Deboning salmon steaks: Any experts out there?

I love salmon filets and have eaten them for years, but I've recently cut way down because of the increase in levels of mercury and other poisons. Because wild salmon is safer I started eating the steaks and found them delicious, but trying to remove all those little bones became a hassle and cut down on the enjoyment of eating.

Is there a good way to get rid of them?

Brightnorm

[smartass comment]very carefully![/smartass comment]

The "pin bones"? As far as I know the best way to remove them is to chew small bites carefully.

I didn't know they were called that. I tried extracting the bones while the steaks were frying but ended up with many little chunks.

I guess there's no easy answer but thanks anyway.

BN

yeah, sorry, but i think it truly is impossible to debone/skin a salmon without it falling apart.

altho i've seen ppl do a surprisingly good job using tweezers..

they cut even slices starting under the head and use their fist to kinda pound the knife thru so it doesn't fall apart.. altho my granma uses a mallet instead of her fist.. and it's easiest to get them out if you use a "moon cut"..

but yeah. tweezers. maybe some small huller or pliers would work too tho.

Well... since I'm a good cook with fish... no, wait. I'm bloody good! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif I take it that you slice the whole fish into steaks when it's raw-that's how I'd handle that part. Hopefully you've got good knives-that's the most important part of cooking for me. Then no falling apart-at that stage.

(pick up here if you do get steaks at a *trusted* fish store)

Wash the raw steaks thoroughly-put them on a clean plate. Dispose of or put anything that came in contact with the raw meat in the dishwasher as appropriate. Wash your hands then of course.

I bake my steaks, having had the oven preheated and the pan ready. Put them in the pan (or whatever you do). Yup-wash hands again. Plate the raw steaks were on-into the dishwasher.

You see what I'm getting at. You definitely want to keep any raw juices from coming in contact with the rest of the dinner you are making. (My wife is an RN and I learned a lot after she took microbiology)

I put on my seasoning at this point. (classified!) /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/sssh.gif

Doing steaks is a babysitting operation. Usually ~20 min @450 deg. You have to keep checking them every few minutes-if they dry out-easily happens-you're finished.

Here's the key: When you can *pull the backbone out of the steak with no resistance* the steak is done! If there is any indication of raw pink color or if the backbone will not come out easily, you are not done yet! Back in the oven for a few.

You get a wide spatula to get them on the plates with as little falling apart as possible but bear in mind that done steaks *will* fall apart.

So with bones: You get the backbones out first. Then you only have to contend with the small rib bones, which will be visible and come out easily.

Then enjoy your bone-free steak! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/popcorn.gif

BTW, did I say I'm crazy about salmon?

Any questions PM me.

Rich

Thanks guys, there sure is a wide range of knowledge here. Maybe CPF should be renamed

CP&JAEEF

CandlePower&JustAboutEverythingElseForums

Brightnorm

I don't know about steaks, but salmon filets (like a side or part of a side) are deboned by laying the raw filet flat, and gently rubbing your fingers across the flesh near where the spine was cut away, and feeling for each lateral pinbone end just under the flesh. Then you use needlenose pliers or surgeon's forceps to grip each bone and yank it out. It's a standard chef's technique. Once you get the hang of it, it goes fast. Sometimes, a bone breaks as you yank, and then you have to dig into the flesh a bit to get the stub, but after cooking, you'll never know. I suppose in theory, you could take a steak, hack out the spine, then feel for the pinbones and use the pliers.

Hello Brightnorm,

Living in a wonderful salmon area, I just had to chime in.

We rarely have salmon steaks. Most of the time we have filets. Although I have filleted several hundred salmon, I am by no means an expert. I have found the technique that Louie described works well and is very fast.

A lot of my fisherman friends don't even bother with the small bones. They just issue a warning upon serving the dish "Watch out for bones."

On the BBQ, or baked in the oven, smothered with the "special" seasonings and a squeeze of fresh lemon makes for a truly delicious dish.

Tom

[ QUOTE ]
louie said:Then you use needlenose pliers or surgeon's forceps

[/ QUOTE ]

I second the Needlenose pliers.

I will definitely try the needle nose approach. Thanks again.

Brightnorm