Well, obviously catching a fish is not the only thing that needs to be done. During this pandemic, as the activities of a man had been greatly reduced and limited as well, man has found a way to indeed return to the nature. This pandemic has resulted the man’s praise for nature. Many people during the time of this pandemic have returned to enjoy the fishing experience. Nature has always been lovely and amazing as well.
Well, if you are an angler or a fisherman, then you not only have to catch a fish, rather you catch the fish because you want to eat it. And the thing here is that you cannot eat the fish as it is as soon as you catch it. The fish has to undergo a series of processes in order to get edible for an individual. You indeed have to clean the fish in order to enjoy that tasty dish in the best possible way. Still, cleaning of a fish is not that much of a hard job as you may consider. The cleaning process of a fish is fairly simple and easy. Just follow the steps and you would definitely be able to get a clean and edible fish on your way.
Materials needed to clean a fish
Well, if we take into consideration the cleaning process of a fish, then you would definitely be needing some equipments or materials. These ingredients would be required for the cleaning process of the fish but the fact is that these are not some specific materials, rather these are some of the most commonly and ordinary products and materials that almost every kitchen has in it. If we talk about these materials, then for the cleaning of a fish, you would require:
- sharp fillet knife
- bucket
- scaling tool
- cutting board
Apart from these, platter would also be required and you can also wear gloves while cutting and cleaning of the fish but this is indeed not mandatory.
Steps for Cleaning a fish
Now, in order to clean a fish, the first thing is to choose a fish that is fresh. This is because fresh fish definitely tastes amazing. Or, if you have been for fishing, and you had been able to get quite some fish, then you should clean the fish as soon as possible. If you want to store a fish, then try to store it in water or in ice so that it can be effectively preserved.
1.Rinse the slime
This is indeed the first step in order to clean a fish and according to this step, you should firstly rinse the fish with water. This rinsing of fish is done in order to clear away the slime that is present in the fish. Then you can make use of a towel or paper in order to dry the fish. This rinsing is important part of the overall cleaning process of the fish.
2.Scaling the fish
Most of the fish that you will encounter would definitely have scales all over their body. These scales are not edible and prior to cooking a fish, these scales should be removed. For the process of scaling, hold the head of the fish and then make use of the scaling tool in order to remove the scales of the fish.
You have to remove all of the scales until and unless the body of the fish becomes smooth. Further, as fish has scales on both sides of the body, so you would also have to remove the scales from both the sides. After completing the scaling of the fish, rinse the fish with water so that almost all the scales are removed from the fish.
3.Gut the fish
This is the next step in cleaning of the fish and as the name of this step indicates that it requires the removal of gut. In order to do so, simply place the fish on a table and insert knife through the anus of the fish and make a cut that runs all the way up to the lower jaw of the fish.
After doing so, remove all the internal organs of the fish such as the liver, kidneys and other organs. Afterwards, you should rinse the inner cavity of the fish that has been formed because of the removal of internal organs of the fish. Rinse it thoroughly so that the fish becomes clean.
Fish is almost ready
Now after the removal of the gut, your fish is approximately ready to be cooked or steaked. One thing to notice is that you can either cut the head of the fish as well, but it is a personal choice indeed. After the complete rinsing of the body, the rest is indeed up to you. The way you want the fish to be. If you want it to be cooked in pieces, then slice the pieces accordingly or if you want to cook the fish meat as a whole, then that is also up to you. So, your clean fish is indeed complete and ready to be cooked and enjoyed.
Conclusion
So, the cleaning process of the fish is not that much hard. Just make sure to have the required materials for the process to take place, and simply follow the steps. Also, keep rinsing the body of the fish after almost every above-mentioned step, so that you would be able to have an absolutely clean fish at your table. Afterwards, you can cook the fish in anyway you want and enjoy its amazing and delicious meat.
