How to prepare small fish?

[Anau]

When it comes to really small fish like anchovies or sardines, how would you prepare and clean them for eating from their live state? With larger fish, of course, you gut and clean them but you wouldn't do with tiny fish would you? I'm just wondering 'cause my grandfather buys these tiny fish (~2 in)and dries them then eats them later somehow, but I've never noticed if they are "cleaned out" like bigger fish.

 

[thumpershere2]

Here we get smelt, a very sm fish and we use a sharp sm knife and cut the head off and cut down the underside and run a finger down to clean out the innerds. goes fast, but it is time consuming because we usually have many to do. They tast so great deep fried that the time is worth it.

 

[shannon in KS]

I agree with thumper- and very time consuming! I kinda remember my grandfather also rubbing the skin off with a coarse cloth. I saw an episode on FoodTV and they were packed in kosher salt to cure for a few days. I will ask around the family and see if they remember how grandpa used to prepare them!

 

[thumpershere2]

Also a good sharp pair of sissors works great for this job. I have some smelt in the freezer and thinking I better get them out and fry them up.

 

[Anau]

Thanks, yeah that does sound tedious. I found out that he fries them for breakfast. I don't know what else goes into it though.