✅ How to Fillet a Tilapia (Step by Step)

What you’ll need:

1 whole tilapia (cleaned and descaled)

A sharp fillet knife

Cutting board



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🐟 Steps:

1. Clean the fish:
Make sure the tilapia is cleaned and scaled. If it still has scales, remove them by scraping with the back of a knife or a fish scaler.


2. Make the first cut behind the gills:
Lay the fish on its side. Make an angled cut just behind the pectoral fin and gills, down to the backbone—but don’t cut through the spine.


3. Cut along the backbone:
Turn the knife and begin slicing along the spine toward the tail, keeping the blade close to the bones to get as much meat as possible.


4. Remove the fillet:
Continue slicing until you’ve separated the fillet from the body.


5. Repeat on the other side:
Flip the fish and repeat the same steps to remove the second fillet.


6. Remove the skin (optional):
Place the fillet skin-side down. Hold one end and slide the knife between the skin and the flesh, keeping the blade