The stockfish delivered by FedEx to Marisa Ciceran, Dec. 7, 2013.

How to Identify and Prepare Baccalà

The term "baccal" (English) or baccalà  (Italian; Venetian / Istrian: bacalà) is used to mean two different things:

  1. salt-cured cod (Italian: baccalà)
  2. air-drid cod, haddock or hake (Italian/Istrian: stoccafisso or stoccofisso; English: stockfish).

Although the distinctions are sometimes blurried in the recipes, the two types of fish are different products with different taste  and are therefore NOT entirely interchangeable in kitchen recipes.

Identifying the fish

From early times, Italy's salt-cured cod and air-dried cod have come from northern countries in the fish trade industry dating back a millennium. In fact, both Italian words, baccalà and stoccafisso, probably derive from old Dutch and Middle Dutch (through the Norwegian), respectively. Salt cod products are especially popular in most regions of Italy, France, Spain, and Greece, but for some reason nonexistent in the southern Mediterranean. The Italians would trade wine, cloth, and spices among other things for salt cod.

It is a curious fact that we should regard cod, a north-sea fish, as a specialty of our Dalmatian and Istrian cuisine where it is prepared in a variety of ways and consumed in prodigious amounts. Depending on the region it can used as a salad, a' la white, as cod brodetto, cod soup, cod à la red, and in many other ways. In Istria, both the salt-cured and the air-dried cod products may be shown in certain modern recipes, the traditional Christmas baccal is made strictly from stockfish. Compare this with the baccala' dishes in parts of Italy where the distinction has been forgotten.

In any case, both types of fish products are also extensively eaten throughout southern Europe. In the United States, where fresh cod is plentiful, there has been little demand for either salt-cured or air-dried cod except in ethnic communities - Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Greek, and some West Indian. In ethnic Italian neighborhoods, stockfish is generally available only during the Christmas season, whereas the salt-cured baccalà is available year-round in Italian and West Indian neighborhoods, as well as showing up in supermarkets, too. On the other hand, in Melbourne and other parts of Australia, it is stockfish that is generally available year-round.

Stockfish Manufacture

The science of producing good stockfish is in many ways comparable to that of making a good cognac, Parma ham, or a well-matured cheese. Practitioners of the Slow Food movement insist that all these artisanal products must be made on a small scale and given time to mature.

The fish is prepared immediately after capture. After gutting the fish, it is either dried whole, or split along the spine leaving the tail connected. The fish is hung on the hjell from February to May. Stable cool weather protects the fish from insects and prevents an uncontrolled bacterial growth. A temperature just above zero degrees Celsius, with little rain, is ideal. Too much frost will spoil the fish, as ice destroys the fibers in the fish. The climate in northern Norway is excellent for stockfish production. Due to the stable conditions, the stockfish produced in Lofoten and Vesterålen is often regarded as the best. The traditional cod harvest in Lofoten also takes place during the best drying time. Due to a milder and more humid climate, salted/dried whitefish (klippfisk) was more common in the fisheries districts of Western Norway.

After its three months hanging on the hjell, the fish is then matured for another two to three months indoors in a dry and airy environment. During the drying, about 80% of the water in the fish evaporates. The stockfish retains all the nutrients from the fresh fish, only concentrated: it is therefore rich in proteins, vitamins, iron, and calcium.

After sorting by quality, most of the stockfish is exported to Italy, Croatia and Nigeria. In Norway and Iceland, the stockfish is mostly used as a snack and for lutefisk production. In Italy, the fish (called stoccafisso) is soaked and used in various courses, and is viewed as a delicacy.

Low-quality stockfish is also commonly used as supplemental food for pets, primarily as dog food or dog treats.

The 2012–2015 project SafeTrackFood developed a method of indoor production of stockfish to accelerate the maturing and drying of the fish in a safe manner.

Physical characteristics

The two fish products are distinguishable from each other by four other factors:

  1. Baccalà is white in appearance, skinless and boneless. Since larger cod is used for this curing method, it is usually found in the markets in cut sections rather than a whole fish. You can also generally see and taste the residue of salt that is left on its surface from the curing process.
  2. Stoccafisso is a whole fish, complete with bones and skin, the latter of which gives it its grey appearance. It has no added ingredients in the processing. 
  3. Baccalà is relatively moist and tender.
  4. Stoccafisso is dry and nearly rock hard.

Taste

Apart from the general fact that smaller fish are tastier and therefore preferable to their larger counterparts, stoccafisso (air-dried stockfish) unquestionably has a more delicate flavor than baccalà (salt-cured baccal). 

Cost

Stoccafisso is more costly than baccalà as well as being more difficult to find outside of specialty stores or ethnic neighborhoods in the U.S.A:, but in other countries (such as Australia), they are more readily available year-round.

Preparation

Both salt cod (baccalà) and air-dried cod (stoccafisso) are sold with the bone in or out or in chunks, but air-dried cod is generally found as a whole fish. Baccalà is more commonly found in America than stoccafisso and, being salted, needs soaking in water for several days to remove the salt, whereas the air-dried fish needs soaking for an equal amount of time to rehydrate it. Some salt cod products are pre-soaked and will be labeled as such. With these products, any cartilage, bone, or skin can be removed at this point, and they are then ready for use in the recipe.

When purchasing cod, one must ensure that it is flat, white (the salt-cured fish) or light grey (the air-dried fish) and transparent about the ears, and that its fins are turned upwards. Also, smaller cod are tastier than their big brothers. 

Baccalà - that is, salt cod - being too salty for immediate use, must be soaked for at least two days (five would be better) in several changes of water to ensure that the excess salt is drained away. It can then be poached, fried, baked, or used in pates, mousses, and sauces. 

Stockfish is much drier and has a woody texture and appearance, so it must be bashed a little with a wooden pounder or mallet to break down its fibrous texture before being soaked in the same manner as baccalà for at least three and up to four or five days in plenty of fresh water that is changed at least once daily and kept well-chilled. If kept covered, the odor of the fish is low, so keeping the soaking fish in the refrigerator is a reasonable option. Should the fish be larger than any available vessel, bend it and tie it with string, or saw it into smaller pieces. If you cannot afford the time to soak the fish in water, wrap it in a damp cloth and steam it, or cover it with hot ashes. The fish is then boiled, cleaned from the bone, and, typically, beaten to a mousse-like consistency with oil or cream.

The two different types of fish prepared in these two ways can be scraped, washed and cooked according to an appropriate recipe. Once cooked, the fish should flake easily. Once softened, place it in cold water and boiled, but do not overcook because it will be inclined to become tough. 

Sources:

  • Nina and Marisa Ciceran.
  • Clifford A. Wright - http://www.cliffordawright.com/recipes/salt_cod.html

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Created: Monday, December 25, 2000; Last Updated: Thursday, March 30, 2023
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