Seafood 101:
The 6 Seafood Basic Cuts

1. Butterfly Fillet Cuts

Butterfly fillet cuts are two fillets in a single cut. The two fillets from the sides of the fish are still connected by their skin. Butterfly fillet cuts are popular for freshwater fish, but this is also an excellent option for white fish such as tilapia, cod, grouper, and haddock. 

Butterfly fillet cuts are stylish fish cuts because of their butterfly shape. While culinary artists make all their dishes look fantastic, culinary artists have some unique options when presenting butterfly fillets. Popular preparation methods include baking and sauteing. 

2. Fillet Cuts

Choosing fillet fish cuts means choosing meat cut from the sides of the fish. The 

types of fish fillets are:

• Whole fillet cuts. 
• V-cuts
• J-cuts

If you’re looking for a fillet cut without the pin bone or fatty meat on the side, you want to order a J-cut. Although a V-cut also has the pin bone removed, it still has the fatty side meat. 

When you order a fillet cut, you get a popular cut that can be prepared in several ways. Are you craving a marinated cut of fish? In the mood for baked or sauteed seafood? These are just a few ways culinary experts can prepare fillet cuts. 

3. Loin Cuts

Loin cuts come from the fish’s back. It’s also possible to cut fish loins into smaller pieces, called medallions. This is a fantastic option if you’re looking for a delicious cut of meat that’s boneless and skinless. Whether your taste buds are craving cod, salmon, or halibut, loin cuts will satisfy your cravings and deliver a delicious seafood dinner.

Steak cuts are versatile, and there are many ways to prepare fish steak, including the following:

• Baked
• Broiled
• Deep fried
• Grilled
• Sauteed

5. Tail Cuts

Tail cuts refer to the meat portion found at the opposite end from the head. There are critical differences between fish meat near the tail and meat from the fish’s center. The size of the bones in tail cuts differs from the bones in the center of the fish, and there’s more skin on the meat in the center. This makes center cuts of fish softer than the crispier tail pieces. 

The tail cut is popular with salmon. You can expect to find bones in a tail cut. 

6. Whole Fish Cuts

This name may be misleading. Whole fish cuts can include the head, organs, and tail, but you can also get a whole fish cut without the organs. Whole fish cuts are suitable for multiple types of fish, including the following:

• Cod
• Haddock
• Salmon
• Sea Bass
• Trout
• Tilapia