This document provides information about fish, including: - It describes different categories of fish such as round, flat, oily, and non-oily fish. - Indicators of freshness for fish are discussed, like clear eyes and bright red gills. - Various cuts of fish are defined, including fillets, steaks, supremes, and more. - The process for filleting both round and flat fish is outlined.

1. Fish Knowledge

2.  FISH BASICS
 FISH CATEGORIES
 INDICATION OF FRESHNESS
 CLASSICAL FISH CUTS
 FILLET FISH
Learning Objectives

3. Day 2 - FishDay 2 - Fish

4. Fish
• Fish are found in both fresh water and seawater
• Fish are aquatic vertebrates with fins for swimming and gill
for breathing

5. Fish Category
 Round, Flat, Non-Bony fish
 Oily and Non-Oily fish
 Fresh Water and Salt Water

6. Round Fish
Have a backbone along its upper body with a fillet located on both sides.
Round fish have an eye located on each side of its head.
To check the fish for doneness, use the tip of a sharp knife and cut
through the thickest part of the fillet. If the fish has been properly
cooked, the meat will appear opaque but will still be moist.
 Round, Flat, Non-Bony fish

8. Pacific Salmon

9. Pacific Salmon

10. Atlantic Salmon

11. LAKE TROUT

12. LAKE TROUT
RAINBOW TROUT

14. Bigeye tuna
Albacore tuna

17. Flatfish
Have a backbone that runs through the centerof the fish, two
upper and two lower fillet, both eyes on the same side on the
head
To check the fish for doneness, use the tip of a sharp knife and
cut through the thickest part of the fillet. If the fish has been
properly cooked, the meat will appear opaque but will still be
moist.

19. 19
LEMON SOLE
DOVER SOLE

20. Flounder

21. Non – Bony Fish Fish
Have cartilage rather than bones
To check the fish for doneness, use the tip of a sharp knife and cut
through the thickest part of the fillet. If the fish has been properly
cooked, the meat will appear opaque but will still be moist.

22. YELLOW EEL CONGER EEL
Eels are “catadromous” – live in fresh water (up to 24
years) and return to ocean to spawn. After spawning the
adults die while the leaf shape larvae metamorphose into
“glass eels.”
Eels are often smoked or poached.
GLASS EEL
Eels

23. Marlin / SwordfishMarlin / Swordfish

24.  While excellent for production of sausage, mousse,
quenelles, pates, terrines.
 The are the best for Smoking due to their oil content
 Red fish, Snapper, Grouper, Herring, Striped bass,
Mullet, Ell, Mackerel, Sturgeon
Oily and Non-Oily fish
Oily/Fatty fish

25. Red fish

26. Ell

27. HerringHerring
HerringHerring

28. SnapperSnapper
Grouper

29. Striped BassStriped Bass
BarramundiBarramundi

30. MulletMullet

31. MackerelMackerel

32. Cobia/Black Salmon
Delhindra/CulinaryTrainer

33. Delhindra/CulinaryTrainer

34. Non - Oily/Lean fish
 Most lean fish are not suitable for smoking, but do make
excellent for production of sausage, mousse, quenelles,
pates, terrines.
 Sole, Halibut, Cod, Haddock, Whiting, Turbot, Flounder,
Monkfish, Skate, Bass, Pike, Carb

35. Turbot

36. Halibut

37. Bass
Seabass

38. CodCodCod

39. Carb

40. Pike

41. Monkfish

42. Haddock

43. •Smell – should be clear of off odors
•Eyes – clear and bulging, sunken eyes denote lack of
freshness
•Gills – bright red, as freshness decreases, the gills go brown
•Texture (Flesh) – should be firm, when pressed, the flesh
should return to original shape
•Fins and Scales – should be moist, not dried out, scales
should not rub off easily
INDICATORS OF FRESHNESS

44. La Darne – round fish steak
Le Tronçon – A slice of flat fish on the bone
Le Filet – A fillet of fish free from the bone – round fish yields 2
fillets & flat fish yields 4 fillets
Le Supréme – Fillets of large fish cut on a slant
Le Délice – Trimmed and neatly folded fillets, usually flat fish
La Goujon – Fillet of fish cut into strips 3-in x ¼-in normally
crumbed
La Goujonette – As for goujon but smaller 2-in x ¼-in
La Paupiette – Fillet of fish, spread with a stuffing and rolled
Medaillon – Medallion or round cut, from fish such as monkfish
FISH CUTS

45. A. Paupiette - B. Troncon - C. Goujonettes - D. Pave (supreme)
- E. Fillet - F. Darne or cutlet

46. A.En-Lorgette - B. En-tresse- C. Colère - D. Colbert - E. Delice-
F. Cravatte
Delice-

47. US and European Cuts of Fish
Whole Fish -or- Round Fish -or- Fish in the Round - Whole head on
with viscera (guts), tail, everything intact.
Dressed Fish - Whole head on, tail, everything except that it has
the viscera (guts) removed.
Pan-Dressed Fish - This is a Dressed fish which has its fins, tail, and
head removed.
H&G (Headed & Gutted) Fish - Whole, head-off, gutted.
Bullets -or- Rounds - H&G with fins and tail removed.
Top Back Loin - Taken from larger fish like Tuna, Swordfish, etc,
this is the back loin without the belly portion. No bones.

48. Loin - This is the prime part of a fillet from a large round fish. It is the part of the fillet
which is above the spine, sometimes called the top back loin. Loins are typically cut
from fish like Tuna, Swordfish, and Marlin.
Fillet - A fillet is an entire side of a fish with the backbone out. Round fish yield two
fillets (one from each side). Flat fish yield 4 fillets (2 from each side). Fillets from
larger fish can be further portioned into supremes or escalopes. They may be skin-on
or skin-off.
Fletch - A Fletch is part of a large Fillet from a large flatfish. It can be half, quarter,
or less of the full fillet.
Steak or Darne - Is a thick, cross-section cut from a round fish, perpendicular to the
spine. Steaks often retain part of the backbone.
Fish - Whole head on, tail, everything except that it has the viscera (guts) removed.
Pan-Dressed Fish - This is a Dressed fish which has its fins, tail, and head
removed.
H&G (Headed & Gutted) Fish - Whole, head-off, gutted.
Bullets -or- Rounds - H&G with fins and tail removed.

49. Top Back Loin - Taken from larger fish like Tuna, Swordfish, etc, this is the back
loin without the belly portion. No bones.
Loin - This is the prime part of a fillet from a large round fish. It is the part of the
fillet which is above the spine, sometimes called the top back loin. Loins are
typically cut from fish like Tuna, Swordfish, and Marlin.
Fillet - A fillet is an entire side of a fish with the backbone out. Round fish yield
two fillets (one from each side). Flat fish yield 4 fillets (2 from each side). Fillets
from larger fish can be further portioned into supremes or escalopes. They may
be skin-on or skin-off.
Fletch - A Fletch is part of a large Fillet from a large flatfish. It can be half,
quarter, or less of the full fillet.
Steak or Darne - Is a thick, cross-section cut from a round fish, perpendicular to
the spine. Steaks often retain part of the backbone.

50. Supreme - A supreme is a prime boneless cut from a fillet or loin which is cut
either as a block-cut or bias-cut, and is considered the best and choicest cut of
fish. Also called a pavé, a supreme cut removes all bones in the filet.
Tronçon - This is a steak-cut (bone-in) from a flatfish such as flounder, halibut,
sole, or turbot. In the US these are called a Steak cut.
Paupiette - A paupiette is a fillet that is stuffed and rolled.
Cravatte - A cravatte is a fillet tied into a knot.
Delice - Delice is a fillet that is neatly stuffed and folded.
Goujons - Strips 2" x ¼" from the fillets of small fish such as sole or plaice.
En Tresse - A braided or platted fillet.
Butterfly Fillets - Used with small fish like trout, sardines, mackerel or herring,
this cut is made by leaving the two fillets attached by the skin. Thus you get the
whole fish minus the head and rib bones.
Canoe Fillets - Same as a butterfly fillet except that the head is left on.

51. Filleting Flat Fish

52. Filleting Round Fish

53. Boning out Round Fish