Passionate About Fish - How to Fillet and Clean Sea Bass and Bream

Duncan Lucas from Passionate About Fish demonstrates sea bass and sea bream preparation techniques

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Howto & Style

Tags:

• Bass
• and
• Bream
• Passionate
• About
• Fish
• Duncan
• Lucas
• knife
• skills
• fishmonger
• fish
• preparation
• filleting
• cleaning
• gutting
• boning
• scaling
• seabass
• sea
• bass
• bream
• how
• to
• learn

[merlini1]

I noticed on Masterchef recently that they showed how to gut a sea bass. However they gutted it by going in from the top rather than from underneath. It also looked pretty neat. Are there good reasons for different approaches to this technique?

[Suelucas1965]

@merlini1 If I remember, when they did it on MC, they filleted the fish as well as gutting it from the top. We call this a 'canoe' as the fish looks whole, but has all the bones removed and if you sit it on its belly, it looks like a little boat. Its a great prep method, and when the weather gets a little better we'll post a 'how to' for that method too. You wouldn't normally purely gut from the top, as you'd have to cut through the rib bones to get to the cavity and that's be a bit messy

[mikecat23]

I just made a cod brush lol now all I need is a fish. Going Mackerel fishing on Sat. I'm going to look like I've been doing this for years. Off out now to buy a good fillet knife and a rod.

[Suelucas1965]

@mikecat23 Don't spend loads on your knife! A 7' Victorinox filleting knife with a smooth blade, not serrated, is perfect and will cost less than £20! Make sure you keep it sharp, you don't need to grind it if you 'tickle' it regularly on a steel. Good luck with your fishing, and let us know how you get on x

[Suelucas1965]

Thanks for the comment - good tip x

[Suelucas1965]

Its called a cod brush and is a bit basic, but really works. Fishmongers have them in their box of tricks. You need a very hard bristled garden brush. Cut some of the bristles off near the base, and tie them together at one end with an elastic band. When you use it, hold the end with the band, and splay the brisstles out then gently brush it along the bloodline, it removes all the blood, without damaging the fish in any way. They used to be made of horsehair, but you can't buy them anymore

[mikecat23]

@Suelucas1965 Too late I spent a bomb on a knife . I was looking at getting a Victoinox but went for a Leech Lake Filet Knife bought it by phoning the shop in the states as they don't export them. the guy was very helpful at leeches or some name like that. I liked the story behind the knife more than anything also looks like it will be ok for some fish work. I caught 20 Mackerel the other night and managed filleting them with a kitchen knife I had. Your tips are great.

[shahcrew]

nice guide :)

[monybot]

Caught 3 fresh mackeral tonight & used ur method. I may need practice as it looked like the rats had chewed it up. But other 2 fish produced better cuts. Excellent vids!!!!

[3swaad4]

Excellent video. This is the most efficient filleting method I have seen. Very professional nice and clean. Thanks for the video

[MrPooboy12]

This really helped! Thank you!

If it's any help to anyone, slice along the top ridge when filleting, if that makes sense. I did it quite straight, and had very puny fillets, with a lottt of fish still on the bone.