Cuts of Fish | Buyer's Guide for Different Cuts of Fish

Hook Me, Beat Me by Ray Troll

Chefs-Resources focuses primarily on the basic essentials of seafood from a Chef’s perspective. Scroll down the menu on the right for an index of over 60 fresh fish varieties. Each fish or shellfish has its own culinary profile page which answers the following questions: What is the flavor profile, what is its seasonal availability, what is the butchering yields (yield factors) into fillets, sustainability info, the alternate names which the fish is called or marketed by, various product forms, and nutrition by species.

Additional info may include videos, species photos, range & habitat maps, and links for further information.

Fish Cuts & Purchasing Options

Whole Fish -or- Round Fish -or- Fish in the Round

Whole head on with viscera (guts), tail, everything intact.

Dressed Fish

Whole head on, tail, everything except that it has the viscera (guts) removed.

Pan-Dressed Fish>

This is a Dressed fish which has its fins, tail, and head removed.

H&G (Headed & Gutted) Fish

Whole, head-off, gutted.

Bullets -or- Rounds

H&G with fins and tail removed.

Top Back Loin

Taken from larger fish like Tuna, Swordfish, etc, this is the back loin without the belly portion. No bones.

Loin

This is the prime part of a fillet from a large round fish. It is the part of the fillet which is above the spine, sometimes called the top back loin. Loins are typically cut from fish like Tuna, Swordfish, and Marlin.

Fillet

A fillet is an entire side of a fish with the backbone out. Round fish yield two fillets (one from each side). Flat fish yield 4 fillets (2 from each side). Fillets from larger fish can be further portioned into supremes or escalopes. They may be skin-on or skin-off.

Fletch

A Fletch is part of a large Fillet from a large flatfish. It can be half, quarter, or less of the full fillet.

Steak or Darne

Is a thick, cross-section cut from a round fish, perpendicular to the spine. Steaks often retain part of the backbone.

Supreme

A supreme is a prime boneless cut from a fillet or loin which is cut either as a block-cut or bias-cut, and is considered the best and choicest cut of fish. Also called a pavé, a supreme cut removes all bones in the filet.

Tronçon

This is a steak-cut (bone-in) from a flatfish such as flounder, halibut, sole, or turbot. In the US these are called a Steak cut.

Paupiette

A paupiette is a fillet that is stuffed and rolled.

Cravatte

A cravatte is a fillet tied into a knot.

Delice

Delice is a fillet that is neatly stuffed and folded.

Goujons

Strips 2″ x ¼” from the fillets of small fish such as sole or plaice.

En Tresse

A braided or platted fillet.

Butterfly Fillets

Used with small fish like trout, sardines, mackerel or herring, this cut is made by leaving the two fillets attached by the skin. Thus you get the whole fish minus the head and rib bones.

Canoe Fillets

Same as a butterfly fillet except that the head is left on.

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caseyjone

3 years ago

Thanks for the great information!

ChefsResources

Author

Reply to caseyjone

3 years ago

You’re welcome!

ChefsResources

Author

3 years ago

Many thanks! It’s good to hear that we are providing good content.

Dick Tripp

2 years ago

Was looking for a term used in a recipe for fish stock. “2 pounds fish frames (and heads, if possible) from white fish, cleaned and chopped into 4- to 5-inch lengths”