July 20, 2012
By Christopher Collins
When it comes to cleaning fish, there has been a long standing debate on whether or not to rinse your finished fillets off with freshwater in order to remove blood, scales, and whatever else may have landed on your fresh catch while on the fillet table. Florida Sportsman member Roc N Rol claims to have heard it was was the "worst possible thing you can do" and decided to clarify this with insight from other members. After reading through the thread, it is clear to see that most do agree that freshwater is not the best thing for the fillets, as it may make them mushy after being packaged and refrigerated or frozen. However, many still enjoy the satisfaction of seeing a clean fillet before packaging it up and do rinse their fillets for just a second, enough to get the job done.
There are some alternatives in order to get your fillets clean without using freshwater though. Florida Sportsman member bonephish had this to say, "I don't rinse, just vacuum pack with a Foodsaver. When defrosted, I'll soak the fillets in milk for a short time and pat dry. The milk will take away any bloody taste and the meat will be fresh and delish." To see other ways to keep your fillets fresh and ready for the dinner table, click here.
