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Hutcho
05-02-2004, 08:50 AM
I attended (with Craigie) Sam's Seafood Fish Filleting course last night at their Hamilton branch and it was absolutely superb. Stefan from Sams ran the course on his own (he also takes all the Seafood BBQ lessons - General, Thai, Mediterranean, shellfish) and did a fantastic job. :D
Upon arrival, everyone got a name tag so people were easy to talk to by name, and Stefan was very welcoming to all.

The first part of the course was a general introduction into a variety of fish filleting knives and gloves/tools used to fillet fish and the tools recommended to use and not to use.
The second part was a general knife sharpening lesson using an oil stone properly to effect, and then refining the blade using a steel. It was amazing to see how sharp the knives got with relatively little effort and hard to think of those times where I've spent ages sharpening (but probably bluntening my knife) in times gone by.
We then moved onto the fish themselves. Firstly, to get us underway, Stefan showed us the proper techniques by demonstrating on some fish himself as we observed and asked plenty of questions. He filleted a hussar, flathead, whiting, red spot emperor and an atlantic salmon. At no stage did he rush the lesson, and showed us the cuts he made and how he removed bones, skinned the fish and so on.
The next step was for us to all to have a go. We were dressed in aprons and a general rubber glove for grip and used the knives we had just sharpened. It should be noted that there were a few different knives used and everyone had a go at filleting using a different type of knife.
The first two fish we each filleted were hussar and whiting with Stefan coming around to check on how everyone was going. By now we all pretty much had the general gist of how to fillet so it was more a matter of getting as much fish off the bone as possible and having a presentable fillet. Stefan always semed to be there when you needed him and there was no waiting around for him to come and see you. If you had a question or problem, he would take the fish and show you the correct way to continue. After filleting and skinning both fish (including the whiting - easy) we moved onto a red spot emperor each. Being a larger fish, the bones were obviously bigger and it was great to have a few different sizes of fish to try on. Stefan was the only one to fillet the flathead (only had 1 on the night) but showed us the way to fillet and skin them and a large atlantic salmon, which can be understood!! $$$!
Finally, we participated in a questionaire and we were given a small booklet on knife sharpening techniques. There was no mess for us to clean up and plenty of space for each person to move around in. Course went for just over 2 hours, and I can certainly recommend if to anyone who is interested, or wants to refine their own filleting techniques. It really does open your eyes to some new things and shows you how easy filleting can be with the right method.

Craigie and I were so impressed we will be heading back to one of the BBQ cooking classes too I think!

Cheers,
Hutcho

Hutcho
05-02-2004, 08:53 AM
The area we used for the lesson.

Hutcho
05-02-2004, 08:54 AM
The bench before the lesson with various tools of the trade on display. We were given recommendations on what knives were best to use and other gear that was not so important.

Hutcho
05-02-2004, 08:55 AM
Bit hard to see under the ice, but the fish were used ont he night. Salmon on the left and whiting and hussar in middle and red spot emp's on right.

Hutcho
05-02-2004, 08:56 AM
A demonstration on a hussar

Hutcho
05-02-2004, 08:57 AM
A demo with an Atlantic salmon.

Hutcho
05-02-2004, 09:01 AM
Oops, hopefully the salmon demo.

Hutcho
05-02-2004, 09:01 AM
Some of the class having fun filleting

Brissyguy
05-02-2004, 09:12 AM
Excellent report Hutcho. [smiley=2thumbsup.gif]

I guess even those of us who pride ourselves as being first rate filleting machines could learn something new.

I have always used an oil stone for my knives, just need to be careful if the sharp ones are used in the kitchen.

Cheers,
Rich.

DaneCross
05-02-2004, 09:17 AM
Stefan is so good he does it eyes closed! (re:the demonstration photo) :P
But seriously, that sounds great. How much was the course again? What happens to the fillets after you're done hacking them?

firetruck
05-02-2004, 09:23 AM
Sounds like the way to go. How much was the course?

Are they run regularly?

imported_admin
05-02-2004, 09:29 AM
Have a look at http://www.sams.com.au/skillstraining.htm

They are held on one or two Tuesday nights every month 6:30 - 8:30 $45.00

You can download a copy of the 2004 program in word format from their website

Hutcho
05-02-2004, 10:48 AM
DC,

Unfortunately, you do not get to take any fish home, but I can understand why. It is probably not the "cleanest" area to eat fish off. Don't get me wrong, everything is clena when you arrive, but you are filleting different fish in the one spot and a bit of blood ang guts get spilled, plus the knives are freshly sharpened of the stone etc. I guess they just don't want you to take home some fish and potentially get sick from it. Plus, it could set a precedence for other people coming into the course and expecting fish. I think it is a good idea you don't take any fish home. They use the frames for crab bait and the fillets for bait, so none of it goes to waste.

Hutcho
05-02-2004, 10:55 AM
But if you do their BBQ Seafood classes, you apparently get to eat all that is cooked! No need for dinner that night.

ba229
05-02-2004, 11:51 AM
thats sounds like an excellent course and i will see if there is something similar here in newcastle i can attend.

ruined a lot of niggers last winter with my caveman hacking skills. :)

Willo
05-02-2004, 02:59 PM
Hi Hutcho
What brand and types of Knives did they recommend.

craigie
05-02-2004, 03:25 PM
Good Pics and Write up Hutcho :D

Thought the course was tops even though I was a reasonable filleter before I went along (my opinion only ;D). I got heaps out of it and will be making some changes to my Fish Filleting technique.
Plenty of myths out there amongst rec Fishos, Flexible knives (not at all), oil the Stone (Wrong), when you learn things from people in the Fish Processing Industry your in good hands. If you want to get the most from your hard earned fish, these guys will teach you to waste nothing, Maximum recovery !!
Highly recomend it to any one, even the Ladies. We had a couple of females that went very well.

Now I know how to PROPERLY sharpen a knife with a stone and Steel, for me that was worth the price of admission alone.

All I need to do is catch a few more fish so I can practice what I've learnt.

Cheers
Craig.

Lucky_Phill
05-02-2004, 03:25 PM
For me 2 cents worth ( as usual #::) #).

I can't remember the last time I scaled a fish. #I have been filleting fish for over 20 years now. #I have kids and therefore went to great pains to learn how the get Skinless, Boneless fillets to the dinner table.

I think it is about time something like this is available to the public, and good on Sam's for providing it.

AS for the knives question. Buy a GOOD filleting knife and a GOOD steel. #I have never needed a Stone to sharpen any knife, as the knives I have are " touched up " every couple of minutes while filleting me fish. #I have a Diamond encrusted steel. Don't know if Stefan mentioned them #? #And basically, Stainless Steel knives loose their ' edge' quickly.

Having Skinless, Boneless fillets of fish makes the cooking so much easier and also allows you to cook that fish in different ways. #I would say $45 well spent fellas.

Cheers # Phill

basserman
05-02-2004, 03:39 PM
i think i might just need to get up to the brizzie area to go to this
oh and i guess i can visit the relos too :-X

craigie
06-02-2004, 02:21 PM
More than happy to give this a free plug because it was genuinely bloody good !!!! Totally agree with you Hutcho 8)

Looking forward to doing one or two of the B-B-Q courses :D :D :D


Cheers
Craigie.

Volvo
10-02-2004, 10:31 AM
;)Sharp Knives=Wetstones. No two ways about it..
Might costya but worth every cent...
Cheers

Hutcho
12-02-2004, 07:03 AM
Hey Volvo,

Where do you buy these "Westones" knives? Got any idea of the prices involved? I don't want a knife that is to "bendy"/flexible - gotta have a bit of stiffness in the blade to control the filleting.

Cheers.

Big_Muddie
12-02-2004, 01:40 PM
Hutcho,

Wetstones are sharpening stones rather than knives. Japanese Whetstones and Arkansas Whetstones are the common varieties.

Some tackle stores may have then, camping specialist stores also. But the best place to find them is at a gun store (read hunting). They can be quite expensive but properly used give a fantastic edge.

sharkbait
12-02-2004, 04:42 PM
Try garage sales and secondhand shops, I got two arkansas stones for $5 each, they are about $90 new. apparently the older the better because all the best stone was mined and used? heard that somewhere im sure...

Volvo
12-02-2004, 05:44 PM
Hutcho, i purchased my Japanese Wetstones from Glenfords..Mindya they had to order them in and didnt have them on the shelf...
Purchased an 800grit
1200grit
and an 8000 grit
Wouldnt be without them nowadays ey ;)..Makes sharpening a breeze and an edge one can shave with.....
Advisable to have a read on proper ways of sharpening or getting the correct edge on your blade first though....
When i say wetstones , they are exactly just that..Need to soak them in a bucket of water for maybe twenty minutes to halfe an hour prior to use and then still keep them wet to aquire a slurry on their surface which actually does the cutting/sharpening..
use of Steels is a long winded argument which i shant go into as i do use a diamond steel and there is those who will say that they destroy an edge rather than aquire an edge....
What i have been doing of late is using a home made strop which actually if used right does a much better job than a steel and polished the edge of a knife real good..
My thinking is the edge on ones blade is halfe the battle in filletting along with the right method of taking the fillet of the side of the fish....
Cheers

Hutcho
13-02-2004, 06:11 AM
Thanks a ton for that info guys. I obviously got the wrong impression of what a wetstone is! [smiley=stupid.gif] The stones used at Sams were "oil stones", are these wetstones they same thing? We had to keep dipping them into water to keep them lubricated when sharpening the knives and the water beaded off the stone because of the oil in the stone itself.
I know they are a bit $$$, but they will last a damn long time, and it makes life a lot easier to fillet a fish with a sharp knife than a blunt one. I'll stick my nose into a few hunting and camping stores over the weekend to find some of the stones mentioned above. Then I just have to go fishing i suppose to fillet some fish with my newly sharpened knives!
Do you guys have a variety of knives you use for filleting? I prefer a stonger/stiffer balde myself rather thena the bendy/flexible type.

Hooroo.

Gorilla_in_Manila
13-02-2004, 06:18 AM
Hutcho,
Don't know if you have seen this post. Might be of interest to you.
http://www.ausfish.com.au/cgi-ausfish/board/YaBB.cgi?board=Tackle;action=display;num=106925026 2
Cheers
Jeff

z17813
14-02-2004, 11:55 AM
For me 2 cents worth ( as usual #::) #).

I have never needed a Stone to sharpen any knife, as the knives I have are " touched up " every couple of minutes while filleting me fish. #I have a Diamond encrusted steel. Cheers # Phill

Diamond steels actually do sharpen knives, so when you are using the diamond steel your sharpening the knife rather than just touching up the edge.

The difference between a standard steel and a diamond steel is that a typical steel just re-aligns the edge of the blade whereas because diamond steels are more abrassive they actually remove metal, sharpening the edge, rather that just forcing metal back into shape.

I'm sorry that is not the best explanation, but it's the best I can do.
I think that diamond steels are fantastic, particularly for kitchen knives. A good ceramic steel or a metal steel that does not have groves in it, are good for touching a kitchen knife after every use and then a regular use (after a few uses of the knife) of a diamond steel will keep the knife razor sharp.

Every month I sharpen my kitchen knives and filleting knives (if they've been used) on whetstone and then strop them after sharpening.

The Spyderco 204 Sharpmaker is a great gadet for keeping your knives sharp, IMO it is better than the Lansky systems.

homebound
14-02-2004, 11:11 PM
Hi - sounds really useful and enjoyable. Im'still stuck in UK until May but would appreciate some info on future courses.
email: petersdesign@talk21.com

Volvo
15-02-2004, 09:26 AM
:-[Just come home after avisit to the local "Sams Seafood Store"..Sat back n watched a young lass Gill, Gut n scale a medium sized Red Emperor...
seemed they coulda sent her off to one of them courses make life a tad easier for the poor thing..
Consistanly wrestling with this fish due to what appeared like surgical gloves she was wearing..you know those rubbery ones lol..
Cheers

z17813
22-02-2004, 09:39 PM
:-[Just come home after avisit to the local "Sams Seafood Store"..Sat back n watched a young lass Gill, Gut n scale a medium sized Red Emperor...
seemed they coulda sent her off to one of them courses make life a tad easier for the poor thing..
Consistanly wrestling with this fish due to what appeared like surgical gloves she was wearing..you know those rubbery ones lol..
Cheers

I think that it would be hard enough for me to gill, gut and scale a Red Emperor with heaps of time, no one watching me and of course not the cheap food service gloves on...
Oh well everyone has to earn a living somehow I guess.