Salt cod — Atlantic cod (*Gadus morhua*) split, salted heavily, and dried until board-stiff — was the provision that built the New England economy, funded the American Revolution, and connected New England to the global trade network. The cod fishery off the Grand Banks powered the colonial economies of Massachusetts and Maine; the dried, salted product was shipped to the Caribbean (to feed enslaved people on sugar plantations — the cheapest protein available), to southern Europe (where it became the *bacalhau* of Portugal, the *baccalà* of Italy, the *bacalao* of Spain), and to West Africa. The Triangle Trade that moved enslaved people, sugar, rum, and salt cod around the Atlantic is the same trade network that connects the African diaspora entries in this database. Salt cod is the provision that makes the triangle visible on the plate.
Cod fillets packed in coarse salt and dried to a rigid, pale, board-like state — the salt draws moisture until the fish is preserved indefinitely at room temperature. Before cooking, salt cod must be soaked in multiple changes of cold water for 24-48 hours to rehydrate the flesh and remove excess salt. The properly rehydrated cod should be plump, moist, and only mildly salty — firm enough to hold its shape during cooking but tender enough to flake. The flavour is concentrated cod — more intense, more savoury, more complex than fresh cod — with a specific dense, slightly chewy texture that fresh cod doesn't have.
Cod cakes with baked beans. Creamed cod on toast with a poached egg for breakfast. Salt cod chowder. The rehydrated cod's dense, savoury flavour wants starch (potato, bread, beans) and acid (vinegar, lemon, mustard).
1) The soak is the technique — 24-48 hours in cold water, changing the water every 6-8 hours. The first water change removes the heaviest salt; subsequent changes bring the fish to a usable salinity. Taste a small piece after 24 hours — if it's still aggressively salty, continue soaking. If it's mildly salty and pleasant, it's ready. 2) Do not boil rehydrated salt cod — it toughens. Poach gently in barely simmering water or milk (milk produces a milder, creamier result) for 8-10 minutes until the fish flakes easily. 3) Salt cod in New England cooking: cod cakes (flaked rehydrated cod mixed with mashed potato, egg, and seasoning, formed into patties and fried), creamed cod (poached cod in a white sauce over toast — a traditional Saturday breakfast), and codfish balls (the fried version of cod cakes, smaller, crispier).
Codfish cakes — the quintessential New England use: equal parts flaked salt cod and mashed potato, bound with egg, seasoned with pepper and a touch of mustard, formed into patties, and fried in butter until golden. Served with baked beans for Saturday supper. This is the New England meal that predates the Republic. The Portuguese-New England connection: the Portuguese fishing communities of New Bedford, Gloucester, and Provincetown brought their own salt cod tradition (*bacalhau*) to New England, creating a parallel salt cod culture that coexists with the Yankee version. Portuguese *bacalhau à Brás* (shredded salt cod with potatoes, onion, and scrambled egg) is now a New England dish as much as a Portuguese one. Salt cod's role in the Triangle Trade: New England cod was shipped to the Caribbean to feed enslaved people because it was the cheapest protein that wouldn't spoil in the heat. The highest-quality cod went to Europe; the lowest grade went to the sugar plantations. The provision that sustained enslaved labour was caught and cured by New England fishermen, connecting the New England economy directly to the slave economy. The cod on a New England plate carries this history.
Not soaking long enough — under-soaked salt cod is inedibly salty. Boiling rather than poaching — the high heat contracts the proteins and makes the fish tough. Using low-quality salt cod — the best salt cod is thick, white, and from large fish. Thin, yellowish pieces are from inferior fish or are over-dried.
James Beard — American Cookery; Mark Bittman — Fish; Jasper White