Thread: Filleting croaker

Trimming fish fillets can be made simpler when you know what to expect. Most bony fish have a very similar skeletal structure.


The fleshy fillet can be cut from the vertebra and spines fairly simply, usually leaving only a few dorsal ribs or other bone remnants. My dad used to call those dorsal ribs "widowmakers" as they are just the size to be easily overlooked and cause a problem if swallowed.
However, they are predictable both in location and frequency and with just a little more diligence rendered from the fillet to make it truely safe and boneless.
These are usually seen in the fillets of smaller drum fish species such as croaker and the kingfishes (aka "whiting" and "groundmullet"). The kingfishes typically have two "widowmaker" bones in each fillet and the croaker has three as highlighted in the pictures below...
CroakerFillets3-Labeled.JPG Widowmakers.jpg

Knowing what to expect and where to expect it should help you become more efficient in your fish cleaning duties and render your fillets safer and more enjoyable to eat.

Bone (less) appetit ;-)

I have had trouble in the past being able to feel and of the hidden bones after filleting....my wife sure can feel them,,,,I think it is my fat hands or something but she always checks the fillets before cooking ....thanks for the tips and sure will help in safety