Filberedning

Filberedning is the process of preparing fillets, typically from fish but also from meat and poultry in some culinary contexts. A fillet is a boneless or nearly boneless piece cut from a larger animal, usually with the skin removed or kept depending on the recipe. The technique aims for uniform thickness, minimal waste, and a clean presentation.

For fish, filleting usually starts with cleaning and, if needed, scaling the fish. The filleting cut is made behind the gill cover and along the backbone to release the fillet from the skeleton. The fillet is then freed from rib bones and any pin bones with tweezers or pliers. The skin may be left on or removed by sliding the knife between flesh and skin. Both sides of a fish can yield fillets, which are then trimmed and patted dry before cooking or further processing.

Common tools include a sharp fillet knife or boning knife, fish scaler if scaling is required, and tweezers for pin bones. Skillful filleting emphasizes clean cuts, controlled removal of bones, and minimal tearing of the flesh, which improves texture and portioning.

Meat and poultry filleting follow the same principle of removing bones and sometimes skin to produce boneless portions, such as chicken fillets or beef tenderloin cuts. The term filleted often emphasizes portions that cook evenly and present neatly.

Quality and safety considerations include keeping fish and meat cold, maintaining clean work surfaces, and promptly storing fillets to preserve freshness.