How to Fillet Halibut
With Rafe Oliphant, Head Captain, Kodiak Legends Lodge
Produced by Fish Alaska
How to fillet halibut like the pros? Quality fish care makes a huge difference. We were so impressed on our trip to Kodiak Legends Lodge that we wanted to give you a step-by-step guide to perfecting your halibut filleting techniques.
How to Fillet Halibut
- Start with the brown side, use the back of your fillet knife to scrape off any surface slime to ensure the skin is clean and dry.
- Cut across the tail to the bone.
- Cut up along the bottom of the fish to the gut cavity. (Note, donât cut the gut cavity to avoid spilling any stomach contents.)
- Cut up along the dorsal side to the halibutâs head. Follow through with the cut down the gill side.
- From top of the ribs to tail, perform the lateral cut.
- Locate the end of the gut cavity and cut just behind it, making sure not to cut the stomach.
- Use your fillet knife to follow the lateral cut, repeating this motion, slightly flexing your fillet knife, to remove the fillet.
- Repeat on the bottom to remove the second fillet.
- The halibut cheek cut is performed by locating the bone behind the eye, and tracing the cheek plate with your fillet knife to remove the cheek.
- On the white side, use the back of your fillet knife to remove any slime, being sure to rinse your knife to keep the fish as clean as possible.
- Cut the tail across to the bone.
- Perform the dorsal cut, slightly deeper than the other side.
- Cut along the bottom to the gut cavity, being careful not to rupture the stomach.
- Cut along the lateral line to the tail.
- Locate the end of the gut cavity and cut down.
- Repeat the lateral cut, flexing the fillet knife to remove each fillet. Use smooth strokes to keep your fillets looking great.
- Locate the bone and remove the cheek.
Now that youâve mastered how to fillet halibut, check out our halibut recipes here!