Fresh-caught trout often taste best when lightly fried in butter. Rainbow trout are traditionally cooked and served with the skin on for added flavor.
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My husband cleaned the trout just after he caught them by gutting them, cutting off the gills, and most importantly, scraping off the blood line off the backbone. I also want the head cut off!
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How To Clean Fresh-Caught Trout:
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First you need to cut the head off just before the Pectoral fin (this fin can be nipped off or left on). This is an optional step, as some people want the head left on when cooking. -
Hold fish with belly facing up. Using your fillet knife, cut from the anal hole forward towards where the head was or still is.
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After pulling out the entrails, take an old tooth brush and clean the blood vein that runs along the spine. If that is not cleaned out it, will effect the taste. Rinse the trout thoroughly (inside and out) and prepare to cook as you wish.
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NOTE: If you like to eat the fish skin, make sure you remove all the fish scales before cooking. With the trout held firmly by the tail, scrape very firmly from the tail to the gills several times on both sides with a sharp knife. I, personally, like to have my trout scaled before cooking.
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How To Cook Fresh-Caught Trout:
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When ready to cook, rinse the cleaned fish under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Drying will prevent the fish from steaming when you cook it. Cut a few diagonal slashes along each side of the fish. Roll the cleaned trout in flour seasoned with salt and pepper until covered.
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Heat the butter in a frying pan until bubbling and then fry the trout for about 5 minutes on each side until golden brown.
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To test for doneness when cooking the trout, insert a fork at the thickest point of the fish. Perfectly cooked fish is nearly opaque, should be very moist, and will flake easily with a fork. Fish that looks slightly dry is overcooked. Undercooked fish will look translucent and raw. If you have a digital meat thermometer, the internal temperature in the center of the fillet should reach 140 degrees F.
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Serve with a slice of lemon for a slightly fresher, livelier taste.
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Makes 2 servings.
* As they say, "everything tastes better with butter!"
I get many readers asking what cooking/meat thermometer that I prefer and use in my cooking and baking. I, personally, use the Thermapen Thermometer. Originally designed for professional use, the Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is used by chefs all over the world. I only endorse a few products, on my web site, that I like and use regularly.
You can learn more or buy yours at: Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer.
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Comments from Readers:
Hi! Thank you for your Pan-Fried Trout recipe/guidance. I normally fillet some sea bass but the market had ran out so I ended up with trout and your recipe. That was awesome! Thanks from the UK. – Regards Simon Wheeler (Leicester) (2/28/16)
Used your Pan Fried Whole Rainbow Trout recipe last night and my husband said “Who could ask for anything better?”… and he is very picky about his food. – Ellen Giles Wheeler (6/21/15)
I tried your easy trout recipe, which also covered scaling and the preparation instructions. Voila – a hit! My dad and I so enjoyed the meal – using butter for frying adds a different – better tastes. We awoke to fond memories of a meal well-enjoyed meal. – Sheryl (3/13/11)
21 Responses to “Pan-Fried Trout Recipe – How To Clean Trout”
Neicie
Hi looked for a site for cooking trout; living in Arizona seafood is always a gamble. Bought a half trout (3 lbs or so) and bunged up trying to fillet. I’ll try scaling the remainder cleaning as you’ve shown … and hope for the best
Thanks
Neicie
Linda Stradley
My husband goes trout fishing several times during each year. This is how we like to cook our trout.
Can I cook trout with the scales on
What’s the best way to cook trout and at what temperature in an oven
Christina
Has anyone tried this without the skin and how did it taste when compared to leaving skin on?
Evelyn
Christina. I just had it without the skin and is delicious. I personally cook it pan fried salt and pepper as seasoning.
Scott Kramer
You would be wasteful and unknowledgeable if you cooked trout w/o the skin. It is incredibly delicious. Also, you would miss a great deal of the omega-fish oils that are encased within the skin and under layer.
Permafrost
HELP! The bones! Last time I made fresh-caught trout, it was just like this, ad delicious, but the hundreds of tiny sharp bones made for treacherous eating. The kids couldn’t handle it. How and when do you remove the bones?
Claus
Do not overcook the fish as this will loosen the bones. When served, peel off the skin and look for the “seam” in the fish along the midline. With a fork, gently part the meat from the “seam” to the edges and parallel to the bones. After one side has been picked off, flip the fish around and do the other side the same way. Don’t try to eat fish like a steak!
Scott Kramer
You would be unknowledgeable and at a loss if you removed the trout skin. It is delicious and you would be missing most of the omega-fish fish oil contained within.
Joe Long
I would recommend adding garlic salt to the flour instead of salt and peper – it makes it takes twice as better.
Jen Bailey
Took a look to refresh my memory on cooking whole trout, beautifully simple, and I like butter rather than oil 🙂 I leave skin and heads on (the cheeks are the filet mignon of the fish, small as they are, delicious!), and love eating the crispy tail and fins since my childhood. Thanks for the recipe!
Robert
TROUT DO NOT HAVE SCALES.
If you don’t know that then I’m not sure I should believe that you have even cooked a trout before.
Whats Cooking America
We have a family full of avid fishermen and we have always referred to trout having scales on their skin.
Debbie
Trout do have scales. They are not as large as say a salmon’s scales. But they do have scales. Look it up on line.
Andy
Small trout do not have scales (or a few very small ones) but large trout do… not to the extent that many other fish do. They definitely have scales though and best to scrape them off before cooking
Anthony
This was absolutely delicious! Thank you Christina!
Randy
If the trout are small enough to pan fry, there is no need to remove scales. After removing the trout from the pan try sauteing some lemon slices in the pan and pour over the cooked trout. Mmmmm!
Chrissy Godin
To clean the slime off the trout, I sprinkle the skin with salt and rub it off then rinse in cold water. It will taste so much better.
PJ O'Malley
” If that is not cleaned out it, will effect the taste.” A better word is affect.
Great recipe!
Nancy
Thank you for the correction!
Mátyás
Do not cut the head off! Get rid of the scales and the insides, leave everything else untouched. The tail and fins can stay as well. You can get rid of everything after the cooking is done and this way you’ll preserve many precious flavors. Fill the inside of the fish with lemon slices, garlic and some herbs like rosemart and thyme. Put some of these on the outside too. When the fish is half done put lemon juice and a piece of butter in the oil for sauce.