My husband loves salmon. I dislike the price, but I like a happy husband. And I can admit it tastes pretty good. Especially when I make my “Roast Salmon w/ Bell Pepper-Tomato Vinaigrette.”
The only annoyance is those little bones running in a line down the entire fillet. For those who are curious, they’re “floating” bones (aka- not attached to the skeleton) called ‘pin bones.’ They’re not dangerous; they’re fairly soft. You can leave them in. But ascetically- and to the happiness of your guests- it’s easiest to remove them pre-cooking.
First things first. Do NOT buy any special equipment. Ignore the overwhelming urge to waste money on a pair of “fish tweezers.” Use either regular tweezers or needle-nose pliers. I use the pliers.
Second- pull at a 45° angle. Yep, that is the secret. Firm, gentle pressure pulling at a 45° angle. Don’t try to cut them out. Don’t yank them straight up. Or straight out.
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- Salmon before
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- Pin bones running up fillet
I know it’s a fairly straight-forward process, but I went ahead and photographed it. Step-by-step pictures are much easier than trying to figure out written instructions while your hands are covered in fish juice.
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- Grasp end of bone firmly with needle nose pliers.
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- Remember to remove bones at 45° angle!
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- Pull gently; never tear the fish.
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- If you meet resistance, change angle or wiggle bone slightly.
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- One pin bone almost completely removed. Much longer than one might guess.
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- Beautiful fillet after pin bones removed
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- Not torn; perfect
Forgive the less than stellar formatting on this post! I’m still learning!
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