04-27-2009, 11:46 PM
[cool][#0000ff]Good point about the "bodily fluids" thing. Yes, I do run the knife through the innards during the filleting process. Most species of fish do not usually have enough GROSS stuff to create a problem. But, as I fillet I usually have a large bowl of ice water ready to drop the skinned fillets into, and also have the faucet ready to run if needed. If I detect that I have cut into something potentially adverse to the quality of the fillets, I first rinse them under the faucet before dropping them in the ice water. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Catfish and wipers...and sometimes walleyes...have the biggest potential for "splitting a gut" and spilling liquified fish protein all over the place. That's why I sometimes drop the skinned fillets right into the sink, for an automatic prewash, before putting them in the ice water bowl. If you wash it off quickly it does nothing to taint the fillet.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Some big fish have a large gall bladder that is best avoided in the cutting process. It is a clear yellow sac and the liquid in it WILL flavor the flesh if you do not wash it off immediately.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]By the way, I always finish with a final rinse, even after the ice water bath to chill the fillets. And, with catfish and other fish that have been sitting in the refrigerator for a day or two...or which are freshly thawed from the freezer...I give them a couple of rinses too. Blood and oils in the fish can "go south" and impart a "fishy" flavor to any fish.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Bottom line? I find it faster, easier and more efficient to just run the knife through the fish, and rinse off the bad stuff...than to fiddle around and try to cut around everything. I am a pretty fair judge of fish quality and taste and I NEVER get any fillets that are "OFF"...if I process them right and cook them within a day or so of harvest.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Catfish and wipers...and sometimes walleyes...have the biggest potential for "splitting a gut" and spilling liquified fish protein all over the place. That's why I sometimes drop the skinned fillets right into the sink, for an automatic prewash, before putting them in the ice water bowl. If you wash it off quickly it does nothing to taint the fillet.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Some big fish have a large gall bladder that is best avoided in the cutting process. It is a clear yellow sac and the liquid in it WILL flavor the flesh if you do not wash it off immediately.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]By the way, I always finish with a final rinse, even after the ice water bath to chill the fillets. And, with catfish and other fish that have been sitting in the refrigerator for a day or two...or which are freshly thawed from the freezer...I give them a couple of rinses too. Blood and oils in the fish can "go south" and impart a "fishy" flavor to any fish.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Bottom line? I find it faster, easier and more efficient to just run the knife through the fish, and rinse off the bad stuff...than to fiddle around and try to cut around everything. I am a pretty fair judge of fish quality and taste and I NEVER get any fillets that are "OFF"...if I process them right and cook them within a day or so of harvest.[/#0000ff]
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