The most unpleasant cooking process is cleaning fish from scales. It is for this reason that many housewives refuse to prepare dishes from live bait, and male fishermen love the process of fishing more than the task of cleaning fish. Although today a lot of devices and methods have been invented, the question of how to clean fish so that the scales do not fly around the kitchen is still relevant.

Why are scales needed and why are they on fish?

In their usual form, scales appeared on live bait about 50 million years ago, and before that, all live bait was covered with a powerful shell. Sturgeons, for example, retain chains of bony spines as a reminder of their ancient origins.

In the course of evolution, it became clear that scales are still more effective than shells, because thanks to them, baitfish have become much more flexible and active. Over time, a layer of mucus began to appear on the scales, which increased the speed of movement of the fish significantly. This same layer of mucus protects them from various predators and bacteria.

Important! Not all species of live bait have scales: flounder, mackerel, and catfish do not have scales at all, so this fish does not need to be scaled. The most powerful shell is found in pike perch, perch, crucian carp and carp. The scales of live bait fish grow according to this principle: from the old, upper scale, the lower, young one grows. You can even determine the age of a caught fish by its scales.

How to properly clean fish from scales - general rules?

We offer you a few tips that will help you easily peel fish scales:

The first rule that we recommend following is to clean the live bait immediately after catching. The best option is right next to the pond. All catch must be cleaned immediately, and then taken home and stored or cooked.
Immediately before cleaning, to avoid injury, cut off all fins except the tail.
The cleaning knife must be of high quality, since a bad knife is cut hands.
After cleaning the live bait, it is necessary to gut it and cut off the head.

Cleaning methods

You can remove scales from fish in different ways, and all of them will be correct. Therefore, focus on personal preferences and the concept of convenience to choose the best way to quickly clean fish from scales.

Under the water

Live bait with weak scales, such as roach, is difficult to clean, as all the scales scatter throughout the kitchen. Therefore, we recommend taking a little water into a sink or basin and cleaning such a fish under water - in this case, the scales will not fly apart.

Using a grater

Scald with boiling water

Live bait species such as pike, perch, pike perch, etc. can be easily removed from their scales if they are scalded with boiling water. To do this, bring the water in the container to a boil and dip the fish in it. The end time depends on the freshness of the live bait, as well as its type, and can range from 30 seconds to 2 minutes. After the scalding procedure, take out the live bait and remove all the husks under running water.

Important! Do not overcook the fish under boiling water, otherwise the scales will come off along with the top layer of fish meat.

Pre-salting fish before cleaning

For quick cleaning, we recommend lightly salting some types of live bait, such as perch, in the evening and leaving them cool until the morning. After this salting, the perch is much easier to clean.

Freezing fish before cleaning

It is much easier to process live bait and clear it of its shell if you first freeze it in the freezer overnight. An hour before cleaning, remove the fish and place it in the sink. After another hour you can clean the live bait. During this time the husk will thaw, but the fish will still be frozen.

With the help of devices

Today, there are special knives and graters for cleaning fish, as well as special boards with a clamp at one end. The principle of operation of the device is as follows: the tail of the live bait is clamped in a clamp, and the fish is on a cutting board. Using a special knife or grater, you can very quickly remove scales from fresh fish.

You can make the simplest fish scaler yourself:

Nail a piece of tin to a wooden block.
Using sharp-notched nails, punch holes in the tin.

Important! You can make a grater from a tin can by making several holes in the bottom. Another option is to nail 2-3 beer caps to the board.

The most difficult fish to clean are ruffs or perches. We advise you to trim the spiny fins before the procedure, and then place the fish in cold water for a few minutes. Using a fork and knife, make grooves against the growth of the scales, this will make your work easier.
Any fish can be easily cleaned if you insert a stick into its mouth all the way.
Pin the tail with an awl to the board where the fish will be cleaned. Holding the eyes with your fingers, pull the baitfish out until it “crunches.” The cleaning process will be much more efficient.
Clean the fish with a large knife. The larger the knife, the easier it is to remove scales.
When cleaning saltwater fish, cut the skin behind the head and remove the skin and husk.
To clean the fish, use a separate special cutting board. Don't forget about the smell of fish, which lingers on your cutting boards. Therefore, we advise you to put a newspaper folded several times or a bag on it. This method will not only relieve you of the unpleasant odor of the board, but will also allow you to quickly clean your work area.
You can easily remove scales from small fish by sprinkling them with salt and rubbing them in your hands. After the cleaning procedure, rinse the live bait under a strong stream of running water.
There are cases when the remaining husk only improves the taste of the dish. For example, boiled, unpeeled fish retains more nutrients. Do the same with fish that will be steamed or stewed. During this heat treatment, the fish with its scales does not lose its flavor. In this case, peel it immediately before serving: remove the husk along with the skin.

Important! Perch does not need to be scaled if it is boiled or smoked. For frying, it is better to remove the husks along with the skin.

How to clean large fish - instructions:

Prepare a special cutting board.
Cover it with a bag or newspaper folded several times.
Rinse the fish under running cold water, clean it of mucus and debris.
Place the fish on the board and, holding the head with your left hand, scrape off the scales with a sharp knife, starting from the tail.

Important! Hold the knife at a slight angle so that the scales do not fly away in all directions.

Carefully cut off the tail fin.
Cut off the dorsal fin (against the scales), holding the end of the fin with your thumb.
Pierce the skin near the head with a knife and make a cut down to the anus. Cut through the belly from head to tail.
Lift the top half of the fish and scrape out all the contents (using a spoon or knife).
Tear off the white film that runs along the ridge of the fish. Remove all the bloody mass underneath.
Scrape off the red-brown membrane from the walls of the belly.
Cut off the fish's head.

Important! If you want to leave the head, then you need to clean the gills and remove their insides so that the fish does not taste bitter.

Cut off 2 ventral fins.
Rinse the fish under running cold water.
Cut it into pieces.
Place all guts and fish waste in a plastic bag and throw it in the trash.

Important! Some housewives do this: they gut the fish, boil it, and only then remove the scales along with the bones and skin. Clean fillets are left for the dish.

Video material

How to clean fish and how to gut fish are two of the most frequently asked questions after purchasing a seafood delicacy. Sea bass, sea bream, perch, pike perch, tench, mullet - all these types of fish are cleaned and gutted according to the same scheme, which I will describe in detail and show in a large number of photographs. You will learn very soon how to easily clean fish. The easiest and my favorite way, of course, is to buy it where you only need a seller to clean the fish :) In principle, cleaning fish is a service of many shops and markets, but, of course, these guys don’t always know how to clean fish properly, and, unfortunately, you always run the risk of finishing it at home yourself.

This has happened more than once in our family, but I was lucky: my young man is always ready to clean fish (he is from Kerch, cleaning fish is in his blood). We tried very hard to photograph and show in detail all the stages of this easy, but skill-requiring task. So watch, read and remember.

So, how to clean fish from scales and entrails. Step-by-step guide with photos.

How to clean fish? How to gut fish? How to remove gills from fish?

Many people (including me at one time) ask questions about how to clean fish quickly and whether it is necessary to clean fish at all? Of course it is necessary. And the speed depends on how many times you repeat this process. After a couple of attempts, it will start to turn out very easy, because this task does not require much intelligence.

I will show you how to clean sea bass, but this, of course, can also be dorado, perch, red fish, pike perch, and mullet. Everything your soul desires. I’ll also share a secret cool life hack on how to properly clean fish from scales at home. Let's get started.

How to clean fish from scales? We wash the fish, take a metal mesh for washing dishes (new) and begin to scrape off its scales under running water, moving from the tail to the head (the fish is cleaned from the tail). Scrub thoroughly with a mesh, without missing a single centimeter. This method is very easy and effective, fast and convenient, but if you are looking for the answer to the question of how to clean fish from scales with a knife, then everything is also quite simple: scrape off the scales with a blade against their growth, also moving from the tail to the head.
How to remove gills from fish? The first time it may be difficult, but, in fact, there is nothing difficult in this process. We poke holes above the gills with our fingers and trim them with a knife on one side, as shown in the photo. This can also be done with culinary scissors.

We cut the bridle that connects the body and head.

Cut out the last gill from the remaining side.

We do this carefully, as you can see, there are sharp teeth on the gills that can easily injure you.
If some of the gills remain or you cut the frenulum first, we begin to trim the gills from the back side.

We cut them in a circle, ending with a bridle.
We remove the cut gills from the head. Now you know how to remove the gills from a fish without harming yourself.
How to trim fish fins? We cut off the fins of the fish with a knife or scissors, as shown in the photographs.
How to gut a sea bass, sea bream, pike perch or any other fish? Place the fish on its side and cut the belly: start with a small hole.

We move towards the tail or the head (the latter option is more correct).

We make a long cut, but it’s better not to cut all the way to the head, so the fish will retain its shape.
How to gut fish? We take out all the insides by hand.

Thursday, as you know, is considered a fish day. Just a few decades ago, fish dishes were served in canteens and buffets on this day. This is due to healthy eating standards - fish should be in the diet at least once a week. Modern housewives monitor the health of their family and also try to adhere to the rules of a healthy diet. But often the thought of lengthy cleaning of fish, a dirty kitchen and flying scales can discourage all culinary zeal. And for dinner again anything is served, but not a fish dish.

Is the devil as scary as he is painted? Is it really that difficult to clean fish? Is there really no way that will help us clean fish quickly and without problems? After cleaning the fish, do you really need to wash the entire kitchen of scales scattered in all directions? This is wrong! Let's try to figure everything out in order.

The classic way to clean fish

In general, it is easier to clean fish if it is fresh. Therefore, if your beloved comes from fishing, it is better to start cleaning the entire catch at once and only then put the fish in the freezer for storage. It’s even better to clean the fish right next to the pond - this minimizes the risk of dirtying the kitchen.
If the fish is very slippery in your hands, sprinkle it with salt. This will make the cleaning process easier.
Carefully cut off all fins except the tail. Without a tail, cleaning the fish will be much more difficult. The fins are cut off in order to avoid injury - in some species of fish these fins are quite sharp.
The next stage is cleaning the fish from scales. To do this you need to take a large sharp knife. The larger the knife, the easier it is to clean. Place the fish on a cutting board and grasp the tail with one hand. With your other hand and a knife, remove the scales from the fish, moving from the tail to the head, that is, against the location of the scales.
If scales are scattered all over the kitchen, you can fill the sink with some water and lower the fish into the water. Clean the scales under water to prevent them from scattering.
When all the scales have been removed, rinse the fish with water. The next stage is gutting. To do this, take a thin knife that should be very sharp. Spread the belly of the fish from the head to the rear lower fin. Carefully remove the insides of the fish and try to peel off the thin film that covers the inside of the belly. When removing the entrails, be careful with the fish's gall bladder - do not damage it. Otherwise, the fish may acquire an unpleasant bitter taste.
When gutting, pay attention to the contents of the belly. Sometimes there may be caviar that should not be thrown away under any circumstances.
If according to a culinary recipe you plan to cook the whole fish (including the head), then you need to remove its gills.
Don't forget to rinse the fish again after cleaning.
If you are not going to bake the whole fish, but want to fry it in pieces, then you need to cut it. First, the head and tail are cut off. The remaining part is cut into small slices. Then the fleshy part of the fish is cut, then with a sharp blow of the knife you need to break the spine of the fish at the place of the cut. Then the rest of the fish is cut.
If you need fish fillet, you should not cut it crosswise into pieces. You need to take the fish by the tail and use a sharp knife to cut off the flesh along the carcass, as close to the ridge as possible. You will get two halves - on one the spine and ribs, and on the second only the ribs. After this, the ribs and large bones are easily removed. Then the fillet is cut into portions into pieces of the required size.
If you plan to cook fish cutlets, you need to peel the fish along with the bones.

After this, the fish can be sent to a frying pan, oven or pan.

How to clean different types of fish

Cleaning fish largely depends on its type. Some types of fish do not need to be cleaned at all, for example, salmon or goby. They are fried along with the scales, because they are quite soft and small.

Other types of fish are cleaned by completely removing their skin, for example, catfish, burbot, eel. To do this, you need to make a small incision near the head of the fish and pull the skin together in one motion.

Some fish (for example, crucian carp) are cleaned very easily, using your fingers. To do this, you just need to rinse the crucian carp thoroughly with a stream of water. And if you sprinkle small fish of any kind with salt, the scales will come off without any problems.

Pike, perch and pike perch can be scalded with boiling water. To do this, clean fish must be immersed in boiling water for some time. Blanching time depends on the size and freshness of the fish and can vary from 30 seconds to three minutes. It is very important here not to overcook the carcass, otherwise the scales will come off along with the boiled meat.

If you decide to cook tench, then you must first rinse it thoroughly to remove mud and mucus. If this does not help, place the washed fish in the sink and pour boiling water over it. You will immediately see the mucus begin to coagulate, like egg whites. After this, the fish just needs to be washed. Some people believe that there is no need to remove the scales from the tench, they say that they are so thin that they simply dissolve in the ear. If the smallest particles bother you, you can put the tench in boiling water for a minute and remove the scales along with the skin.

If river fish smells like mud, and you are afraid that the smell will remain after cooking, you need to leave the washed fish carcass in salt water for a couple of hours. Just before cooking, pour lemon juice over the fish. And then you will only get a pleasant, appetizing aroma of cooked fish.

We have collected a few more tips for you to make cleaning fish really fast and comfortable.

Some people clean fish with a grater. This is very convenient, besides, the scales do not fly off half a meter. Take a regular grater, or preferably a four-sided one - it’s easier to hold in your hands. Carefully move the grater over the fish against the location of the scales.
If the fish is not needed right now, it can be pre-salted. Just sprinkle the carcass with salt, place it in a plastic container and leave it in the refrigerator until the morning. In the morning the scales will come off along with the skin.
The fish can also be frozen first. This will make the cleaning process easier. Leave the fish in the freezer for a day and then remove it. After an hour, when the scales have already melted and the fish itself is still frozen, it will be very easy to clean.
Most cutlery sets include a special knife for cleaning fish. Its jagged edges do everything for you - cleaning fish this way is a pleasure.
Today, hardware stores have a huge number of newfangled devices for quickly and safely cleaning fish. This is a cutting board with a special clamp that secures the tail of the fish. And a universal fish scaler, which is a flat surface with sharp serrations.
In camping conditions, when there is no knife at hand, fish can be easily cleaned with a metal spoon or fork.
If during any type of cleaning scales fly all over the kitchen, you can use a plastic bag. Place the fish there and clean it directly in it. After this, the bag can be thrown away along with the cleaned scales.
In camping conditions, you can attach the fish to the board for easy cleaning using a regular nail or awl.
To make fish of any type easier to clean, insert a stick or toothpick into its mouth so that the fish’s mouth is open all the way.
To ensure quick cleaning, first stretch the fish until crisp. To do this, secure it with a nail or clamp in the tail area, and with your other hand pull the carcass by the eyes. After the characteristic crunch, cleaning the fish will be much easier.
If you don’t have anything at hand to help clean the fish, you can use a piece of tin, a small block and a nail. Make holes in the tin with a nail so that all the notches point in the same direction. Nail the tin with the flat side to the block and get a ready-made tool for cleaning fish.
The fish can be cleaned using a piece of wood and a few beer caps. Nail the caps to the wood with the sharp part facing out. Fish is cleaned with this tool quickly, easily and efficiently.

Our simple tips will help you do complex things easily.

Cleaning fish is a rather unpleasant task, perhaps one of the most unpleasant processes in all of cooking. However, you shouldn’t give up delicious fish dishes because of this. Clean fish easily, quickly and comfortably!

Video: how to clean fish from scales

, this is, perhaps, the problem that stops many people from preparing it, especially if it is a serious difficulty for you to quickly, without much fuss, remove all the scales.

It is the cleaning of fish that seriously “slows down” the inspiration for many housewives to prepare a delicious fish dish. But it's not just housewives who don't like cleaning, there are also fishermen who are only ready to catch it, and then pass it on to more capable hands.

It also happens that a family is not at all happy about a good catch, again due to the problem of removing scales from this catch.

Meanwhile, a long time ago we came up with various devices that will help remove even the smallest scales from fish, which are usually the ones that hold on the most tightly.

We clean the fish correctly. Basic Rules

The first thing you should learn if you are used to catching fish on your own is that any fresh fish sheds its scales much more easily than one that has already been lying around for some time.

So, when returning from fishing, immediately start cleaning the fish, or even better, clean it at all when the catch has just been removed from the water.

What kind of fish can you skip cleaning?

This includes salmon, as well as tench, which is popular in many reservoirs. Some people, for example, don’t even clean the bulls, but fry them straight up. You also don’t have to remove the scales from the catfish; you just scrape off the mucus from it.

There is another option for cleaning this fish, when the skin is simply removed from it, what is called a “stocking”. To do this, simply make an incision around his head first.

Cleaning crucian carp and other carp fish

- This is one of the easiest fish to clean from scales. The same can be said about the entire family..

IfYou literally just caught it, then the scales can be removed from it very easily. You can even do this with your finger.

If the fish is small, first sprinkle it with salt, rub it with your hands, and then rinse it again under running water. After these procedures, you can remove the scales from it without any problems.

Clean and brush

These two types of river fish are especially difficult to clean due to their very small scales. There are, however, general rules that will help you free both of these fish from scales.

First of all, cut off all the spiny fins from the fish, and then place it in some cold water.

It is very convenient to remove scales from a fish if you insert a stick into its mouth. At the same time, the stick should rest and not go any further.

You can take a board and pin the tail of the fish to it, then simply pull out the entire carcass until a “crunch” appears, while holding it by the eyes.

It is best to use a large knife to clean fish. With its help, peeling off the scales will be much easier and faster.

What can you use to remove scales from fish?

Quickly cleaning fish is actually not difficult; for this you can use various improvised objects or simple devices.

For example, the simplest such device is a small wooden block onto which a piece of tin (even a tin can lid will do) or aluminum is simply nailed.

Holes are first punched in the tin with a nail, on one side of which there are sure to be sharp jagged edges. They are the ones who will help you remove scales from the fish.

You can not use a wooden block at all, but simply punch through the bottom of the tin can. The effect will be the same.

Another option is to nail beer bottle caps to a board with the sharp edge facing up. This device has been tested for a long time, it cleansVery good.

If you don’t want to bother making such homemade products, you can use a simple metal fork.

Even the absence of a knife can be made up for if you immerse the fish in boiling water, which will later help you remove the scales without a knife. But a plastic bag will prevent scales from flying around the kitchen during cleaning.

Another inconvenience, when the fish simply slips out of your hands, can be neutralized if you sprinkle it with just a little salt.

How to clean fish from scales. Let's see.

fresh or frozen fish;
knife or device for cleaning scales;
boiling water and cold water.

A quick way to remove scales from fish

If the fish is fresh, wash it thoroughly under running water. Freshly frozen carcasses must first be thawed. The least damage to the taste and integrity of the skin of the fish is caused by slow defrosting in the main compartment of the refrigerator. If you don’t have time to wait 6-10 hours, defrost the fish in cold salted water.

Place the washed fish in a deep basin or sink. Heat 1.5-2 liters of water. Scald the carcass with boiling water on all sides where there are scales.

Immediately rinse with cold water or place on ice to prevent the fish from being partially cooked. When scalded, a whitish coating forms on the surface of the carcass, which can be easily scraped off with a knife.

Now the scales can simply be removed by hand. Pry the edge of the scales at the tail and, moving towards the head, against its growth, remove the entire layer of scales in a single layer.

If you don't like a manicure, remove the scales with a knife or a special cleaner, lifting them against the direction of growth. To prevent scales from scattering all over the kitchen, you need to clean the fish in a deep basin, immersing the carcass completely in water. Another method for a clean kitchen is cleaning in a large plastic bag. Not entirely convenient, but fast and neat. You can then place the entrails and fins there, wrap everything up and throw it away - there will be no smell.

Once again, rinse the fish thoroughly to remove any white deposits and you can proceed to further cutting. To do this, remove the fins and gills with a knife or kitchen scissors. Cut open the belly and remove all the entrails. At this stage, you will need to be careful: it is important not to damage the gallbladder. If the bile does leak out, rinse the fish with plenty of salted water to get rid of the unpleasant, bitter taste. Next, if necessary, remove the head and tail.

That's it, you can cook fish according to your favorite recipes.