Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

The cook decided a while back to try pealing the skin off the tilapia instead of scalling it. I guess he got the idea from pealing the skin off the catfish.
Well just to let you all know... The cook has decided that pealing is the way to go with the tilapia. Pealing the skin off with scales intact makes less mess and unless you are partial to eating the skin, no good reason I know to leave it on at least for fish like tilapia.

Just thought I'd share that tidbit with you.

that's what Alex does with the perch all the time

I'm not sure about river fish, not having eaten many, but I have always LOVED the skin on the ocean fish we've caught, it's the tastiest part.
Can anybody assure me the skin tastes like crap such that I'm happy to skin my fish too?

It's going to vary from species to species, something like redfin for example is a PITA to scale so skinning is recomended. Other fish which have soft flesh and fall apart when cooked benefit from keeping the skin on just so the fillet stays in one piece. Then there are the fish in which a nice crispy skin when fried/grilled makes it so much nicer to eat.

H.

How do you peel it without ripping the filet apart?

with a very sharp knife

When you want to peel a redfin if you cut the skin either side of the fin then peel it down to the belly ,it peels nearly as easy as a banana.Then you hold the body of the fish in one hand ,cut the tail off and pull it down and back towards your elbow and you can skin,gut and dehead it in one move.I prefer to grill them in butter,just enough to grease the pan.When cooked you can flick one side off with a knife and lift the bone off the other half and you have two boneless fillets.

Dang, would like to see a video of that move!

The tilapia are kinda oily and I haven't been all that keen on eating the skin for most preparations I've experienced from it.

I don't know about for bluegill and perch like we catch up in Michigan and It doesn't look like anyone is going fishing here before I go back to Florida so I can't say for those at the moment.

We use to skin all the fish we caught. Didn't work for some saltwater fish. You ended up with a bit of skin and a chunk of flesh. fresh water was fine.

Pour out a bit of salt... and rub your fingers in it... dip the tail of the fillet into the salt... then using a sharp knife... run along the skin...

the salt helps you grip the skin firmly... allowing you to guide the knife with greater control...

When I get a redfin I will video it so you can see it done .I have been promised some for a while but they haven't arrived yet.

I usually fillet and skin the Redfin I catch! I may have to give your method a go dbird.

Do you or can you skin a tilapia the same way you do a catfish - cut the skin all the way around the fish by the fins near the head and then with pliers pull the skin towards the fishes tail. With practice you can almost get the skin off in one piece.

Do you know that its only just now I realised you are female TC!

hehehe, now thats embarrassing....

I really need to pay more attention to detail...

It took me a while too Charlie. It was a pleasant surprise when I saw one of her videos.. hehehe