Meat, Fish and Alternatives

A chicken breast fillet is breast meat removed from the carcass. Filleting a breast therefore means separating it from the bones, rather than simply slicing a boneless breast.

Locate the breastbone running down the centre of the bird. Cut alongside it, then follow the angle of the breastbone with the knife. Gently draw the breast meat away as you cut its attachments to the carcass. Keeping the blade close to the bones helps remove the breast intact while leaving less meat behind. Repeat on the other side.

The detached breast can then be trimmed and cut into slices or smaller portions for a recipe. These are separate operations: first remove the breast from the bones, then divide it if needed.

Portioning a whole chicken

Portioning divides a chicken into pieces suitable for cooking or serving. Jointing uses the bird’s natural joints to separate the wings and legs; it is not a matter of chopping straight through every bone.

1. Cut between a leg-and-thigh section and the main body. Ease the joint out of its socket.
2. Turn the bird over and cut around the small rounded pieces of meat beside the backbone, known as the oysters. Follow the bone structure to release the leg and thigh together.
3. Find the joint between the thigh and drumstick and cut through it to separate them. Repeat on the other side.
4. Find each wing joint and cut through it to remove the wing.
5. Remove the breasts by following the breastbone, as described above.

This gives two breasts, two thighs, two drumsticks and two wings. The remaining carcass can be used to make stock, helping reduce waste.

Trimming fat and rind

Trimming removes unwanted material while retaining as much usable meat as possible. Excess fat and tough rind can be cut away with a small, sharp knife.

Identify the boundary between the unwanted layer and the meat. Lift the edge of the fat or rind, keeping your fingers out of the cutting path, and make controlled cuts along that boundary. Work gradually rather than taking a large cut that removes good meat as well. Check the cut surface as you work so that you can see what remains to be removed.

Filleting fish close to the bones

Filleting separates the edible flesh from the fish’s skeleton. A round fish, such as mackerel or sea bass, normally produces two main fillets: one from each side. A flat fish, such as plaice or sole, can be prepared as four fillets.

For a round fish, use a chopping board, a large knife for removing the head, a sharp flexible filleting knife and tweezers or pliers for removing pin bones.

1. Cut at an angle just behind the fins near the head on both sides, then underneath. Remove the head and innards.
2. Make an incision along the back, beside the dorsal fin.
3. Insert the filleting knife and follow the bones from the head end towards the tail. About halfway along, pass the blade through towards the underside and continue towards the tail to free the rear part of the fillet.
4. Work the blade underneath the remaining flesh towards the head end, using controlled strokes close to the bones. Lift the fillet away from the frame.
5. Turn the fish over and repeat for the second fillet. Trim the edges to neaten them.
6. Check the centre of each fillet for pin bones and pull them out with tweezers or pliers.

The bones guide the blade. Cutting too far away from them leaves usable flesh on the skeleton; forcing the knife through the flesh can damage the fillet. Removing the main skeleton does not guarantee that every small bone has been removed, which is why checking for pin bones matters.

Slicing evenly and accurately

Raw and cooked meat, fish, tofu and halloumi can all be cut into even slices or cubes. Decide on the required thickness before starting, then use the first piece as a guide for subsequent cuts.

Place the food securely on the board and use controlled strokes without crushing or tearing it. Reposition your supporting hand as you work, keeping fingers clear of the cutting edge. For cubes, make even slices first, cut these into strips, then cut across the strips at equal intervals.

For example, tofu cubes for a stir-fry should be similar in size, while halloumi slices for grilling should have a consistent thickness. Even pieces are easier to cook consistently and give a more uniform presentation. When slicing cooked meat or fish, use clean equipment so that careful cutting does not introduce contamination.