Round Fish, Flatfish & Filleting

Round Fish

Fish with a rounded body and an eye on each side, swimming upright — salmon, trout, cod, bass, snapper, mackerel. Filleted into two fillets, one from each side of the backbone.

Flatfish

Fish with a flat body that swim on one side with both eyes on top — sole, halibut, turbot, flounder, plaice, brill. Filleted into four fillets (two top, two bottom) or two cross-cut halves.

Filleting a Round Fish

Scale and gut the fish, cut behind the head down to the bone, then run a flexible knife along the backbone from head to tail, keeping the blade flat against the bones. Turn over and repeat. Remove pin bones with tweezers.

Filleting a Flatfish

Cut down the centre line over the backbone, then slide the knife outward along the bones to lift each of the two upper fillets; turn the fish and repeat for the two lower fillets. Dover sole is skinned whole by pulling the skin from tail to head.