Page of GEN-0014 STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE TASK: CLEAN AND PREPARE FISH TASK NUMBER: DEPARTMENT: DATE ISSUED: GEN-0014 F&B – Kitchen / General Jan 2005 GUEST EXPECTATION: n/a TIME TO TRAIN: 15 minutes Why is this task important for you and our guests? Answers: To ensure fish is safely cut and trimmed To make sure fish is hygienic handled Page of GEN-0014 STEPS 1) Scale the fish 2) Gut the fish 3) Remove the fins HOW/ STANDARDS TRAINING QUESTIONS Place the fish on a sanitized cutting board under running water Rub the back of a stiff boning knife or a scaling tool against the fish scales to scrape them off Work from the tail to the head If the head is left on, scale near the gills Be sure to remove all the scales – they can ruin the finished food Why you use running water? Why you start at the tail? Hold the fish firmly but lightly, so you don’t bruise the meat Using the tip of a sharp knife, split the belly from the heat to the tail without cutting into the internal organs Open the fish and remove the internal organs intact Rinse the belly cavity under cold running water to remove all traces of blood and internal organs Scrap away any lining from the cavity Why you hold the fish lightly? Why should you not cut the internal organs? Why you rinse the belly? Why you scrap away any lining? Use sharp knife and kitchen shears to cut the back fins, side fins and tail fins If the fish is to be cooked Why you cut the fins? Page of GEN-0014 whole 4) Remove the head STEPS 5) Fillet the fish With the knife angled toward the head, cut through the flesh behind the gills on each side Cut through the backbone Separate the fish head away from the body Why you cut behind the gills? HOW/ STANDARDS TRAINING QUESTIONS Use a flexible fillet knife Cut into the fish behind the gills down to the backbone Do not cut through the backbone Turn the knife blade so it lies flat against the backbone Cut along the backbone from head to tail to remove all flesh Keep the blade edge angled slightly so you can hear it clicking against the bones If you plan to skin the fish, not cut the fillet completely through at the tail of the fish Instead, flip the fillet over with the flesh side up and skin side down Insert the knife under the rib bones Work the knife from the center toward the edge of the fish to remove the rib bones Angle the knife up against the bones If you are skinning the fillet: Place the fillet with the skin side down Use a chef’s knife or Why you use a flexible knife? Page of GEN-0014 STEPS HOW/ STANDARDS 6) Fillet flat fish a slicer knife to remove the skin Hold the skin at the tail end Pull the skin taut Starting at the tail end, cut between the skin and the meat with a gentle sawing motion until the meat is removed Use paper towel to wipe the cutting board after each cut Throw away used paper towels Move the fish to different parts of the board to keep the fish as clean as possible Run your finger down the length of the fillet to find any stray bones Remove any bone with a pair of kitchen pliers Turn the body of the fish over, and repeat the process on the other side If necessary, place the fillets in a pan of ice water and one tablespoon of salt per quart of water to tighten up the flesh Carefully clean the fillets of any waste matter, such as loose scales, bones, or pieces of viscera Rinse the fillets under cold wear and dry them with a paper towel before preparing them in any recipe Place the fish with the head end TRAINING QUESTIONS Why you place the fish in ice water with salt? Why you clean the fish? Page of GEN-0014 facing away from you Use a sharp knife to make an initial cut from the heat to the tail along the backbone Do no cut through the backbone Angle the knife blade toward the outer edge of the fish Cut along the bones, working from the head to the tail and from the backbone to the outer edge to remove the fillet Turn the fish so the head end faces toward you Repeat the process to cut away the second fillet Turn the fish onto its other side and remove the bottom fillets, repeating the steps above Use paper towels to wipe the cutting board after each cut to remove skin, bones, and debris Throw away sued paper towels If you are skinning the fish: Place the fillet with the skin side down Hold the skin at the tail end and slide the knife between the skin and the meat Work toward the heat of the fish Scrape the knife against the skin to protect the meat Now ask the trainee to practice the task from start to end to test competency Summary questions: Page of GEN-0014 Why Why Why Why Why Why Why Why Why 10 11 you use running water? you start at the tail? you hold the fish lightly? should you not cut the internal organs? you rinse the belly? you scrap away any lining? you cut the fins? you cut behind the gills? you use a flexible knife? Why you place the fish in ice water with salt? Why you clean the fish? PHOTO INDEX #01 ... the internal organs Open the fish and remove the internal organs intact Rinse the belly cavity under cold running water to remove all traces of blood and internal organs Scrap away any... you rinse the belly? Why you scrap away any lining? Use sharp knife and kitchen shears to cut the back fins, side fins and tail fins If the fish is to be cooked Why you cut the fins? Page of... STEPS HOW/ STANDARDS 6) Fillet flat fish a slicer knife to remove the skin Hold the skin at the tail end Pull the skin taut Starting at the tail end, cut between the skin and the meat with