Easy Outdoor Fish Cleaning Station

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(09-02-2012 03:57 PM)OldTimer Wrote:  BBQ Plywood Grill Cover – Cleaning Station

I thought I’d share this:

We all keep the odd fish and if you’re like most city anglers you really don’t have a place to clean a fish inside your home without making a mess, or smell fest.

Kitchen cutting boards are too small to clean fish, and most Arborite counters have that rolled edge that makes skinning a fillet a struggle………. cuz ya can’t get the blade flat.

But most of us do have a gas BBQ.

I clean my fish outside on a piece of unfinished plywood I cut to match the inside size of my BBQ grill. I just drop the plywood on top of the grill - and then I’ve got a real big flat wooden work surface outside in the sunlight. It doesn’t matter if I scratch or stain it… and I got two smaller side tables on the BBQ to hold my plates and paper towels, etc.

Sometimes I use newspaper or cardboard on top to catch the mess, but it’s a lot easier to just pick up the waste & then wipe it with paper towels… and then wash the board off with the garden hose.

Then (most of the time) I also turn on the BBQ for a few minutes to burn off any “spillage” and also to allow me to drop the board in WET SIDE DOWN , just for a minute or so – to dry it quickly.

(I started using this idea years ago – with flattened cardboard boxes – they work too – then I just threw them away.)

Side bonus – makes a great work surface to do projects outside in the summer, or (if covered nicely) an extra table top or dry bar on the patio. Has a drop down cover too………. For rain or insects.

Cheers,

OldTimer

We don't have a patio BBQ, but I use a piece of plywood that's about 12x30 inches. I gave this a few coats of raw linseed oil -- food safe, and it keeps fish juices from seeping into the wood.

The plywood straddles our kitchen double sink, and the water is right there. When I'm done, I rinse off the board and lean it against a wall outside to dry. Every year or two I give it a light sanding and another coat of raw linseed oil.

Raw linseed oil has no dryers in it -- that's why it's food safe. So you need to use light coats, wipe them off after 10-15 minutes, and let the oil penetrate and dry for a few days before doing the next coat.