Open a whole cooked fish along its back and lift off the top fillet over the bones; then pull the backbone out in one piece, from tail toward head, leaving the bottom fillet boneless. Do not turn the fish on the plate because a cooked fish can break in the middle if turned. When the fish is cooked properly, the flesh lifts away from the bones on its own.
Cooked fish is delicate: heat separates the muscles that hold together firmly in raw fish, and the flesh flakes apart. This makes it easier to remove the bones but harder to move the fish. So open it on its serving platter or a wide board, lying on its side as it was cooked, and do not turn it over. You will need a wide spatula or fish knife, a fork, and a small plate for the bones. Position the fish with its back facing you.
Make the first cut just behind the head, down from behind the gill cover; make the second cut just in front of the tail. Then follow the line of fins along the back. The fine fin bones along the back and belly come away from the flesh easily; scrape them off in a row with the knife tip and place them on the bone plate. These edge bones are small and hard to find if they get mixed into the flesh while lifting the fillet, so remove them first. If the head will not be served, remove it completely with this cut and place it on the bone plate.
A fine line runs along the side of the fish from head to tail; run the knife along this line down to the backbone. This divides the top fillet into two parts, the back and the belly. Slide the spatula under the back portion first, over the backbone, then lift it onto a plate; do the same with the belly portion. If the flesh comes away cleanly in sections, the bones will come away cleanly too. If the flesh sticks to the bones and is translucent, the fish is undercooked. The back portion is thicker and lifts easily; the belly portion is thin, so slide the spatula under it slowly.
Once the top fillet is removed, the backbone is exposed. Hold the tail end with your fingers or a fork and slowly lift the backbone toward the head; the backbone, attached rib bones, and often the head come away together in one piece. If you feel resistance as you lift, do not pull the backbone; loosen it underneath with a knife. If you rush, the rib bones can break and remain in the bottom fillet. Once the backbone is removed, the boneless bottom fillet rests on its skin on the plate, and the fish is ready to serve without being turned.
The last step is to check the fish. Fine bones may remain in the belly side of the bottom fillet where the ribs end; gently run your fingertip over the flesh and pull out any bones you feel. Check the portion for a child separately. If diners do not like the skin, leave it under the spatula as you lift off the flesh. Keep the bone plate on the table so any final bones found while eating can be placed there; a bone left among the bread or side dishes could end up in the next bite. Place lemon slices beside the fish, not on top: lemon on top can get mixed into the flesh as the fish is opened, and its seeds then have to be removed along with the bones.
Comments (3)
Balığı üstten kurcalayıp parçalıyordum, sırttan boydan boya açmak gerekiyormuş. Tabakta kılçıklı et yığını kalıyordu ve kimse yemek istemiyordu. İlk kesimin solungaç kapağının gerisinden yapılması gerektiğini de yeni öğrendim.
Omurgayı kuyruktan başa doğru tek parça kaldırmak gerçekten oluyor mu, bende hep kırılıyor.
Oluyor ama balığın yeterince pişmiş olması gerekiyor; az pişmiş balıkta omurga ete yapışık kalıp kırılıyor. Kuyruk ucundan hafifçe kaldırıp başa doğru yavaş çekmek, aceleyle yukarı çekmemek yeterli.
Sofrada bunu yapabilen biri olması gerekiyor, bizde herkes çatalla kendi başının çaresine bakıyor.