Ohio Sport Fish Consumption Advisory - Trimming and Cooking Fish

Trimming and Cooking Fish

Fillet the fish. 

Remove all skin from fillets or steaks. This allows fat to drain away from the fish during cooking.

Trim off the fatty areas that are shown in black on the drawing. These include the fatty areas found along the belly, back, and both sides of the fillet.

Cook so that the fat drips away. Broil, bake, or grill on a rack, or poach and discard the liquid.

If you deep-fry your catch, discard the oil. Pan frying removes few, if any, contaminants.

If you prepare soups or chowders from fish, be aware that this cooking method holds in juices that contain fat (and contaminants) from the fish. If you are preparing a soup or chowder, you can reduce the amount of contaminants by baking, broiling, grilling or poaching your fish first, then adding the cooked fish to the soup or chowder.