on a cutting board, grabbing it by the gills. Peel with a sharp movement, advancing with a knife or grater against the growth of scales from tail to head. Carefully, because your left hand is very close!


Running your hand over the surface, did you make sure that not a single flake was left? It's time to start cutting the abdominal cavity. But before that, rinse the fish thoroughly so that the scales do not get inside from the board.

The carcass lies on the board. With your free hand (you can wrap it with a paper towel or something else), we make an incision along the abdomen with a knife or scissors.

BTW: Do not press the knife too hard against the fish, otherwise its surface will be damaged or the abdominal cavity will open, which is undesirable.


Choose whatever is inside. To do this, move your hand deep. Feeling that she rested against the walls, begin to slowly bring your fingers under the insides.

Pick them up and take them away, slightly tearing them off, to the very head. Very carefully - there is a gallbladder. Don't forget to wash your belly well!

TIP: Violated the integrity of the gallbladder? Do not be discouraged, just urgently rub salt in the place where the bile touches the fish. You can cut it with a knife, but immediately and carefully, without damaging the integrity!


What happens next depends on what you are cooking. That is, use it entirely or without a head and tail, say, you need a fillet or a carcass. In the second case, we place the fish on the board and, holding its head with the second hand, cut it off evenly and quickly.

ATTENTION: During a gentle cleansing of the insides, it is advisable to go deep under the head with the index finger - blood clots are always hidden there, which will spoil the taste of the dish. Especially if you want to make an ear from the trim! Rinse afterwards several times with water. Grab the fins on both sides with a knife - a good piece of meat will grab there.

Do you want to cook soup, because the fish is large? Then cut off all the parts so that there is more meat in them (in the area of ​​\u200b\u200band the head, tail, and fins). Remember to remove the gills from the head and eyes. This is such a beautiful cut!

Are you faced with the task of chopping steaks? If the fish are small, there will be no problems. But with a large one you will have to tinker, because the pieces should be beautiful and even. You can cut it with a sharp knife to the ridge, and then cut it with a cleaver.

But do you need to separate the fillets? Which one - in pieces or the whole carcass to use? Let's start. The process is not easy, but real. With a sharp knife, draw a knife along the entire length of the ridge. Got to the bone? Now carefully guide the knife to the bottom, prying the meat. You will get two fillets. If you already have steaks, do the same, separating the meat at the ridge.

Then do as the next scenario requires. That is, it will be either two fillets, or you will cut them into slices. The main thing is to get rid of all the bones, do not throw away a single fin and backbone!

I want to brag - I got such a wonderful set for fish soup. Someday I'll post the recipe for the soup that came out of it!

Option number 3

Everything is easier in terms of removing scales. By dipping the carcass for a few seconds in boiling water, you can easily get rid of it.
With a sharp knife, make two cuts across the head and closer to the tail. Open the belly and gut the carcass.
Cut the upper fin with two longitudinal cuts side by side, and pull the lower one out.

Remove the gills and eyes from the head. Cut steaks or fillets and cook!

Some useful tips on how to properly prepare fresh fish for cooking

  • To avoid odors. Lubricate the board, knife and hands with lemon. Finally, wrap the board in plastic and immediately collect the scales and entrails in a bag.
  • To keep the fish from slipping out. You can either rub your hands with salt, or wrap them in a towel or napkin.
  • So that the scales do not scatter. Open the faucet and continue to clean the fish under running water. Wrap the carcass in polyethylene, collecting the insides and scales there. Or carry out the entire procedure in a deep bowl or bucket of water - so the scales will not be on the walls and floor
  • If the scales are dry. Rinse the carcass again, or hold it a little in ice water(but not warm!).
  • If the scales are hard or tightly pressed against the skin. Rinse the carcass with boiling water.
  • It is better to clean the fish immediately after purchase.
  • After slightly acidifying the water with vinegar or lemon, hold the fish in it - it will become easier to clean!
  • Don't forget to remove the pellicles inside - the brown ones can make it taste bitter.
  • Take only sharp knives, but put some greenery nearby - suddenly a cut!
  • Put the fish in the refrigerator, wrapping it in a damp cloth or polyethylene - so it does not wind up.
  • The bag with the intestines must be immediately tied up and taken out immediately.
  • Cutting fish is best done on a special board.

And know that careless cleaning of fish will definitely affect the taste of the dish. That's why we're not lazy!

We clean the fish correctly, observing the basic rules, which are as follows:

We cut off all the fins with scissors so as not to get hurt on them.

We are not in a hurry to cut off the head of the Fish - it is convenient to hold the Fish for it.

We clean with a sharp knife from the tail to the head, without tearing the knife off during the reverse movement.

Carefully open the belly of the Pisces with a knife and scissors to remove all the insides, paying special attention to the integrity of the gallbladder and the removal of black films and blood clots.

Rinse the fish regularly in clean water.

We offer all fish cleanings to Chickens, Geese or Ducks for a period of three hours, and then we throw them into the compost heap.

I invite everyone to speak in

Sooner or later there comes a moment when the hostess is faced with a problem that sometimes seems insoluble. Fish… Raw and unpeeled fish!!! What to do with it and how to clean fish- these are questions that baffle young housewives.

In fact, there is nothing terrible and complicated in this process. Verified by personal experience. Of course, when you finally deal with this slippery fish, you understand that "the devil is not as scary as he is painted." But when for the first time in my hands there was raw, ungutted crucian carp, it seems that for about ten minutes I just looked at him in confusion.

How to quickly clean fish from scales?

So, let's get down to the process itself. After defrosting, and even if the fish is freshly chilled (in this case, you need to know how), it has the not very pleasant property of being slippery. Therefore, the first thing to do is rinse it under cool tap water.

Then comes the process of cleaning the scales. In my own way personal experience I will say that it is best to do this in the same sink, since the scales will fly off in all directions of the kitchen. Take a large bowl in which the fish is placed. The head of the fish should look at you (sounds intimidating), and the tail, on the contrary, away from you. You need to arm yourself with any convenient object, for example, a knife, fork, teaspoon. Be careful with the knife, you can cut yourself. To the question " How to clean fish from scales"I would personally say -" a teaspoon. However, it's up to you. So, we take the fish by the tail and begin to scrape off the scales "against hair growth." From tail to head. We are slowly moving towards the head and watching how harmful scales fly off in all directions. Having cleaned one side, proceed to the other. After the fish is scaled, rinse it again to remove any adhered scales.

How to clean and gut fish?

Next, we need a cutting board. In this regard, one more unpleasant property of fish is recalled - the smell. And this smell is firmly eaten into cutting boards. Therefore, a little advice that will be of great benefit - be sure to put a newspaper folded several times on the cutting board, or a simple package. Besides the fact that this technique will save you from an unpleasantly smelling board, it will also help you quickly clean up your workspace later.

So, the most unpleasant moment comes - now the fish needs to be gutted. We put the fish on the board with the ridge up, belly down. With a knife, cut the belly from head to tail. Now we raise the upper half of the fish and clean out all the contents with a knife or the same spoon. We pick out each unpleasant-looking piece. It is also necessary to remove the red-brown film, scrape it off the walls of the abdomen.

It remains to solve the problem with the head - if you leave it, then you need to clean the gills. Remove their insides, otherwise the fish will be bitter. Or you can just cut off your head and not suffer.

Everything! Now rinse the fish again, and you can start cooking. This is such a simple process, but it’s nice that you still managed to defeat this fish. Having done this once, you yourself will be able to explain to everyone, how to clean fish.

P.S. Recipe - salt the crucian, pepper, brush with sour cream and put in the oven for 30-40 minutes at 180 degrees. Real !

How to clean fish so that scales do not fly? Convenient methods invented by avid fishermen are recognized as effective. What methods are chosen experienced housewives?

How to clean fish so that scales do not fly?

How to clean fish from scales?

It’s nice to deal with fish without scales in the kitchen, but what if you come across a variety with a solid “chain mail”?

In some cases, cooking with scales or the scale itself is allowed, because it contains vitamin PP and chromium, which are important for health. It is impossible to eat it, but jelly prepared on this basis has a great taste.

  • When you have to clean the fish, do it simultaneously with gutting.
  • Sharp fins, in order not to get hurt, must be cut off.

An inexperienced person will need a lot of effort to scrape off the scales. They will scatter in different directions and stick to the surfaces of the kitchen. But experienced fishermen have already come up with a lot of options to make it easier to prepare fish for cooking. Here are a few options on how to clean fish and leave a minimum of debris:

  • a corrugated kitchen knife, the blunt side of an ordinary knife, a fork processed a fish placed in plastic bag. It is important to carry out manipulations so that the package is not broken;
  • in a sink filled with water or a deep bowl, the scales are cleaned with a teaspoon with a thin edge. Need to clamp fish head fingers. The method is good for small fish;
  • large scales are dealt with with a sharp fillet knife. Its blade is inserted from the side of the tail between the scales and skin. The gradual removal of such a stocking can be lengthy, but guarantees the cleanliness of the kitchen;
  • removal of the skin with a stocking is carried out, starting from the head. After making 2 cuts, grabbing the edge of the skin with pliers, they clean the fish. It is recommended to do this on paper or a bag in the kitchen sink;
  • the scales slide off evenly after the fish is scalded with boiling water on both sides. You can put it in boiling water for a few seconds. The method is good even for very tight-fitting scales. Its disadvantage is that it loses useful material, although on taste qualities processing is not particularly affected;
  • with special tools for cleaning fish, the process is accelerated by 2-3 times. Designs with a small container are especially convenient. The scales are neatly collected there, without clogging the surrounding space;
  • fish with scales is boiled, removing the skin from it and separating the bones after.

By choosing one of the listed methods, there is no doubt that the fish will be cleaned of scales qualitatively, and the kitchen will delight with its cleanliness.

Fish meat contains beneficial vitamins and beneficial minerals. Therefore, fish should be present in the diet of not only adults, but also children. The noble taste of fish meat can amaze even the most picky gourmets.

Unfortunately, many deny themselves this delicacy for only one reason - they do not know how to clean it from scales correctly and quickly.

The water world has given nature many species of fish, among which there are those in which the scales are completely absent. Among them:

  • Mackerel.
  • Tench,
  • Burbot.
  • Sturgeon.
  • Acne.
  • Sterlet.

Therefore, before you start cleaning the fish, you need to make sure that it is present at all. The above types of fish should be thoroughly washed and gutted before cooking.

Interesting ways to clean fish

Most fish are covered with scales, and pike and zander are the most difficult to get rid of. By following some tricks, the process of cleaning fish will not present any difficulties.

Method 1

  1. Lay the fish carcass on a work surface.
  2. Use scissors to cut off the fins, which can injure your fingers during the cleaning process.
  3. Dip the fish in a basin of water for a while and gently rinse it under running cold water.
  4. Put the carcass back on the work surface with the head towards you.
  5. Put on your hands latex gloves and arm yourself with a knife with a thin and sharp blade.
  6. Start the process from the side of the tail towards the head.
  7. Clean the carcass first on one side, and then on the other.
  8. Rinse the fish carcass again under running water and check for scales.
  9. If necessary, repeat the cleaning process again.
  10. Gut the cleaned fish and rinse under the tap.

A similar kind of method that will allow you to get rid of fish scales without much difficulty is to clean the fish directly in a bowl of water. All manipulations should be performed in the same order as described above.

To prevent fish scales from flying around the kitchen, experts recommend cleaning fish in a plastic bag. To do this, rinse the carcass of the fish, cut off the fins and put it in a plastic bag with the tail out. With the tip of a knife, remove the scales towards the head. Thus, all the scales will remain right in the bag.

Method 2

  1. Prepare sharp knife with a thin blade.
  2. Lay the washed fish on a stable surface.
  3. Make an incision near the tail.
  4. With the tip of a knife, gently lift the skin along with the scales - a pocket is formed.
  5. Slowly moving towards the head of the fish, expand the pocket by carefully cutting the skin with a knife inside.

Homemade cleaning tool

Do special device you can clean the scales yourself, at home.

Option 1

You will need to prepare:

  1. Corks from a glass bottle - 3 pcs.
  2. Self-tapping screws - 3 pcs.
  3. Wooden base (handle from a paint brush).

Using an awl, make a hole in each of the plugs. Then, attach the covers to the edge of the wooden base and screw each of them with self-tapping screws. With this device, you can easily clean the scales.

Option 2

  1. wooden board
  2. Nails - 2 pcs.
  3. Mini high pressure car wash.

With such a device, cleaning fish will not take more than 2 minutes.

Lay the fish on a board and nail it with two nails - drive one nail into the ridge near the tail, the other in the head area. The pressure of water to move towards the head. As a result, only a smooth sirloin on the ridge will remain.

This method is suitable for those who are fishing away from home and can't wait to try fresh fish soup.

Salty fish

Herring fish is a delicious product that no one can refuse. To save themselves the unpleasant cleaning process, many people buy ready-made sirloins in packages. However, by preparing herring at home on your own, you can get more delicious product. But first of all, the selenium fish must be cleaned, and in some cases gutted.

  1. Remove the fish from the brine and cut off the fins with scissors.
  2. Make an incision in the skin along the back of the fish with a sharp short knife.
  3. Make the same incision around the head.
  4. Carefully separate the skin in the head area and remove it with a stocking towards the tail.
  5. Use kitchen scissors to rip open the belly of the fish and pull out the caviar or milk.
  6. Then remove the bladder and intestines with your hands.
  7. Clean the fish inside from the black film and rinse under the tap.

Now you can start cooking herring at home. First, release the loin from the ridge and cut portioned pieces. Then follow the recipe for cooking herring.

Cleaning fish scales is not the most pleasant process. The methods described above will allow you to cope with this, at first glance, a difficult task without much difficulty.

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 devised, and all the chefs have agreed that classical method cleansing is topical 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 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 effort, 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 bad smell 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 ways quick cleaning which 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:

Everyone can scrape off fish scales different ways using available 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.