Why Budget-Savvy Shoppers Skip Buying Fillets And Instead Go For Whole Fish

Seafood is delicious, but it can get expensive — fast. Many wonder if it's more cost-effective to buy an entire fish instead of buying individual fillets at the grocery store. In most cases, the answer is absolutely — purchasing an entire fish instead of single fillets makes the most sense when it comes to saving some serious cash. While you'll be removing some of the weight of the fish during the scaling, gutting, and deboning process, purchasing an entire fish is still the most budget-friendly option.

Purchasing a whole fish isn't the only way to make the most of your seafood budget though. To stretch your cash even further, use the leftover parts of the fish (like the head, tail, fins, and bones) to create seafood stock. Be sure you've thoroughly rinsed off all of the components (throw away anything bloody) and let them get to know some vegetables (the Holy Trinity mirepoix is a good place to start) and seasonings as they simmer to uber-flavorful perfection. 

You've made the jump from buying single fillets to a whole fish — now what? Thankfully, there's not a huge learning curve when it comes to cutting fillets from a whole fish. If you feel intimidated, don't worry; following a few simple steps can help you take the whole fish on your counter to delicious fillets in a frying pan in just a few minutes. You'll start by rinsing the fish, and then you'll use a fish scaler (or a knife, if you don't have a scaler) to scrape off the scales (work against the scales, moving against the grain). Then, you'll gut the fish, clean the fish (removing the head and fins), and slice it into fillets.

Still feeling a little overwhelmed by the idea of scaling, cleaning, deboning, and filleting a whole fish on your own? No worries — you've got options. If you're set on purchasing a whole fish but aren't super-confident in your at-home filleting skills, your fishmonger may be able to help you out. At some seafood counters, like the one at Whole Foods, they'll be happy to debone your fish for you (they'll also crack crabs and devein shrimp before they hand your seafood over, if you ask). Your fishmonger may also be able to help you with other aspects of the whole fish prep process, like scaling and cleaning.