Learn how to fillet a salmon

1. Make the first cut behind the gill, as close as possible to the head, and cut straight down perpendicular to the backbone of the salmon. When you reach the backbone, slant the knife with
the cutting edge facing the tail and the blade, slightly angled, parallel to the backbone.

2. Cut along the backbone towards the tail.

3. Turn the salmon over and make a cut behind the gill, and cut straight down perpendicular to the backbone in the same way as for the first fillet. Slant the knife and cut along the backbone.

4. Cut along the backbone towards the tail.

5. Place the fillet skin side down and cut loose the belly bones.

6. Cut from the centre of the salmon and follow the belly bones with the knife just under the row of bones and cut out towards the belly flesh.

7. Cut away the outermost piece of the belly flesh, which is mostly fat. And trim away the ventral fin, which is near the tail.

8. Carefully cut a V-shaped slit under the row of gristle that remains along the backbone.

9. Lift out the row of gristle.

10. Scrape the back of the knife from the tail to the head to make the pin bones poke out. Pull out all the bones with pliers or a strong pair of tweezers so that the fillet is completely free of bones.

11. If you cut across the grain of the salmon you will get serving-size portions. If the scales have been removed from the salmon, the skin is very good to eat when fried crisp. Salmon butterfly cutlets are cut out, with skin, from the thickest part of the salmon.

12. If you want salmon butterfly cutlets without skin, remove the skin carefully, using the blade of the knife to separate the flesh from the skin. Half the salmon piece with a knife, but stop cutting 2 mm before you cut right through the salmon. The tail can be cooked whole in the oven.

13. Thin slices or other pieces can be cut from the fillet.

Source: www.svenskfisk.se