There are two very easy ways to avoid running into a hidden bone when eating a fish dish. The first is to buy fish from one of the larger species that have large central bones and few small bones. The second way is to remove the small bones from a flat or round fish.
The benefits of larger, firmer meat fish
Tuna and monkfish are two excellent examples of larger fish. Both have firm-textured meat, strong spines, and few smaller side bones. Tuna is considered very similar to lean beef, and monkfish on a par with prawns and lobster. Recipe alternatives from around the world for both fish are vast. Search the Internet for cooking tips, from the simple to the more complex. You will be able to create a wonderful boneless meal.
How to remove the bones of the most complex fish species
A few years ago I had dinner with a business associate who ordered whitebait for a starter. Whitebait are small, pencil-thin fish coated with milk, seasoned flour, fried, and eaten whole. My colleague decided to fillet all the fish. It took him a while to worry the waiters and kitchen staff who were wondering how long it would be before the main course was served.
His expectation of a boneless piece of fish was a bit extreme. With most people, the concern is eliminating the hidden and lurking throat killer: the little pin bone. Ask your fish supplier for help removing them, and explain your concerns about any debris in the fish you buy. If you still find a bone in the fillet when you get home, try another fish supplier next time.
If no help is available, complete the task on your own. You can easily find the bones. They are usually in the stomach wall or along the fish in the center of the fillet. Feeling gently around you will find them. Using a set of tweezers will remove the smaller bones, and a small fillet knife will be useful for cutting the bones in the stomach wall. You’ll end up with a totally bone-free steak and you can put all your worries aside.
With some types of firm-textured flatfish, such as Dover sole, it will not be necessary to fillet the fish. You will find that after cooking, the fillet can be easily removed from the carcass of the fish.
