Salmon quality is dependent on how the fish is taken care of. There are are three things you must do for the high quality salmon. You must bleed, you must gut/gill, and you must chill to close to 32 degrees. For longevity in the freezer, all three are essential. If your fish tastes like fish in six months, it wasnt handled properly. Blood is one of the biggest factors in fish taste and quality. Getting the blood out requires bleeding, scraping the kidney, and getting it cold. All of these things must be done by me as a commercial salmon troller before I can sell a fish as high-quality. In the video above, I swung a small king aboard to measure it. I usually stun it in the water but kings must be 28 inches to keep in our fishery. It was over 28 inches, and even at just 7. 5lbs when I sold it yesterday, it was worth some decent money at $10. 50 a pound. Fish caught by trolls in the winter sell for a lot of money and are flown all over the US to the best restaurants.
There are two ways to cut a salmon: first, cut its gills. Next, cut the artery behind its gills. I cut the artery because the gills are easier to pull out when they are whole. You will immediately see blood flowing. It takes about 5 minutes for the bleeding to stop. It is a good idea to have a bleed box in your boat to keep your boat cleaner. But, if you have a self bailing boat, many bleed it on deck and rinse the blood away.
Then, I remove the gills. If you put your fish on ice for more than one day, you should take them off the ice every day because bacteria will grow if you don’t. For day charters and regular sportfishing, you can leave them in, but it’s easier to get the guts out if you take them out.
Carefully cut around the throat inside the belly cavity to pull the guts, heart, and membrane out. It should all come out at once if you do it correctly. Taking out the guts keeps the acid in the stomach from giving you belly burn, lets the salmon cool quickly on ice, lets you get to the kidney, and keeps the guts from getting into the salmon meat while it’s being filled. If you’ve ever seen a fish cleaning table at a public dock where salmon is being filleted without being gutted, you will know that the meat you eat comes into contact with fish poop, guts, and acid. It is impossible to fillet a salmon with the guts still in place without getting stomach juices on the fillet. There is only so much that can be done to remove stomach juices from salmon fillets. Blasting them with fresh water under high pressure will destroy the quality because the fresh water will expand when frozen.
Once you have that done, you will see the kidney, at the base of the belly cavity. It is dark red. Some call it a “blood line”. Make a cut in it, and scrape it out. A knife with a spoon on it was make for this task. This will also allow the salmon to completely bleed out. Take the back of the spoon and rub the flesh inside the gut where you can see veins. More blood will come out. The less blood left in that salmon will mean the longer it will last in the freezer.
Once you get that done, rinse it all clean. Once you get good at it, it should only take 20 seconds for a coho and 40 seconds for a king salmon. But, you need to do it a bunch to get your time down to that. Take your time, learn the proper cuts, and soon you will be a pro at it.
The last step is to get that fish on ice. Keeping it submerged in 45 degree water isnt ideal with a self draining belly tank. People like belly tanks that fill up when the engine is not running and drain when it is. This is because they are easy to clean, but simple doesn’t always mean best. They are more suited for halibut and bottom fish. You want enough ice so that the fish is so cold that your hands get burned when you take it out to trim it. 32-35 degrees is about right. It firms the flesh up and gets out the very last of the blood.
If you care about the quality of the fish, you want the ice slurry to be clear at the end of the day, even if salmon is in it. That means that you properly bled and cleaned your fish. Even after a three day commercial troll trip, my slurry is still clear.
I have taken people fishing who have fished for years. I will go through my routine for fish care and pack the fish on ice. The feedback is always the same. “That was the best salmon I have ever eaten”.
Take lots of ice, and take care of your salmon. When you serve that fish to your family and friends, they will be grateful.
Gutting a salmon is an essential skill for any angler. While it may seem intimidating at first, it’s actually a simple process that anyone can master with a little practice As an avid fisherman, I’ve gutted countless salmon over the years. In this article, I’ll walk you through the step-by-step process so you can clean and gut salmon like a seasoned pro
Why Gutting is Important
Before we get into the nitty gritty, let’s go over why gutting is such an important step. Gutting removes all the inedible innards from the salmon’s abdominal cavity. This includes the digestive organs, guts, kidneys, gills and bloodline. Leaving these parts in will quickly cause the fish to spoil. Properly gutting your catch preserves the delicious fillets and ensures food safety.
Supplies You’ll Need
Gutting salmon requires minimal equipment. Here’s a quick checklist of what you’ll need:
-
A sharp fillet knife – A flexible 6-7 inch blade works best.
-
A cutting board or other clean surface.
-
A sink or hose with running water.
-
Gloves (optional) – Keeps hands clean and improves grip.
-
Paper towels or rag.
-
Large garbage bag – For discarding remains.
-
Cooler with ice – To store fillets.
Step 1: Lay the Fish Flat
Start by laying your salmon flat on its back on a cutting board or other clean surface. Position it so the head is facing left and the tail is facing right if you’re right handed (reverse if left handed).
Make sure the work area is secure and doesn’t wobble, which can make cutting more difficult. If working outside, weight down the ends of the cutting board with coolers or other heavy objects.
Step 2: Slice Along the Belly
With your knife in hand, make an incision along the belly of the salmon from the tail to the gills. Cut smoothly in one long motion. Apply enough pressure to slice through the skin and into the abdominal wall.
Position the knife at a 45 degree angle, with the sharp edge facing up towards the head. Keep the incision shallow, about 1-2 inches deep. You want to open up the belly, not slice deeply into the guts.
Step 3: Cut Through the Gills
Once you’ve sliced to the gills, make a cut horizontally across the salmon’s throat. Angle the knife upwards and cut all the way through the gills on both sides of the head.
This allows you to reach in and grab onto the internal organs once the belly is open. Be sure to cut deep enough to sever the gills completely.
Step 4: Open the Body Cavity
Now that you’ve made your incision cuts, it’s time to open up the body cavity. Gently spread the salmon’s belly apart with your hands, expanding the cavity opening as much as possible.
Take care not to rip the flesh. Spread just wide enough to expose the innards for removal.
Step 5: Remove the Guts
Here comes the messy part! Reach your hands into the salmon’s belly and grab onto the guts. Start by pulling out the digestive organs first. They should come out fairly easy in one piece if you severed the throat properly.
Next, scoop out the remaining organs and bloodline along the backbone. Use your fingers to scrape out all remnants. This step is crucial to avoid spoilage and bacteria.
Step 6: Snip the Gills
Locate the salmon’s gills along the underside of the head. Take your knife and slice them off where they attach. Completely removing the gills allows you to thoroughly rinse the cavity.
Make sure to get all parts of the gills. Leftover pieces can taint the fillets during storage.
Step 7: Rinse Thoroughly
With all the guts removed, the next step is rinsing away any remaining blood and debris. Hold the salmon under cold running water gill side up. Flush the inside of the cavity thoroughly with your fingers.
Let the water flow through the openings you cut to rinse every nook and cranny. Rinse for at least 60 seconds or until the water runs clear.
Step 8: Drain and Dry
Once sufficiently rinsed, lay the salmon flat and let it drain for a minute or two. Then take paper towels and pat down the entire cavity until mostly dry. Removing excess moisture prevents contamination during storage.
Make sure to dry the inner cavity walls completely. Any lingering moisture can allow bacteria to grow.
Step 9: Chill on Ice
Finally, place your cleaned salmon in a cooler filled with ice. Lay it flat on a bed of ice, and cover with more ice. Chilling prevents spoilage and firms up the meat.
Store gutted salmon near 32 degrees Fahrenheit. Consume within two days for maximum freshness. Now your catch is ready to be cooked and enjoyed!
Top Gutting Tips
Follow these handy tips for easy, effective gutting every time:
- Work quickly to prevent heat buildup in tissues.
- Cut shallowly along the belly to avoid piercing organs.
- Remove all guts and gills – They spoil rapidly.
- Thoroughly rinse the cavity with cold clean water.
- Dry with towels to remove excess moisture.
- Immediately chill fillets on ice after gutting.
- Discard remains properly. Don’t pollute waterways.
Ready to Practice?
Now that you know the basic gutting steps, it’s time to put your skills to work. Remember, the key is working efficiently from gills to tail. With a sharp knife and clean workspace, you’ll be gutting salmon like a seasoned angler in no time.
Start with fresher salmon at first. The process is more difficult on fish that have been dead awhile. Don’t get frustrated—gutting gets much easier with practice. Before you know it, you’ll have mastering salmon cleaning down to an art.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47698505/GettyImages-102636482.0.0.jpg)
Call to Book 1-907-965-0130
.jpg){kind=logo}
HOW TO CLEAN A SALMON
How do you gut a whole salmon?
If your salmon is whole, you might need to gut it. To do this, make a shallow incision along the belly, from the anus to the base of the gills. Use your fingers or a spoon to remove the guts and any other internal organs. Rinse the cavity thoroughly under cold water to ensure it’s clean.
Is eating salmon beneficial?
Salmon is beneficial for health and is part of a healthy and balanced diet. Salmon has vitamin D, healthy fats, calcium, selenium, iodine, iron, phosphorus, magnesium, and protein.
How to gut a fish After gutting?
It is best to wear latex gloves to protect your hand when doing this. Washing the fish after gutting is also very important. Remove the scales by rubbing up both sides of the fish with the back of a knife Make an incision in the belly of the fish at the tail end and cut through the skin to the head
Does fish have a gut?
Fish is mostly sold clean – pre-gutted and fileted. While this helps sellers maximize quality, it also makes the cooking process faster for you because you do not have to spend minutes removing the gut of your fish. However, sometimes, you may have no other choice than to deal with the gut in your fish.