How to clean and gut a fish
Getting caught in the wild without any food is dangerous as your energy reserves can deplete quickly. If you are lucky enough to have caught some fish, you now need to know how to prepare it so you can cook and eat it.
Preparing fish isn’t difficult, but if you forget to descale and don’t know how to gut and clean it, it can make your fish supper a meal to forget. Here is a quick guide to fish preparation that will make your delicious fish supper memorable and enjoyable.
Step 1
Hold the fish by its head and scrape off the scales of the fish using a blunt knife or some other blunt bladed instrument. When you apply the correct amount of pressure the scales fly off quickly and easily. Keep your strokes short and quick and work carefully around the fins. Wash the outside of your fish and your hands so all the scales are removed before you begin the gutting process.
Step 2
Place the fish on its side and place on a clean, flat surface. You can put it on a piece of clean cloth or onto a plastic over a rock so you have a good working surface.
Step 3
Insert your knife into the anus of the fish, which is near the tail and cut a straight line along the belly towards the head. This will split the fish open so you can get to the guts.
Step 4
Gently push the fish open so that the abdominal cavity is exposed. Carefully cut away at the insides until they are separated from the flesh.
Step 5
Scrape out the insides of the fish and discard them in a safe manner. Put them in a plastic bag or bury them so you do not attract the attention of foxes and other wildlife. Rinse the fish so it is clean and ready to be cooked.
The easiest way to cook fish in the wild is on a wooden skewer over a fire or, if you have it, wrapped in aluminium foil. If you have salt and other seasonings, add these before you begin cooking. Fish cooks quickly, so don’t leave it on the fire for too long.
Enjoy your freshly caught barbecued fish.
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