Deboning Bangus (Milk Fish) and Recipes

This post includes how to debone Bangus or Milkfish, how to make Bangus Sardines, and my favorite, how to make smoked soft-boned Bangus. Read on and enjoy!

How to make Boneless Bangus
1. Wash the fish.
2. Split the fish, butterfly style.
3. Remove the internal organs, gills, blood and slime. Then wash the fish thoroughly.
4. Remove the backbone and dorsal fins by means of a sharp knife.
5. With the use of forceps, remove the spines at the belly cavity. This can done easilybecause the spiner are superficially embedded.
6. Debone.

Make a superficial slit along the dent of the dorsal and ventral muscles with the edge of a knife. Removes spines one after the other by inserting the pair of forceps between the segments of the dorsal and ventral muscles.

Continue removing the spines in similar manner on the dorsal and ventral areas until all spines are eliminated.

From the dorsal portion, there are approximately 44 branching spines embedded between themuscles segments. Starting from the nape along the lateral line 22 spines are embedded and along the ventral muscles are 24 spines.

How to make smoked soft -boned Bangus
Procedure:
1. Remove the gills and open the soft belly to remove the internal organs.
2. Wash fish thoroughly to remove blood, slime, dirt, etc.
3. After washing, soak fish in concentrated brine for 120 minutes. To prepare concentrated brine, mix thoroughly 1 part salt and 3 parts water.
4. Drain brined bangus for a few minutes, wrap in aluminum foil and then process in a retort or pressure cooker at 10 lbs. pressure for an average time of 90 to 120 minutes. Processing time varies according to size and age of bangus.
5. After processing, “dry to the touch” under the sun for 30 to 48 minutes or in any suitable artificial dryer.
6. Smoke the processed fish in a suitable smokehouse for 30 to 45 minutes until golden brown.

How to make Bangus Sardines
Ingredients:
1 1/2 kilo bangus
2 1/2 cups water
10 tbsp vinegar
1 1/2 cups cooking oil or corn oil
1/2 bottle tomato catsup
2 medium carrots
10 pcs kamias
2 tbsp salt
4 tbsp sugar
1 large can tomato chili sauce

Procedure:
Mix all ingredients in a pressure cooker and cook for 45 minutes or until soft.

Photo courtesy of www.feedmix.com