There are two very simple ways to avoid encountering a hidden bone when eating a fish dish. The first is to buy fish from one of the larger species that have large central bones and few small bones. The second way is to remove the small bones from a flat or round fish.
The Benefits of Larger, Firmer Flesh Fish
Tuna and monkfish are two excellent examples of larger fish. Both have firm-textured meat, strong bones, and few smaller side bones. Tuna is considered very similar to lean beef, and monkfish on a par with prawns and lobster. The recipe alternatives from around the world for both fish are enormous. Search the Internet for cooking tips, from the simplest to the most complex. You will be able to create a wonderful boneless meal.
How to remove the bones of the most complex fish species
A few years ago I had dinner with a business associate who ordered whitebait as a starter. Whitebait are the small, pencil-thin fish coated in milk, seasoned flour, fried, and eaten whole. My colleague decided to fillet all the fish. It took a while for him to worry the waiters and kitchen staff who wondered how long it would be before the main course was served.
His expectation of a piece of boneless fish was a bit extreme. With most people, the concern is to eliminate the hidden and lurking throat killer: the little pinbone. Ask your fish supplier for help removing them and explain your concerns about any leftovers in the fish you buy. If you still find a bone in the fillet when you return home, try another fish purveyor next time.
If no help is available, complete the task on your own. You can easily find the bones. They are usually in the stomach wall or along the fish in the center of the fillet. Gently groping around you will find them. Using a set of tweezers will remove the smaller bones, and a small fillet knife will come in handy for cutting the bones into the stomach wall. You’ll end up with a totally boneless steak and you can put all your worries aside.
With some types of firm-textured flatfish, such as Dover sole, it will not be necessary to fillet the fish. You will find that after cooking, the fillet can be easily removed from the fish carcass.