Cured fish recipeOrigin Recipe

Bacalao en salazón

Name: Bacalao en salazón
Total time: 10 d
Yield: 1 kg batch
Cuisine: Charcuterie
Ingredients: 1 kg Cod loin; 25 g Sea salt

Salt-cured, dried cod.

Introduction

Bacalao is cod preserved under heavy salt and usually dried until firm. It is not eaten directly from the cure: the fish is soaked to remove salt, then cooked in dishes that range from Basque pil-pil to Portuguese bacalhau and Castilian Lenten stews.

The Curesmith home method

Use 1,000 g very fresh or previously frozen cod loin and approximately 500 g coarse sea salt as a packing charge. Pack under refrigeration, turn and drain as liquid is released, then dry under controlled cold conditions. Before use, soak with repeated cold-water changes and cook the fish fully. Do not use the meat-curing EQ calculator for this salt-pack process.

Where it comes from

Spain, Spain

Before you begin

Purpose and scope

The recipes published on The Curesmith are intended for educational and informational purposes only. Meat curing, fermentation and smoking involve processes that, if carried out incorrectly, can result in products that are unsafe to eat. By using any recipe on this website you acknowledge that you do so entirely at your own risk, and you agree that The Curesmith and its authors cannot be held liable for any outcome arising from its use.

Limitation of liability

The Curesmith and its authors accept no responsibility or liability for any illness, injury, loss or damage arising from the use of these recipes, including but not limited to illness caused by improperly cured, handled or cooked meat products, errors in measurement or technique, equipment failure, or deviation from the stated method or quantities.

Nitrite and cure safety

Meat curing involves the use of nitrite salts, which must be measured accurately and used strictly according to the quantities specified. Nitrite in excessive quantities is toxic. Please ensure you understand the following before proceeding:

Always use a calibrated digital scale accurate to at least one gram. For smaller batches, a scale accurate to 0.1g is strongly recommended.
Never exceed the stated cure amounts. Never substitute cure types without recalculating.
Store all curing salts clearly labelled, separately from regular salt, and out of reach of children.
Different cure products have different nitrite concentrations. Always check your manufacturer's label and adjust quantities accordingly.

Food hygiene and cross-contamination

Raw and cured meat products must be stored, handled and prepared in a clean environment using food-safe equipment. Hands, surfaces, tools and containers must be thoroughly cleaned and where appropriate sanitised before use. Cross-contamination between raw meat and ready-to-eat products must be avoided at all times.

Temperature control

Temperature control is critical throughout all curing and smoking processes. Inadequate temperature management can allow the growth of dangerous pathogens including Clostridium botulinum, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella and E. coli. A reliable refrigerator thermometer and a calibrated probe thermometer are essential pieces of equipment for anyone producing cured or smoked meat at home.

Uncooked cured products

Whole muscle products that are eaten without cooking, such as air-dried bresaola, coppa or prosciutto, must reach their target weight loss before consumption. Products that have not been cured and dried to the correct specification may not be safe to eat uncooked. Pancetta and guanciale cured to less than 38% weight loss must not be consumed uncooked.

Bacon and other uncooked cured products

Bacon and other uncooked cured products must be cooked thoroughly before eating. Cold smoking adds flavour and colour but does not cook the product. A cold-smoked bacon or sausage remains a raw product and must reach a safe internal temperature before it is safe to consume. For pork and beef this is 72°C / 162°F. For poultry this is 74°C / 165°F.

When in doubt, seek professional guidance

If you are unsure about any aspect of the curing, smoking or fermentation process, we strongly encourage you to seek formal training or guidance from a qualified food safety professional before proceeding. The information on this website is not a substitute for proper food safety education and training.

Commercial production

These recipes are produced for home and small-scale producers. They are not intended for commercial food production. Commercial meat processing is subject to regulatory requirements that vary by country and jurisdiction. If you intend to produce cured or smoked products for sale, you must ensure full compliance with all applicable food safety regulations in your region.

The recipe

StyleSalt cure (EQ)

Cure time7 days

Before curingFreeze at -20 C (-4 F) for at least 24 hours before curing (parasite control)

Ingredients

Cod loingAdjust to
scale the recipe

Piece thickness: enter the thickness at the thickest point; it sets the cure time.

mm thickness

Cod loin
Cod loin	Reference	1000 g
Cure
Sea salt	2.5%	25 g

Curing timeline

Cure time7 days

Pre-cure freezeFreeze at -20 C (-4 F) for at least 24 hours before curing (parasite control)

Cure temperatureRefrigerated, 2-4 C (36 to 39 F)

Air-drysalt-box pack, dry

Ready whenFirm and set through

Method

Split and clean. Bleed and behead the cod, remove the guts, and open it flat along the belly. Take out most of the backbone so the fish lies in one even sheet, then scrape away any blood and the dark belly lining.

Dry salt heavily. Lay each split fish skin down and cover the flesh side generously with coarse sea salt. Stack the fish in layers with plenty of salt between every layer, roughly one part salt to three parts fish, and let the brine that forms drain away rather than keeping it.

Cure and mature. Hold the fish under salt for about three to four weeks. The salt works steadily into the muscle and the flesh firms and pales, settling near 18 to 20 percent salt as the water content drops to a little above half.

Air-dry firm. Dry the salted fish in cool moving air until hard and rigid. This was traditionally done outdoors on rocks or wooden racks and is now usually done indoors under controlled cool air. Dry until the water content falls below roughly half, which is what gives the long keeping quality.

Rest, second dry. For the finest grade the fish is dried in two stages with a rest in between. During this pause the flavour settles and matures before the final drying.

Desalt then cook. The finished fish is hard and very salty and is never eaten as it is. Before use it is soaked in cold water for one to three days, with the water changed two or three times a day to draw out the salt, then it is cooked or gently boiled in the dish.

Key tipsThis is the house equilibrium version at no more than 2.5% salt. Fish safety differs from meat: follow recognised Fish and Fishery Products guidance for histamine and Listeria control.

ImportantThis is eaten uncooked. Freeze for parasite control before curing, keep it cold throughout, and follow fish-specific safety guidance.

Recipe by The Curesmith — thecuresmith.com

Health & Safety Disclaimer