Smoked cod.
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- May 7, 2020
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- May 12, 2011
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This thread may help. Look at Dirtsailors Link...JJ
www.smokingmeatforums.com
Dry Rub Or Brine
What is your preference for fish ( any fish ) fillets, dry rub or brine ?
www.smokingmeatforums.com
Watching this thread because you've given me an idea, Nes.
My Italian mom and grandparents used to make a salted cod dish at Christmas called bacala. Heavy garlic, cured black olives, olive oil, and reconstituted salt cod. Salt cod was cheap and that''s why they made it...not any longer! It's like $40 / lb out here in California. Consequently, I had to come up with a mock recipe using flash-frozen cod fillets that was just as good. I did so, but it made the house and me smell like fish and garlic until it was gone. My wife HATES fish so I had to eat it all. It was a lonely time.
Well, I'm old now, and I have a smoker. I could make smoked cod work in the recipe. The fish smell would stay outside and my eau d' garlic? She'd just have to deal with it. Watching with baited breath.
My Italian mom and grandparents used to make a salted cod dish at Christmas called bacala. Heavy garlic, cured black olives, olive oil, and reconstituted salt cod. Salt cod was cheap and that''s why they made it...not any longer! It's like $40 / lb out here in California. Consequently, I had to come up with a mock recipe using flash-frozen cod fillets that was just as good. I did so, but it made the house and me smell like fish and garlic until it was gone. My wife HATES fish so I had to eat it all. It was a lonely time.
Well, I'm old now, and I have a smoker. I could make smoked cod work in the recipe. The fish smell would stay outside and my eau d' garlic? She'd just have to deal with it. Watching with baited breath.
Man Bacala sounds declious!Watching this thread because you've given me an idea, Nes.
My Italian mom and grandparents used to make a salted cod dish at Christmas called bacala. Heavy garlic, cured black olives, olive oil, and reconstituted salt cod. Salt cod was cheap and that''s why they made it...not any longer! It's like $40 / lb out here in California. Consequently, I had to come up with a mock recipe using flash-frozen cod fillets that was just as good. I did so, but it made the house and me smell like fish and garlic until it was gone. My wife HATES fish so I had to eat it all. It was a lonely time.
Well, I'm old now, and I have a smoker. I could make smoked cod work in the recipe. The fish smell would stay outside and my eau d' garlic? She'd just have to deal with it. Watching with baited breath.
- May 12, 2011
- 22,167
- 7,159
I'd be interested in the Mock recipe. I've eaten Baccala, in a couple different ways and agree the price has gone crazy because of over fishing restrictions...JJ
JJ, just for you, buddy. Happy to oblige. Now I gotta make some. I'll probably cook the fish in the smoker but broil it in the house as detailed below.
The recipe might seem complicated, but it's quite simple. JJ, I'm sure you know many of the techniques I mention, but others reading this may not.
Reconstituted salt cod has a firm texture that makes it great for the dish. Finding a way to mimic that texture was the challenge. All my local relatives and Italian friends who tried my recipe said my technique worked well to mimic the salt cod texture but at a fraction of the price.
Ingredients for a Family Gathering. The recipe divides nicely.
7 lbs of frozen cod fillets (not the breaded ones, fellas). I got mine at Trader Joe's.
1 large bulb of fresh garlic, about 15-20 cloves.
1+ cup of delicious and peppery Extra Virgin olive oil.
2 pints of cured and oiled Italian black olives. They have wrinkled skins. They also still have the seeds, so warn your guests. I buy mine at Whole Foods deli or an Italian market.
1 Tbs freshly ground black pepper
1-2 Tbs red pepper flakes
Salt to taste, but don't skimp.
Directions
Keep the fish in their vacuum paks and thaw in cold water. Takes about an hour.
Remove the fish from the wrapping and pat dry with a paper towel.
Preheat the oven to 350F. Have one rack in the middle and one at the top position.
Salt and pepper the fish fillets using all the black pepper.
Follow the baking instructions on the wrapping, cook the fish on an oiled baking sheet in the oven on the middle rack, and then cook 10-15 minutes longer to overcook the fish and dry it out a little. The fish will shrink a surprising amount. Leaving the oven door open a little helps but stinks up the house.
Transfer the fish to another cookie/baking sheet lined with HD aluminum foil lightly coated with olive oil.
Turn the broiler to high and put the baking sheet with the fish on the top rack under the broiler. I don't close the door and watch the fish closely. Depending on your broiler, you may need to move the sheet a little to broil all the fish.
When the fillets brown nicely, remove the fish before it burns. A few burnt ends are okay, but keep it to a minimum.
Transfer the fish to a large mixing bowl, break the fish into small flakes, and set aside.
Use the "shaking two metal bowls" trick to peel the garlic into whole cloves, then slice thinly. I prefer sliced to chopped garlic. Looks nicer, too.
Add half the sliced garlic and the red pepper flakes to the fish and stir to mix.
Add 2/3's cup of the olive oil to a saute pan. Add the remaining garlic. Turn the heat to medium and stir while the oil is heating to temp. Stir constantly and watch for any color change in the garlic. As soon as you notice a light beige color, immediately remove it from the heat, or the garlic will burn in seconds.
Dump the oil and garlic in the bowl with the fish.
Add the remaining 1/3 cup of oil to the fish.
Spoon the olives into the fish, but not any marinade or juices, or the fish will turn an ugly dark color. It tastes the same but looks like crap.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill overnight in the refrigerator.
The fish will absorb some of the oil. If the fish is dry in the morning, add more olive oil to give it a nice coat. As it sits in the fridge over a few days, you may need to add more olive oil.
Serve cold to room temp.
The recipe will make about 8-10, maybe 12 cups of bacala (been a long time since I made it). Due to the big flavor, a half-cup is a typical serving.
The bacala will keep in the fridge for 2-3 weeks, but trust me, it won't last that long. Your pores will ooze garlic, according to my wife.
It can be frozen. When ready to eat, take it out of the freezer and let it thaw in the fridge for a couple of days.
If anyone tries it, let me know what you think. My mouth is watering while typing the recipe. I grew up on this stuff at Christmas and haven't made it in years. Going shopping for what I need Monday.
Mangia!
Ray
The recipe might seem complicated, but it's quite simple. JJ, I'm sure you know many of the techniques I mention, but others reading this may not.
Reconstituted salt cod has a firm texture that makes it great for the dish. Finding a way to mimic that texture was the challenge. All my local relatives and Italian friends who tried my recipe said my technique worked well to mimic the salt cod texture but at a fraction of the price.
Ingredients for a Family Gathering. The recipe divides nicely.
7 lbs of frozen cod fillets (not the breaded ones, fellas). I got mine at Trader Joe's.
1 large bulb of fresh garlic, about 15-20 cloves.
1+ cup of delicious and peppery Extra Virgin olive oil.
2 pints of cured and oiled Italian black olives. They have wrinkled skins. They also still have the seeds, so warn your guests. I buy mine at Whole Foods deli or an Italian market.
1 Tbs freshly ground black pepper
1-2 Tbs red pepper flakes
Salt to taste, but don't skimp.
Directions
Keep the fish in their vacuum paks and thaw in cold water. Takes about an hour.
Remove the fish from the wrapping and pat dry with a paper towel.
Preheat the oven to 350F. Have one rack in the middle and one at the top position.
Salt and pepper the fish fillets using all the black pepper.
Follow the baking instructions on the wrapping, cook the fish on an oiled baking sheet in the oven on the middle rack, and then cook 10-15 minutes longer to overcook the fish and dry it out a little. The fish will shrink a surprising amount. Leaving the oven door open a little helps but stinks up the house.
Transfer the fish to another cookie/baking sheet lined with HD aluminum foil lightly coated with olive oil.
Turn the broiler to high and put the baking sheet with the fish on the top rack under the broiler. I don't close the door and watch the fish closely. Depending on your broiler, you may need to move the sheet a little to broil all the fish.
When the fillets brown nicely, remove the fish before it burns. A few burnt ends are okay, but keep it to a minimum.
Transfer the fish to a large mixing bowl, break the fish into small flakes, and set aside.
Use the "shaking two metal bowls" trick to peel the garlic into whole cloves, then slice thinly. I prefer sliced to chopped garlic. Looks nicer, too.
Add half the sliced garlic and the red pepper flakes to the fish and stir to mix.
Add 2/3's cup of the olive oil to a saute pan. Add the remaining garlic. Turn the heat to medium and stir while the oil is heating to temp. Stir constantly and watch for any color change in the garlic. As soon as you notice a light beige color, immediately remove it from the heat, or the garlic will burn in seconds.
Dump the oil and garlic in the bowl with the fish.
Add the remaining 1/3 cup of oil to the fish.
Spoon the olives into the fish, but not any marinade or juices, or the fish will turn an ugly dark color. It tastes the same but looks like crap.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill overnight in the refrigerator.
The fish will absorb some of the oil. If the fish is dry in the morning, add more olive oil to give it a nice coat. As it sits in the fridge over a few days, you may need to add more olive oil.
Serve cold to room temp.
The recipe will make about 8-10, maybe 12 cups of bacala (been a long time since I made it). Due to the big flavor, a half-cup is a typical serving.
The bacala will keep in the fridge for 2-3 weeks, but trust me, it won't last that long. Your pores will ooze garlic, according to my wife.
It can be frozen. When ready to eat, take it out of the freezer and let it thaw in the fridge for a couple of days.
If anyone tries it, let me know what you think. My mouth is watering while typing the recipe. I grew up on this stuff at Christmas and haven't made it in years. Going shopping for what I need Monday.
Mangia!
Ray
Last edited:
This will work with Cod
Brine
1/2 C sea salt
3 Heaping Tbsp Dark Brown Sugar
4 Bay Leaves
Mix with a pint or so of hot tap water, add ice after every thing seems dissolved. When cool enough add more ice and water to make a gallon of brine.I used a 2 gal zip bag to do it.
Brine fish for 11-1/2 to 12 hrs.Rinse with cold water air dry to form a pellicle.
Smoke at 160*F for 2 to 3 hrs get a nice color.Turn up the heat 185*f finish the fish with an IT of 145*
Richie
Brine
1/2 C sea salt
3 Heaping Tbsp Dark Brown Sugar
4 Bay Leaves
Mix with a pint or so of hot tap water, add ice after every thing seems dissolved. When cool enough add more ice and water to make a gallon of brine.I used a 2 gal zip bag to do it.
Brine fish for 11-1/2 to 12 hrs.Rinse with cold water air dry to form a pellicle.
Smoke at 160*F for 2 to 3 hrs get a nice color.Turn up the heat 185*f finish the fish with an IT of 145*
Richie
We do ours with EVOO & Cajun seasoning. Smoke at 225 until it flakes apart.
Al
Al
- May 12, 2011
- 22,167
- 7,159
noboundaries
Thanks Ray! This seems to be your Families twist on an Italian Baccala Salad. Your procedure is creative. A great way to mimic cooked Baccala. No Wonder you express Garlic! 10 Cloves of RAW Garlic has a Punch. But hey, its once a year. The Italian Oil Cured Olives, are going to be a challenge as I've not seen them in area stores, then again, area stores don't stock much of anything unusual.
...JJ
Link is a producer of salted seafood products..
Recall our dad bring home the salted cod in a small wooden box as well as the dried fish filet which hung in the basement.
The box was a prized toy.
cfeboston.com
Recall our dad bring home the salted cod in a small wooden box as well as the dried fish filet which hung in the basement.
The box was a prized toy.
Packaged Saltfish - CFE Seafoods
cfeboston.com
- May 7, 2020
- 16
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I must ask what COD are we working with?. I cannot use my ling cod brine on rock cod because rock cod is sooooo much drier.
- May 7, 2020
- 16
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To be honest I'm not sure which I'll be getting and until looking around on this forum did not know there were different types.
- May 12, 2011
- 22,167
- 7,159
Cod is a Big Family...Atlantic, Ling, Rock Pacific, Haddock, Pollock and several more. I don't know where you are at, but on the East Coast, Atlantic can be had Fresh and is more expensive than the similar tasting Pollock or Haddock, which I love...JJ
- May 7, 2020
- 16
- 13
I'm in New England but it will probably be what ever is on sale. :)
- May 12, 2011
- 22,167
- 7,159
Living in New England, you should have access to Fresh Cod. It will give a better end result, than Frozen fish...JJ
- May 7, 2020
- 16
- 13
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