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How to Clean Blowfish

Blowfish, also called pufferfish, are small- to medium-sized fish most commonly found in tropical waters. Although blowfish have poisonous skin and internal organs, they are considered a delicacy in some Asian cultures, including Japan. Japanese chefs must obtain a license before they can prepare blowfish for human consumption. Cleaning the blowfish in order to prepare it for cooking and eating is an intricate, difficult task which should not be attempted by novice fishers.

Things You'll Need

Rubber gloves
Rag
Knife

Instructions

- 1
  Put on a pair of sturdy rubber gloves before handling the blowfish. Many parts of a blowfish are poisonous and potentially deadly, including its skin.
- 2
  Choose a surface to clean the blowfish on. Lay an old rag over the surface and place the blowfish on the rag.
- 3
  Cut into the blowfish behind the head with a knife. Do not make a clear cut all the way through the fish. Instead, cut just barely into the skin in a full circle and pull the skin off the body from there.
- 4
  Run water over the body to remove the jelly-like substance coating it. You can also use salt for this purpose.
- 5
  Gut the fish. Use caution and precision during this task. Do not puncture the internal organs, as they contain the most poison in the blowfish's body. If you do puncture an organ, do not attempt to eat the contaminated blowfish; instead, throw it away and start over on a fresh blowfish.

Nature