I think I learned to clean bream/ sunfish first around the age of 21. The reason I learned was the men came home with around one hundred and they were beat down by the sun and just fishing and needed help so I grabbed a fork and began to just do it.
Its not difficult at all and this is one fish that is for the most part cooked with the bone in and it is worth cleaning and picking around the bones because the bream is the best tasting fish, ever!
I have shares how to clean and fillet a Bass but not the little guys so here is how I do it.
You`ll need :
A clean flat surface outside with water available.
A sharp knife
A fork
A bucket to place the head and guts in.
How to clean Bream / Sunfish :
Take a Fish and begin at the tale with the fork move up toward the head slightly pressing so the scales will come off, flip and do the other side.
Once you have the scales off place the knife behind the side fin and make a slanted cut from the top of the side of the fish down to the bottom fins, This could take some pressure to cut all the way through the bone to the other side of the fish.
Now that the head is off clean out the guts with your fingers.
Rinse the fish thoroughly with clean water and place in clean cold water till you are ready to cook or to bag up for the deep freezer.
That is how you clean a bream / sunfish.
To cook the Bream / Sunfish :
Take the cleaned fish from the water and dip into flour.
Drop into very hot grease and fry till golden brown.
How to Eat a Bream/sunfish:
First thing to know is there is a bone down the middle of the fish, Larger bones around the rib cage with smaller just above the rib cage bones. Each fin has its own bones.
Take the top fin and gentle pull it out, using your finger trace the area after to get any bones left behind, remove the bottom fins next.
Lift the meat from the the tail up to the rib cage, the bone should stay put and it should stop at the rib cage with no bones. There is a chunk of boneless meat on top of the rib cage area.
Take small bites and if you feel a bone in your mouth simply spit it out.
I am sure with the first bite of this fish you will agree with me that its the best tasting fresh
water fish.
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By Andria Perry
Photos By Andria Perry
What great step by step directions and love the photos to go along with them.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
Deleteoh we used to fish sunfish !!! loved them, the fish - not the cleaning...
ReplyDeleteI am glad I learned, I can feed myself.
DeleteI love to eat fish not clean them. But, it is worth it.
ReplyDeleteYes it is worth it.
DeleteWonderful instructions. From my childhood, I watched the men of our family clean fish, your instructions are perfect. Thanks for that and for the recipe to fry them. I love friend fresh water fish.
ReplyDeleteThank you, I love them too.
DeleteNever had fresh water sunfish. I live on the ocean so saltwater fish are what I eat.
ReplyDeleteFresh water fish is so different from ocean fish, I love them ALL.
DeleteGreat easy to follow instructions although I can clean a fish. If you had a reblog button I would reblog and if it is hiding can you tell me where?
ReplyDeleteLOL, I think its just sharing here.
DeleteI do like sunfish. I swear no one can fry up fish better than my daddy.
ReplyDeleteMy dad could NOT clean fish, nor cook them But he ate when I cooked them for him :)
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