Salt cod rehydration: the Iberian desalting technique

Iberian Peninsula (Portugal and Spain)

The desalting of salt cod is not a simple rinse — it is a controlled, timed process that determines the texture, salinity, and flavour of every bacalao and bacalhau preparation that follows. The process varies depending on the thickness of the piece and the final application: thin pieces for salads may need 24 hours; thick loin sections for pil-pil or brandade need 48-72 hours; kokotxas need a different desalting profile that leaves them slightly more saline. The Iberian tradition of salt cod preservation dates to the 14th-century Basque and Portuguese fishing expeditions to the Grand Banks of Newfoundland. The preservation technique — wet salting followed by air drying — allowed cod to be transported across the Atlantic without refrigeration and created an ingredient that is simultaneously a staple of poverty and a vehicle for extraordinary technique.