Boning Small Fish

The following procedure allows you to prepare small fish for smoking or deep frying. Once cooked, the fish can be eaten by holding it by the tail. This method of boning a fish is suitable when the fish is to be stuffed.

Step 1 Cut down into the head and, when the knife is almost thru, ease the head away from the body, taking the guts with it.	Step 2 Slice down the belly of the fish.
Step 3 Open out the fish and then lift out the backbone and small adjoining bones.	Step 4 Discard the head, guts and bones.