You can often hear that housewives are afraid to cook fish at home. There is an opinion that cleaning it takes a lot of time, and after cooking the dish, even more time can be spent cleaning the surfaces from dirt. Yes, the process of preparing fish for cooking is not the easiest, but a properly selected knife will help make the process easier.

fish knife
Fish is an essential product in a healthy, complete human menu.

What properties should a fish cleaning knife have?

  • The length of the knife should be medium. Too long will restrict movement, cause discomfort, and also increase the risk of injury when working with it.
  • Hardness is an important parameter. It is difficult to clean the carcass with a soft blade, as it begins to spring. The optimal hardness value is 55-60 HRC.
  • The handle should be comfortable. Note that the handle should not be metal, as it will slip in your hand during operation. Suitable materials are rubber, plastic or wood.
  • The tip material should be stainless steel. Fish cleaning work is done in wet conditions. Other materials will be subject to corrosion.
  • The blade should be sharpened moderately. A blade that is too sharp can cause serious injuries.
  • A smooth blade will not do. It needs to have teeth, this will speed up the process considerably.
fish knife photo
The cooking process begins with understanding how to clean fish using a knife.

Types of knives for cleaning fish scales

Making your choice on one of the types of knives can sometimes be difficult, since the variety of devices for cleaning fish is rich. It is difficult to say which one is the best and which one is not worth buying, since the choice of each housewife is based on personal convenience.

fish cutting knife
Professional chefs advise having a separate knife for each type of food.

Fish cleaning knife with scale container

The device is something between a grater and a vegetable peeler. There is a container above the blade that collects waste. Cleaning a carcass with small scales with such a knife is a pleasure. But you will have to work hard on fish with large scales. A big plus of the device is a clean workplace. Garbage does not fly around and does not dirty the kitchen. You only need to empty the container periodically.

knife with container
The tool is quite fragile, so for long-term use it should be used carefully.

Knife with flexible blade

The most common option, it is budget and quite convenient. Such a knife can be used daily for cutting any products in the kitchen. Make sure that the blade is not too long and thin. Otherwise, it begins to spring and creates discomfort, and the load falls on the cook's hands. Therefore, you can get tired quite quickly.

fillet knife
Fillet cutters – they are used to achieve ultra-thin, translucent slicing of all types of fish.

Serrated knife

Serrated sharpening – special teeth located on the edge of the blade. Sharpening can be wave-shaped, saw-toothed and others. Serrated sharpening can easily cope with scales of any size due to its uneven teeth.

fish scraper knife
The serrated surfaces allow for precise gripping and scraping of scales.

The advantage of serrated knives is that they stay sharp for a long time and also have a long cutting edge.

stainless steel knife
During the process of cleaning the carcass, thanks to the teeth, less effort will be required.

The disadvantages are that the scales can get stuck between the teeth. Also, only a professional can sharpen knives with a serrator.

Special knives for cleaning fish scales

Since Soviet times, many people have known about special devices for cleaning fish with teeth. And modern society has “distinguished itself” with a special electric fish cleaner.

Electric fish knife
The electric knife is the most practical of all models.

Classic fish scalers resemble a grater in their type of operation, equipped with teeth and notches. There are small partitions along the edges of the tool, which somewhat restrain the scales and do not allow them to fly apart in different directions.

electric fish knife
This kitchen gadget for cleaning fish scales will come in handy for those who process a large number of carcasses.

As a rule, such fish scalers are durable and long-lasting. Choose only stainless steel as the blade material and it is better to choose a domestic manufacturer. The downside is the high risk of injury.

An electric fish scaler works from the mains or from batteries. Such a device will be needed by ardent fishing enthusiasts or professionals who have to clean more than one carcass.

electric model
The electric device should simply be moved along the scales.

The advantage of such a fish scaler is its ease of use, almost no effort is required. You only need to move the device over the fish.

Buy electric fish scalers with a built-in container, otherwise the splashes will fly everywhere. With an electric fish scaler, the process will be quick and hassle-free.

electric knife model
The price of the device is several times higher than that of conventional devices.

But electric fish cleaners have many advantages:

  • strength of materials;
  • power;
  • special non-slip coating;
  • waterproof case;
  • low noise level;
  • easy to disassemble and clean;
  • convenient to store.
electric fish model
Modern devices have a waterproof body and are easy to disassemble and clean.

How to properly clean fish from scales

In nature, no one pays attention to the scales flying off during cleaning, but when at home, everyone tries to find the best way to clean fish so that they don’t have to clean the kitchen later.

fish cleaning
Great importance is attached to the convenience of the tool, especially when cleaning fish frequently.

To clean fish properly, you will need:

  1. cutting board;
  2. knife or fish scaler;
  3. a large bag or deep basin;
  4. gloves;
  5. large culinary scissors.
fish with a knife
You shouldn’t limit yourself to old models – manufacturers don’t stand still, introducing innovations based on positive experience.

Wash the carcass thoroughly. Use a special board that you have set aside for working with fish. If you don’t have one, then to prevent the cutting board from becoming saturated with the fish smell, cover it with paper, or even better, with cling film or a plastic bag.

First, you need to get rid of the fins with kitchen scissors. You can cook a delicious fish soup from the fins and head, so don't rush to get rid of them.

how to clean fish
The fins are often sharp, so they are removed first.

Carefully cut the belly along its entire length. Do this carefully, you need to leave the gall bladder intact. If you have damaged the gall bladder, so that the fish does not become bitter, quickly rinse the place where the bile got with salt water.

Remove the gills and eyes. And rinse the fish again.

rinse the fish
Mucus can be washed off as needed under running water.

To carefully remove the scales, you need to place the carcass in a plastic bag. This method is not the most convenient to perform, but the waste will remain in the bag.

Another option for cleaning fish gently is to submerge it in water. A deep basin works best.

fish in a basin
This method is very convenient.

In both cases, the process is the same. You need to hold the fish by the tail. The head of the fish should lie away from you. Using sharp movements against the growth of scales, clean the carcass with a knife. After cleaning, wash the fish again.

To prevent the carcass from slipping out of their hands, many housewives rub it with salt.

fish in salt
To prevent the fish from being slippery, use salt.

What to look for when choosing a fish cleaning knife

Important! The knife for cleaning fish should be separate. This is important for hygienic reasons. The paraphernalia used when working with fish has a specific smell. To prevent bacteria from spreading, make sure that the handle is not wooden under any circumstances. If the handle is made of wood, make sure that it is varnished.

fish cleaning knives
When it comes to materials for making kitchen utensils, we prefer high-quality stainless steel.
  1. Choose a handle shape that is comfortable for your hand.
  2. The blade material must be stainless steel. It is not subject to corrosion and protects against rust.
  3. Don't buy a blade that is too flexible. It will spring when you press it. It's uncomfortable.

Is it possible to clean fish well with a simple knife?

Of course, it is not necessary to buy a specialized knife for cleaning fish, separate the most common one for this process. It is only worth considering that the cleaning process will be much more labor-intensive.

cleaning fish in a bag
If the knife does not have a protective screen or container, the carcass can be placed in a wide plastic bag so that movements are not constrained.

If you don't have any specialized tools, you can use a regular spoon and fork, a metal sponge, beer caps, or a regular vegetable peeler.

Recommendations for quick processing of fish

To prevent the fish from slipping, buy a special cutting board with a clip that holds the fish by the tail. Or, as an option, you can secure the fish with a fork by sticking it into the board.

cutting board
It is best to secure the fish.

If the fish is difficult to clean, cover the fish with a thick layer of salt and leave overnight.

Try to remove the scales while the fish is still wet. If the scales are dry, keep the fish in water until the scales become wet again.

fish cleaning knife
If the scales are large, scald the fish with boiling water to better separate them from the carcass.

Start processing after 20 minutes.

List of major knife brands

Born

One of the most popular, proven on the market, is the company Borner. German quality makes itself felt. Stainless steel ensures long-term use of tools. Different sizes of teeth help to get rid of scales of different sizes, Anti-slip material of the handle ensures comfortable work with fish. The comfortable shape of the handle will not allow you to get tired quickly.

Borner fish cleaning knife
The handle does not absorb odors.

Fissman

The Fissman brand has established itself on the market due to the presence of a container for collecting scales. The knife is equipped with two points and has a modern, bright design.

Fissman fish cleaning knife
One of the downsides is that it is not very durable.

Fiskars Essential

The Finnish manufacturer guarantees excellent condition of the knives for 5 years. Products of the company Fiskars

Fiskars Essential Fish Cleaning Knife
Essential is easy to use and of excellent quality.

It is impossible to say which of the devices is the most convenient. Everything depends on the personal preferences of the cook and the amount of work that you have to do. Based on the information in this article, you will easily be able to choose the best option.

VIDEO: How to scale fish in 1 minute.