How to Cut Salmon into Japanese-Style Fillets

Step 1

Pat dry the salmon with paper towels. Make sure that the salmon skin does not have scales. Run your fingers back and forth across the skin to see if any scales are left. To remove them, use the flat side of a knife and scrape against the scales.

Step 2

Place the salmon skin side down with the narrow tail end to your left (the head end is wider). Next, cut off the tail's narrowest part, which is too small for Japanese-style fillets. Tilt your knife back about 30 degrees and diagonally slice the salmon toward the tail end.

Step 3

Then, cut your Japanese-style fillets, again tilting your knife at a 30-degree angle to make your diagonal slices. I determine where to cut by thickness and slice the fillets 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick. Try to cut your fillets a uniform thickness so they cook at the same rate.

Step 4

My side of salmon yields 8 Japanese-style fillets and 3 additional odd-sized fillets. For Sockeye salmon, I recommend making Salted Salmon (Shiozake). For other types of salmon, check out my salmon recipes.

Step 5

I am not a big fan of plastic usage; however, to preserve the salmon and its fresh quality for a longer time, you would need to tightly wrap each fillet in plastic, remove the air, and put it in a bag/container before storing in the freezer. It will last for a month, or maybe a little longer if your freezer keeps the temperature well.