Salt Cod (Bacalao) — Cups to Grams

Measuring Salt Cod: Dry, Soaked, and Cooked

Salt cod is almost always purchased dry and measured after rehydration. The conversion matters enormously for recipe scaling — dry salt cod is not measured the same way as fresh fish. Always work backward from your soaked or cooked weight target.

Salt Cod in Iberian and Atlantic Food Culture

Salt cod (bacalao in Spanish and Basque, bacalhau in Portuguese, morue in French) has been the backbone of Iberian cuisine for at least 500 years. The salt-curing process was developed by Basque fishermen working the Grand Banks of Newfoundland in the 15th and 16th centuries — long before refrigeration, salt was the only practical preservation method for fish caught thousands of kilometres from home.

Portugal developed the most extensive salt cod culinary tradition of any country. Portuguese chefs enumerate 365 traditional bacalhau recipes — one for every day of the year — ranging from the famous Bacalhau a Bras (shredded cod with potatoes and eggs) and Bacalhau com Natas (cod with cream) to Bacalhau Gomes de Sa (cod with potatoes, onion, olives, and hard-boiled eggs). In Spain, Basque cuisine (Pais Vasco) treats bacalao with similar reverence, featuring it in Pil-Pil sauce — a cold-start olive oil and cod gelatin emulsion that produces a creamy, dense white sauce from the cod's natural collagen.

Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) from the Grand Banks and Newfoundland-Labrador fisheries has historically been the primary species used. Norwegian stockfish (air-dried without salt) and klippfisk (salt-dried) are the main commercial sources today, supplemented by Icelandic and Faroese production.

The Desalting Process: Science and Technique

Salt curing removes approximately 50 to 60% of the fish's original water weight, which concentrates both protein and sodium. A fresh cod fillet of 500g becomes approximately 200 to 250g of salt cod after curing — and then rehydrates back to approximately 350 to 450g after 48 hours of soaking. Understanding this cycle is essential for accurate recipe planning.

The cold-water method (standard): Place salt cod skin-side up in a large bowl or deep dish. Cover completely with cold water. Refrigerate at 4 degrees C. Change water every 8 to 12 hours. Thin fillets (under 2 cm) need 24 hours and 3 water changes. Thick center-cut pieces (3 to 5 cm) need 36 to 48 hours and 4 to 5 water changes. Running-water method (faster): place cod under slowly running cold water for 12 to 18 hours — this accelerates desalting but uses significantly more water.

Key Recipes and Exact Ratios

These are the standard proportions for the three most important salt cod preparations in the Ibero-Atlantic culinary tradition.

Bacalhau a Bras (4 servings): 400g dry salt cod (rehydrated to ~650g) + 400g waxy potatoes cut into 2mm matchsticks + 6 large eggs + 60g black olives + 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil + 2 medium onions + 2 garlic cloves + fresh parsley. Fry potato matchsticks in olive oil at 160 degrees C until golden (12 to 15 minutes). Saute onion and garlic until soft. Add shredded poached cod. Add potatoes and gently fold. Add beaten eggs and scramble over low heat until just set. Finish with olives and parsley.

Brandade de morue (4 servings): 300g dry salt cod (rehydrated) + 200ml extra-virgin olive oil + 100ml warm heavy cream + 2 garlic cloves + white pepper + pinch nutmeg. Poach soaked cod in unsalted water 12 minutes. Flake, removing all bones and skin. In food processor: blend cod and garlic, drizzle in warm olive oil (60 degrees C) and warm cream alternately until smooth and emulsified. Taste — add white pepper and nutmeg. Do not add salt before tasting. Serve warm on grilled baguette slices.

Bacalao al Pil-Pil (4 servings, Basque): 600g desalted thick center-cut bacalao pieces + 300ml extra-virgin olive oil + 4 garlic cloves + 1 dried guindilla or cayenne pepper. Place cod skin-down in a cazuela with cold olive oil and garlic. Heat very slowly from cold — the cod will release collagen gelatin that emulsifies with the oil into a thick white sauce. Shake the pan continuously in circular motions; do not stir. The temperature must stay below 75 degrees C throughout.