The journey to filleting salmon like a professional begins with understanding the anatomy of the fish and respecting the ingredient. Salmon is a fatty, oily fish with a distinct bone structure that, once understood, serves as a roadmap for your knife. This guide will walk you through the entire process, transforming a daunting chore into a meditative and satisfying culinary practice. By the end of this article, you will have the confidence to handle a whole salmon with the precision and grace of a seasoned chef.
The Essential Toolkit
Before you even touch the fish, you must ensure your station is properly equipped. The most critical tool is, without a doubt, the knife. You do not need the most expensive knife in the world, but you do need the right type. A flexible filleting knife is ideal because the blade can bend and conform to the shape of the fish’s spine, allowing you to glide over the bones rather than cutting through them. A stiff chef’s knife can be used in a pinch, but it increases the likelihood of leaving precious meat attached to the frame.
In addition to a sharp knife, you will need a large, sturdy cutting board. Plastic or composite boards are generally preferred for raw fish as they are easier to sanitize than wood, though a well-maintained wooden board is acceptable. To prevent the board from slipping—a major safety hazard when working with sharp knives and slippery fish—place a damp kitchen towel underneath it. This simple trick anchors the board to the counter, providing a stable platform for your work.
You will also require a pair of fish bone tweezers or needle-nose pliers dedicated to kitchen use. Salmon have a row of floating bones, known as pin bones, that cannot be removed during the primary filleting process. A scaling tool is also necessary if your fish hasn’t been scaled by the fishmonger, though you can use the back of a knife for this purpose. Finally, have plenty of clean kitchen towels or paper towels on hand; keeping the fish and your knife handle dry is the secret to maintaining a safe grip.
Step 1: Preparation and Scaling
Hygiene and temperature control are paramount when handling raw seafood. Ensure your salmon is cold; if it has been sitting out, put it back in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. Cold fat is firm, making the flesh easier to slice cleanly. If the fish is warm, the flesh can become mushy and tear easily under the knife. Rinse the salmon under cold running water to remove surface bacteria and loose scales, then pat it thoroughly dry with paper towels. A slippery fish is a dangerous fish.
If the fish still has scales, you must remove them now, especially if you plan to eat the skin. Working over a sink or inside a large plastic bag to catch the mess, hold the fish firmly by the tail. Using a scaler or the back of a heavy knife, scrape against the grain (from tail to head) using short, firm strokes. Ensure you get the scales near the fins and the belly, as these are often missed. Rinse the fish once more to wash away the loose scales and dry it completely.
Step 2: Removing the Head
Place the salmon on your cutting board with the belly facing towards you and the head to your right (if you are right-handed). Lift the pectoral fin (the fin on the side near the head) and angle your knife just behind it. You want to make a diagonal cut that follows the curve of the hard collar bone. This cut ensures you retain the maximum amount of meat on the shoulder of the fillet.
Slice downwards until you feel the resistance of the spine. Do not try to cut through the spine just yet. Flip the fish over and repeat the cut on the other side, ensuring the two cuts meet at the top and bottom. Once the flesh is severed on both sides, you can either use a heavy chef’s knife to chop through the spine or snap the head back to break the bone, then cut through the remaining ligaments. Set the head aside; it is excellent for soups or grilling.
As you cut, gently lift the fillet with your free hand to see your progress. This visibility prevents you from accidentally cutting into the meat or veering too far away from the bone. Maintain a slight downward angle with the knife blade against the spine. Continue this sawing motion all the way down to the tail. Once you reach the tail, cut through the skin to release the first fillet. You now have one beautiful side of salmon and the frame with the second side attached.
Step 4: The Second Fillet
Removing the second fillet requires a slightly different approach because the fish no longer has the rounded support of the first side. Place the fish skin-side up (bone-side down). You can either cut from the head towards the tail again, or some chefs prefer to start at the tail and work towards the head for better control. Whichever direction you choose, the principle remains the same: keep the knife flat against the spine.
If you are a beginner, it is often easier to leave the head attached until both fillets are removed to provide a handle, but since we have already removed it, simply hold the spine firmly. Insert the knife at the neck end, resting it on the backbone, and slice smoothly. Be extra careful here, as the fish is less stable. Once the second fillet is free, you are left with the skeleton (the frame). Do not discard this! It can be roasted and picked for meat or used for stock.
Step 5: Trimming the Belly and Fins
Now that you have two fillets, it is time to clean them up. You will notice the belly area has a lining of white membrane and distinct long rib bones. Slide your knife under these rib bones, angling the blade upwards toward the ribs rather than down into the meat. Carefully slice the ribs away in one thin sheet. This requires patience; try to take as little meat as possible with the bones.
Next, trim the belly fat. While delicious, the very edge of the belly is often uneven and can contain fin cartilage. Trim this to create a neat, straight edge. This creates a uniform fillet that will cook evenly. Also, check for any remaining fins (dorsal or anal fins) that might have been left on the fillet and remove them.
Step 6: Removing the Pin Bones
This step is what separates a professional job from an amateur one. Running down the center of the fillet, from the head end to about halfway down the fish, is a line of small, floating bones called pin bones. They are not attached to the spine and must be pulled out individually. Run your fingertips down the center line of the meat against the grain to feel the tips of these bones protruding.
Using your fish tweezers, grab the tip of a pin bone. Pull it out firmly and slowly in the direction the bone is pointing (usually towards the head). If you pull straight up or against the grain, you risk tearing the delicate flesh. Repeat this process for every single bone. It can be tedious, but biting into a bone ruins the dining experience. Dip your tweezers in a bowl of water occasionally to rinse off any bone fragments.
Step 7: To Skin or Not to Skin?
Deciding whether to remove the skin depends on how you plan to cook the salmon. Crispy salmon skin is a delicacy, but for poaching, curing (gravlax), or sashimi, the skin must go. To skin the fillet, place it skin-side down on the board. Make a small cut at the tail end to separate a tab of skin from the meat. Hold this tab firmly with your non-dominant hand (using a paper towel for grip helps immensely).
Place your knife blade between the skin and the flesh, angling it slightly downwards towards the skin. While holding the knife steady, wiggle and pull the skin towards you rather than pushing the knife through the fish. The sawing motion should come from the skin moving back and forth, not the knife. This technique ensures you don’t cut through the skin or leave chunks of meat attached to it.
Portioning the Salmon
A whole salmon fillet is quite large, so portioning is necessary. The anatomy of the fillet gives you different culinary options:
- Top Loin: The thickest part of the fillet. This is the premium cut, perfect for sashimi, searing, or uniform grilling.
- Belly: High in fat and rich in flavor. Great for tartare, grilling, or broiling.
- Tail: Thinner and leaner. Best for burgers, fish cakes, or quick frying.
When cutting steaks or portions, use a sharp chef’s knife. Make decisive, single-stroke cuts to ensure smooth edges. Sawing back and forth can create jagged edges that release albumin (the white protein stuff) more readily during cooking. Aim for portions that are roughly the same weight to ensure they finish cooking at the same time.
Storing Your Harvest
Unless you are feeding a large crowd, you will likely have more salmon than you can eat in one sitting. Proper storage is vital to maintaining quality. Wrap individual portions tightly in plastic wrap. For the best results, place these wrapped portions in a vacuum-seal bag. Oxygen is the enemy of fresh fish, causing oxidation and off-flavors.
If you plan to eat the fish within two days, store it in the coldest part of your refrigerator, ideally on top of a bag of ice. For longer storage, freeze the vacuum-sealed portions immediately. Salmon freezes exceptionally well due to its high fat content, which protects the cell structure from severe freezer burn damage better than lean white fish.
Utilizing the Scraps
One of the philosophies of a professional chef is zero waste. The ‘scrap’ meat you scraped off the spine, the belly trimmings, and the tail ends are gold. Chop them finely to make a spicy salmon tartare, or mix them with breadcrumbs and herbs for salmon burgers. The head and bones can be washed (remove the gills from the head first as they are bitter) and simmered with aromatics for 20 minutes to make a light fish stock.
Another pitfall is over-handling the fish. The heat from your hands can actually begin to warm the fats in the salmon, affecting its texture. Handle the fish as little as possible and try to use the knife or a towel to manipulate it. If your kitchen is hot, consider placing the fish back in the fridge halfway through the process to firm it up again.
Safety Note: Parasites and Raw Consumption
A note on eating raw salmon: if you intend to prepare sashimi or sushi, ensure you have purchased ‘sushi-grade’ fish. This usually means the fish has been flash-frozen at extremely low temperatures to kill any potential parasites. Freshness alone does not guarantee safety for raw consumption. If you are using standard supermarket salmon, it is highly recommended to cook it thoroughly.
Conclusion
Learning to fillet a salmon is a rite of passage for the home cook. It bridges the gap between simply assembling ingredients and truly cooking. It teaches you about anatomy, knife skills, and resourcefulness. While your first attempt might look a bit ragged, the fish will still taste delicious. With each fish you break down, your movements will become more fluid, your waste will decrease, and your appreciation for this magnificent ingredient will grow. So, buy the whole fish, sharpen your knife, and embrace the process.
