Today we’re learning how to unsalt Portuguese cod! Maybe you’ve always wanted to try your hand at making a Portuguese codfish dish but were unsure where to start or what to buy. Cooking traditional Portuguese salt cod is not something you decide you want that day and cook it yourself – that day. There are several steps you need to take before you can cook it. Such as soaking the fish. And that takes time. Today you’ll find all that out!
The following is something many of my students ask me when they want to make cod themselves:
- What type of cod should I buy: frozen, prepackaged or whole?
- For how long do I soak the cod?
- How many times do I change the water?
Preparing cod is not straight forward but the correct answers to these questions are three other questions which you need to know first:
What dish are you preparing?
The answer to this question tells you what parts of the fish are better suited and what type of cod to buy. You can buy the fish already sectioned and prepackaged in most shops. For instance, if you are preparing Bacalhau à Brás then the flaps/belly are more appropriate. But if you want to prepare Bacalhau à Lagareiro instead, then the loins are best.
Tip: It’s also easier to buy the fish prepackaged and sectioned rather than the whole fish. For Bacalhau à Brás for instance you can get it already shredded. That’s one less step to worry about. But if you’re planning on making several dishes, perhaps buying the whole fish is more worthwhile. You can cut, soak and then freeze the parts you don’t need for later.
If you’re unsure of the type of cuts you need, then check the Bacalhau cuts post next.
When are you planning to eat bacalhau?
This question and the next one will determine how big of a fish you need. As many of you may know, Portuguese cod is the only fish not sold fresh in Portugal. It goes through a traditional curing and salting process, totally chemical-free- designed to preserve the flavour and texture of the fish. What this also means is that the bigger the fish the longer the curing process and therefore the longer the soaking process.
The main purpose of the soaking is to rehydrate the fish and remove some of the salt. Some soakings take up to 72 hours!! However, be careful as you don’t want to end up with rotten fish.
There are 5 steps you need to take to ensure a perfectly rehydrated fish.
- rinse the fish.
- place in a bowl and completely cover with water
- store in the fridge or add ice to the water if you don’t have space in the fridge
- swap out the water three times (minimum two).
- respect the soaking times according to the type of fish you got.
Miúdo is rare and is typically smaller than half a kilo. It needs soaking between 24 and 30 hours and two water changes.
Corrente needs about 36 hours and 3 to 4 water changes
Crescido needs 48 hours and 3 water changes per day
Graúdo needs 55 hours and 3 water changes per day
Especial needs 72 hours and 3 water changes per day
How many people will be eating?
This ties in with the last question. In a recipe, the amount of cod indicated is always after soaking. Codfish increases by about 30% after the soak. So if you know how many people are coming and will be eating you can determine how much to buy. If your recipe says you need 800g of soaked cod for 4 people, you need to buy roughly 500g to 600g of dried cod.
Related articles for further reading
Let me know how you got on! On another note, do you need some extra motivation to learn Portuguese? Then consider signing up for my 30-day free Portuguese challenge where you will get a daily suggested activity for 30 days! More info here.