In the Outdoors: To filet or to fillet?

The proper way to prepare a bass for the table

By Oak Duke, photo of a largemouth bass by wsimms8518

     We’ve all heard the expression, “there’s more than one way to skin a cat,” and that may very well be true.

     Staying on the subject of knife work…the proper spelling of filet or fillet is to this day, still an unsolved controversy.

     Advocates on both sides.

     Some say use a single L, mostly on this side of “the pond.”

     Others say, a double L is proper, mostly on the other side of the pond.

     And so the argument goes, down through the ages.

     Filet can be pronounced filet (rhymes with hay, (French) or by using the double-L to rhyme with billet (old English.)

     As in the movie “The Hobbit,” Bert the troll said, while holding Bilbo upside down by his legs, and with a Cockney accent, “Tom get me my filleting knife.”

     But, no matter the preferred pronunciation or spelling, there is only one right way to filet fish that sport a single rib cage (Pike, pickerel, and muskies have a “double rib cage” and to filet these fresh water “cuda’s” takes a slightly different technique.)

     Outdoors people savor and enjoy sharing finny gastronomic delights when we are blessed with success while on the water.

     And in the case of bass, it all starts (after the catching, that is,) with carving the filets off the fish.

     Fish meat tends to break down quickly in warm weather so for the best texture, keep freshly caught fish cool as possible and filet quickly. A sharp filet knife with a long, thin blade works best.

     When filleting fish, we want a neat filet, sans bones, not bone one in the meat.

     I have filleted hundreds if not thousands of fish, going to school lakeside with Canadian fishing guides, who prepare those iconic “Shore Lunches.”

     Anglers reading this may prepare their catches the same as I, and for them, this info is old hat.

     But over the years I have witnessed more than a few anglers literally “butchering” fish. Makes me wince.  

     On group fishing trips to Canada, the Outer Banks, and off the Florida Keys, I was designated as the one to filet the catch. 

     Here’s my technique, learned and refined from the northern Canadian Lakes to somewhere off the Dry Tortugas:

     Real filet tables, hooked up with a sink, faucet, and hose at a fishing camp or on a dock make the task at hand a real pleasure.

     But an outside table off a backyard deck works well too.

     An 8- to 20-inch unpainted wooden plank, and a garden hose make the job easy, clean, and neat, especially if you have a number of fish to dress.

     I like working on a table or an elevated bench; easier on the back, and positions the fish for better knife cuts and angles.

     Any legal bass can be filleted of course, but I prefer those medium-sized bass best, those two- to three-pounders.

     First of all, put the fish on the board and holding it by the head, make a slight diagonal cut behind the gills, down to his backbone.

     I like the diagonal cut, towards the head because a nice chunk of meat along the back is saved, versus the straight cut. (I hate to waste any meat.)

     Now, rotate the board, lengthwise, so that the head is facing you. Put your hand on the fish to hold it down and insert the point of the knife, right behind the head and push it down part way, to the top of the rib cage.

     Follow the backbone along, not cutting into the ribcage. You can actually feel the tip of the knife tick along the ribs as it travels down the backbone.

     When at the end of the ribcage, about halfway down the backbone, push the knife all the way down through the fish so that the tip exits near the vent.

     Then, with the knife still perpendicular to the fish, slide it along, right on the tailbone until you come to the end, the tailfin.  

     Now, go back to the center of the filet (still attached to the ribs by skin), lift it, exposing the ribs and then fold it back and cut the belly skin, freeing the filet.  

       Success! A free filet, but the skin (with scales) is still attached.  

       To remove the skin and scales, place the filet on the unpainted wooden board and carefully slide the filet knife between the white meat and the skin. Keep the knife flat and parallel to the board.

     Obviously leave as little meat on the skin as possible. It takes a bit of practice to get good at this part of the process.  

       Once the skin on the filet is removed, a nice touch for bass is to tear the top of the filet back a bit so that there are two “legs.”    

       Then put the filet immediately in a bowl of cold water to rinse and clean any residual blood, scales, and slime off.

       Repeat the process with the other side of the fish. When done, you should have a matched pair of perfect bass filets sans bones and waste.

       When finished, I spray down the board and table with the hose to remove any fish slime and scales and set the board up so that it dries quickly and not attractive to flies, ants, wasps, and any other critters.

       Once cleanup is finished, you are ready to cook the bass or freeze them for later.

     The best way to freeze fish is in water in a self-sealing bag (like a zip-lock.) This method of freezing fish in water prevents freezer burn and/or the filet drying out. Amazing how long fish will last in a freezer, without a noticeable change in taste or texture, frozen in ice this way.

       My favorite recipe to cook bass is modeled after the Canadian shore lunch:

     First cut the filets in smallish, bite-sized chunks. Then take two plastic bags, putting flour in one and a couple beaten eggs in the other. Put the chunks of bass in the flour and shake up, until covered and then dump the bag into the other bag with the beaten eggs. Then recoat the egg-covered bass chunks by dumping them back into the flour bag.

     Take the egg/flour-covered chunks of bass and carefully drop them one-by-one into a hot iron skillet with a couple inches of Crisco or shortening. Fry until golden brown.

     For an authentic Shore “fish and chips” lunch, first drop bite-sized potato pieces into the pan and cook until golden brown. Rest on papertowels. (Don’t fuss with the potatoes as they brown. They’ll turn mushy. Use the same pan and heated oil for the fish chunks.  

     Season to taste and if desired, put a small dish of cocktail sauce on the side for “finger food,” bona appétit.