Common Cuts of Fish
When you walk up to the seafood counter at the local supermarket, you might feel confused. There’s often a huge array of different fish cuts sitting on the ice, and it’s easy to choose the wrong cut! Fish cuts serve as an excellent source of protein and fatty acids. With our guide, you will come to better understand which cut of fish is best for your needs.
Fillet Fish Cut
The fillet fish cut is a meaty portion taken from the side of the animal and sliced along the spine. In this form, the fish cuts take on its natural shape, instead of a specific shape or size. Fillets have the bone removed, though may still contain smaller ones within. When preparing this cut, the skin is usually removed.
Cuts of fish from salmonoften comes as a fillet, as well as sole. Alongside this, you have cod, perch, trout, bass, and walleye available as a fillet cut of fish. Fillet is one of the more common cuts as it is easy to cook and eat. When preparing them, sauteing or poaching is the ideal cooking method.
Darne Fish Cuts
Darne is also known as steak, and is a thick, cross section cut around the fish. The darne fish cut contains part of the backbone, and is most often made from swordfish, tuna, and salmon. Cut them to around 1.5-2.5cm, skinning and scaling them as needed, except for salmon cuts.
Supreme Cut of Fish
A supreme cut of fish comes from a fillet, but at a slant. Many consider supreme to be the best, most choice cut. It’s also known as a pave, and has all the bones removed from the fillet.
Butterfly Cuts of Fish
Butterfly, or cutlet, are cuts of fish that begins as a fillet. Slice one side of the fish from behind the head, around the stomach, and then taper to the tail. Repeat this process on the other side of the fish to create a double fillet.
Dressed and Pan-Dressed
Looking to create a gourmet fish dish? Then consider a whole fish. Most markets will dress a whole fish for you at no charge. This fish cut comes scaled, with all the internal organs removed. This fish type also has the funs, tail, and head cut out.
Loins
Fish don’t have “loins” in a traditional steak sense. “Loin” serves as more of a marketing term to appeal to meat lovers. This cut of fish comes from the fillet, above the spine. Most often, the loin comes from tuna, swordfish, and marlin.
These cuts of fish are also thick and uniform portions with no tapering. Additionally, they have the skin and bones removed. Fish loins are of a very high quality. As such, they also have a high price tag, as there is more work involved in cutting and trimming them.
