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Some kinds of fish, especially those having no scales, such as flounder, catfish, and eels, are made more palatable by being skinned. To skin a fish, cut a narrow strip of the skin along the spine from the head to the tail. At this opening, loosen the skin on one side where it is fastened to the bony part of the fish and then draw it off around toward the belly, working carefully so as not to tear the flesh. Sometimes it is a good plan to use a knife for this purpose, working the skin loose from the flesh with the knife and at the same time pulling the skin with the other hand.
After removing the skin from one side, turn the fish and take off the skin from the other side in the same way. Care should be taken to clean the fish properly before attempting to skin it. If the fish is frozen, it should first be thawed in cold water.

Filleting Fish

As many recipes require fish to be cut into fillets, that is, thick, flat slices from which the bone is removed, it is well for the housewife to understand just how to accomplish this part of the preparation.

While this process varies somewhat in the different varieties of fish, the usual steps are the ones here outlined. After thoroughly cleaning the flounder and removing the skin, lay the fish out flat and cut the flesh down through the center from the head end to the tail. Then, with a knife, work each half of the flesh loose from the bones.

With these two pieces removed, turn the fish over, cut the flesh down through the center, and separate it from the bones in the same manner as before. If a meat board is on hand, it is a good plan to place the fish on such a board before removing the flesh. The strips thus produced may be cut into pieces of any preferred size.

Follow this directions...

Step 1
Use a thin-bladed, flexible knife. Cut off the head, just behind the gills.(This step is optional.)

Step 2
Make a cut from head to tail just to one side of the center line, down to the back bone.

Step 3
Turn the knife so that it is almost parallel to the table. Making long, smooth cuts, cut horizontally against the backbone toward the outer edge of the fish. Gently separate the fillet from the bone.

Step 4
Remove the fillet completely. Repeat to remove the three remaining fillets.

Step 5
To skin, place the fillet skin side down on the work surface with the tail pointing toward you.Holding the skin at the tail end, slide the knife between the skin and flesh, scraping against the skin to avoid cutting into the fillet. Note:Dover or English sole is skinned before filleting.Cut through the skin at the tail. Holding the tail with one hand, peel off the skin toward the head. Caution: Do not do this with flounder. You will tear the flesh.

Step 6
Cut into the top of the fish along one side of the backbone from head to tail. Cut against the bone with smooth strokes of the knife to separate the flesh from the bone.

Step 7
Cut under the flesh toward the tail; detach it.

Step 8
Cut along the curved rib bones and finish detaching the fillet at the head end. Turn the fish over and repeat to remove the second fillet.Lightly run your finger along the flesh side of the fillets to see if any bones remain in them. Pull out any you find. Skin the fillets as for flatfish.