What's a 'dressed' fish?

[WhatamessIgotinto]

Arrived in Scotland and it's fish and chips for tea tonight. I have no idea what the difference between a regular haddock and a 'dressed' haddock is! I've never heard of it, help me Scottish Mnetters! 😊

Dressed usually means head/tail etc removed but I'm not Scottish so...

I'd agree with its head, tail, find and guts removed.
So I'd guess that might mean bones still in, which I wouldnt expect in fish&chips.
I'm also not Scottish!

It’s a fish in a ballgown

As mentioned, it means gutted, with head, tail and fins cut off, so that it's ready to cook. Usually it doesn't mean boned, so it isn't fillets of haddock. Sometimes it can also mean coated in breadcrumbs.
I'm not sure if all that helps you very much though! [thigrin]

Might mean skin taken off in that context.

I have only heard of dressed crab and that means meat taken out- ready to eat. Assume, it means something similar about the fish, too. But do not take my word for it- I am not Scottish. Or even English!

The only reason I say about skin is that my Scottish grandma used be horrified by skin on fish and chips when she visited us in England.

It means covered in orange breadcrumbs rather than batter, fish in Scotland always has the skin removed (unlike the southern England as I discovered to my horror).

On a chippy menu it will mean in bread crumbs instead of batter

I am Scottish by the way and often order dressed fish as I find it slightly less greasy. I think it is regarded as the more "refined" option

Oh I’m pleased some people came along who actually knew.

We live in Scotland now but I’ve never seen it on a menu.

Are you prepared for being asked about a ‘fish supper’?

@Soubriquet

It’s a fish in a ballgown

It’s in Scotland, so it will be a fish in a kilt

Haha just means ruskoline breadcrumbs rather than batter.

Pretty boring answer unfortunately.

I want some dressed haddock now but the fishmongers van only comes round on a Wednesday

Where i am its a fish supper (fish is in batter) or a 'Special' fish supper where it has orange breadcrumbs on it instead. Supper means it comes with chips. If you don't want chips its a 'single' fish (although in some place you get 2 bits of fish anyway - just no chips!)

I'm Scottish and have honestly never heard of this. Are you ordering fish to cook or from the chip shop?

I imagine a dressed fish = special fish and its in breadcrumbs instead of batter

Yup as above - dressed fish is fish in bright orange breadcrumbs, ordinary fish is in batter. Fish supper if you want it with chips, single fish without. Salt and vinegar is normal on the west coast, salt and (vile!) chippy sauce normal on the east/Edinburgh.

Oh lord. Now I want fish and chips!

Is it a west coast thing?

If it's dressed it'll probably be in breadcrumbs. In my part of Scotland it's called a special fish.

A dressed haddock is one that is coated in bright orange breadcrumbs.

East Scotland here and a dressed fish from a chippy is one coated in ruskaline as opposed to batter. I prefer the batter personally.

Echoling those who said it can sometimes be used to refer to fish with head, tail and fins removed, I've heard someone in the west of Scotland refer to taking their tom kitten to the vets to be dressed (ie neutered).