The Complete Guide to Salt Cod: Desalting Baccala, Baccalà, Bacalao and Bacalhau

How to Prepare Salt Cod Before Cooking

Before cooking, salt cod needs time in cold water to soften and release the excess salt. A slow soak restores its firm, meaty flakes and prepares it for your recipe. The method is the same whether your family calls it baccalà, bacalao or bacalhau.

The short answer: Rinse the fillet, completely cover it with cold water and refrigerate it at 40°F or below. A thick whole fillet usually needs 48 to 72 hours, with fresh water about every eight hours. Before preparing your recipe, cook a small piece from the thickest section and taste it. If it is still too salty, return the fish to fresh cold water for another eight hours.

This guide explains why the method works, how to adjust the timing for different cuts, what to do when time is short, how to store the fish safely and how salt cod differs from stockfish.

What Is Salt Cod?

Salt cod is cod that has been cured with salt and, in many cases, partially dried. Salt pulls moisture from the fish while moving into the flesh. That process preserves the cod and changes it at the same time. Properly prepared salted cod is not simply fresh cod with a salty taste. It has a firmer structure, deeper flavor and large flakes that hold together beautifully in salads, stews, fritters and baked dishes.

Salt cod is still raw unless its package specifically says that it is cooked or ready to eat. Desalting removes excess salt and restores moisture, but it does not cook the fish.

Why the Name Changes from Country to Country

The same preserved fish is known by different names depending on the language and family tradition.

Salt cod: The clearest English name for cod preserved with salt.
Salted cod: A common English variation that generally means the same thing as salt cod.
Baccalà: The standard Italian spelling, with the accent on the final “à.” In most of Italy, it means salt-cured cod.
Baccala: The spelling most Italian-American families use when an accented character is not available. It refers to the same baccalà tradition.
Bacalao: The Spanish word for cod. In American food markets and many traditional recipes, bacalao usually refers to salted cod, although bacalao salado is the more exact Spanish term for salt-cured cod.
Bacalhau: The Portuguese word for cod and the name closely associated with Portugal's enormous tradition of salted and dried cod dishes.

One Useful Distinction: Baccalà Is Not Always Stockfish

Salt cod is preserved with salt. Stockfish, called stoccafisso in Italian, is cod dried in cold air without salt. They are not the same product and their soaking requirements differ. There is one famous regional exception: in parts of Veneto, dishes called baccalà may traditionally be made with stockfish. That is why Venetian baccalà recipes sometimes seem to contradict the rest of Italy.

A Brief History of Salt Cod

Long before refrigeration, drying and salting made fish portable. Northern European fishermen had access to abundant cod, while southern Europe had salt and a large market for preserved fish. Over centuries, those two worlds met through trade.

Salt cod could survive a long journey and reach towns far from the sea. It became deeply rooted in Portugal and Spain, throughout Italy, and later in Brazil, the Caribbean, Mexico, West Africa and North America. Catholic meatless days also helped make baccalà, bacalao and bacalhau part of Friday meals, Lent and Christmas Eve traditions.

In Italian-American homes, baccala became inseparable from Christmas Eve and the Feast of the Seven Fishes. In Portugal, bacalhau became such an everyday staple that it is often called the country's “faithful friend.” In Spain and Latin America, bacalao appears in everything from tomato-based holiday dishes to salads and fritters. The recipes are different, but they all begin with the same patient work at the sink and refrigerator.

How Desalting Actually Works

When salted cod is placed in fresh water, salt gradually moves from the concentrated flesh into the less salty water. At the same time, the fish absorbs water and becomes plumper. Replacing the soaking water keeps that movement going. If the cod sits in the same increasingly salty water for too long, desalting slows down.

Three things determine the soaking time:

Thickness: Salt takes longer to leave the center of a thick loin or whole fillet.
Size: Smaller pieces expose more surface area and desalt more quickly.
The original cure: A heavily dried, heavily salted fish needs more time than a softer, lightly cured product.

This is why no responsible guide can promise that every piece will be ready at exactly 24, 48 or 72 hours. The clock gives you a range. A cooked taste test from the thickest part gives you the answer.

The Best Method: A Slow Cold-Water Soak

For thick, meaty salt cod fillets, this method gives the most even seasoning and the best texture.

Plan ahead. For a whole fillet, begin two to three days before you intend to cook it.
Rinse off the surface salt. Hold the salted cod under cold running water and gently rub away loose crystals. Do not use soap and do not leave the fish sitting on the counter.
Choose a roomy container. Use a clean glass, stainless-steel or food-safe plastic container. Avoid reactive aluminum. The cod will expand, so do not pack it tightly.
Leave it whole or cut it for the recipe. A whole fillet gives the most attractive portions. Cutting it into similarly sized pieces speeds the process and makes the timing more even.
Completely submerge the cod. Add enough fresh cold water to leave plenty of water around and above the fish. If it floats, hold it under with a small clean plate.
Cover and refrigerate. Keep the container at 40°F or below. At Frank and Sal, we keep the soaking fish close to 38°F.
Change the water about every eight hours. Drain it completely, briefly rinse the fish and container, then refill with fresh cold water. Three changes a day is a practical goal.
Begin checking at the low end of the time range. The cod should feel flexible and plump rather than board-stiff.
Test the center safely. Cut a small piece from the thickest section. Gently cook it until opaque and fully cooked, then let it cool enough to taste. Do not judge the fish only by tasting the soaking water.
Continue if necessary. If the sample is aggressively salty, return the remaining cod to fresh cold water for another eight hours and test again.
Drain and dry. Once the seasoning is right, drain the fish and pat it dry. It is now ready for your recipe.

Never soak salted cod at room temperature. Salt preserves the original fish, but as the salt leaves and water returns, the cod becomes perishable again. Keep it refrigerated throughout the entire soak.

Salt Cod Soaking Times by Cut

Use these times as starting points, not absolute promises:

Thin shreds or very small trimmings: About 8 to 24 hours, with several water changes.
Small, evenly cut pieces: About 24 to 36 hours, changing the water about every eight hours.
Medium fillet portions: About 36 to 48 hours, changing the water about every eight hours.
Thick center-cut portions or whole meaty fillets: About 48 to 72 hours, changing the water about every eight hours.
Very hard, extra-thick dried cod: It may need longer than 72 hours. Test every eight to twelve hours rather than guessing.

The thinner tail end may be ready before the thick center. If you cut the fillet before soaking, you can remove thinner pieces first and leave the thick pieces in fresh water longer.

A Practical Three-Day Schedule

If dinner is Saturday evening:

Wednesday evening: Rinse the cod and begin soaking.
Thursday morning, afternoon and evening: Replace the water.
Friday morning, afternoon and evening: Replace the water.
Saturday morning: Cook and taste a small center piece.
Saturday morning to afternoon: If necessary, give it one final soak in fresh water. Drain and pat dry before cooking.

Starting early gives you room to correct the salt level. Starting late forces you to choose between an overly salty dinner and a faster method that can change the texture.

Other Ways to Desalt Salted Cod

Method 1: Cut-Piece Cold Soak

Best for: Salads, stews, fritters, fish cakes and any recipe that does not require a whole presentation fillet.

Cut the salt cod into equal recipe-sized pieces before soaking. Rinse, submerge in cold water and refrigerate. Replace the water frequently. Because the water has less distance to travel to the center, the pieces may be ready a day earlier than a whole fillet.

Tradeoff: You gain speed and evenness but lose the flexibility to cut large, attractive portions later.

Method 2: Short Soak Followed by Gentle Cooking

Best for: Bacalao that will be flaked for croquettes, fritters, salads, rice or stews when time is limited.

Cut the fish into small, even pieces. Rinse well, soak in the refrigerator for several hours and change the water frequently. Then place the fish in a pot of fresh cold water. Slowly bring it to a bare simmer; do not subject it to a violent rolling boil. Cook until the sample is done, drain and taste a cooled piece. If it remains too salty, repeat once with fresh water.

Tradeoff: Heated water removes salt quickly, but repeated boiling can strip flavor and make an intact fillet dry or tough. This is a practical rescue method, not our first choice for a beautiful whole fillet.

Method 3: Water Soak With a Milk Finish

Best for: Brandade, baccalà mantecato and creamy preparations.

Desalt the cod primarily in cold water. For the final hour or two, place it in fresh milk in the refrigerator, or gently poach the desalted fish in milk as the recipe directs. Milk can soften the flavor and contribute a rounder texture, but it does not replace the main water soak.

Tradeoff: Milk changes the finished flavor, adds a dairy allergen and must be discarded after contact with raw fish.

What About Soaking Under Constant Running Water?

Traditional fish markets sometimes desalt cod under a steady flow of cold water. It works because the fish is continuously surrounded by less salty water. At home, however, it wastes a great deal of water and makes temperature control more difficult. A covered container in the refrigerator with regular water changes is safer, simpler and far less wasteful.

How to Know When Salt Cod Is Ready

Properly rehydrated salt cod should:

Feel flexible and plump, not hard like a board.
Have visibly expanded from its dry size.
Separate into moist, defined flakes after cooking.
Taste pleasantly seasoned, not sharply or painfully salty.

The correct salt level also depends on the recipe. If the fish will be cooked with olives, capers, grated cheese or another salty ingredient, take the cod a little milder during desalting. You can add salt at the end of cooking. You cannot easily remove it from a finished dish.

Common Desalting Mistakes

Soaking on the Counter

Warm water may appear to work faster, but it also encourages bacterial growth and can soften the outside before the center is ready. Keep the fish in the refrigerator.

Using Too Little Water

A crowded bowl quickly becomes salty, which slows the process. Give the fish room and fully replace the water at each change.

Changing the Water Only Once

Fresh water keeps drawing salt from the cod. Regular changes are what make the slow method work evenly.

Testing Only the Thin Edge

The edge may taste perfect while the center is still heavily salted. Always test a cooked piece from the thickest section.

Tasting the Cod Raw

Salt-curing and soaking do not cook fish. Cook the test piece before tasting it.

Boiling Too Aggressively

A hard boil can tighten the proteins and break an expensive fillet into dry pieces. Use a gentle poach or the cooking method specified in your recipe.

Adding Salt at the Beginning

Wait until the cod and the other ingredients have cooked together. Taste the finished sauce first, then decide whether it needs salt.

Troubleshooting Salt Cod

The Cod Is Still Too Salty After 48 Hours

That usually means the fillet is thick, the cure was heavy or the water was not changed often enough. Put it back into plenty of fresh cold water for another eight to twelve hours, then cook and test another center piece.

The Cooked Dish Is Already Too Salty

You cannot pull the salt back out of a finished sauce, but you can dilute it. Add more unsalted tomatoes, potatoes, beans, onions, broth or other ingredients that belong in the recipe. Potatoes do not selectively “suck out” salt; they help because they increase the amount of unsalted food in the dish.

The Cod Tastes Bland

It may have soaked longer than necessary. Build the flavor back with good olive oil, garlic, parsley, black pepper, lemon, tomato or a small amount of salt added at the end. Do not try to correct blandness with a heavy handful of salt before tasting the entire dish.

The Cod Is Tough or Rubbery

It may not have rehydrated long enough, or it may have been boiled too hard or cooked too long. A slow soak followed by gentle cooking protects the large flakes.

The Soaking Water Is Cloudy

Some cloudiness is normal as salt and proteins move into the water. Replace it with fresh cold water on schedule. If the fish develops slime, mold, unusual discoloration or a sour, rancid or ammonia-like odor, do not use it.

How to Store Salt Cod Safely

Before Soaking

Commercial salt cod varies greatly. A hard, heavily dried slab may have very different storage instructions from a softer refrigerated fillet. Keep the product sealed and follow the package directions. If the label does not clearly say that the product is shelf-stable, refrigerate it at 40°F or below. If it arrived frozen, keep it frozen until you are ready to thaw it safely in the refrigerator.

During Soaking

Keep the salted cod covered and refrigerated at 40°F or below for the entire desalting process. Use a clean container and clean utensils at every water change. Do not reuse the soaking water for soup or sauce.

After Soaking

Once the salt has been removed and the fish has rehydrated, treat it like fresh raw seafood. Pat it dry, cover it and cook it within one to two days. If your plans change, wrap it tightly and freeze it.

After Cooking

Refrigerate cooked salt cod within two hours. Store leftovers in a shallow, covered container and use them within three to four days. Reheat gently so the flakes do not dry out.

Choosing Good Salted Cod

Before buying, look beyond the size of the package.

Confirm the species. Some products sold as “salt fish” are pollock, haddock, ling or another white fish rather than true cod.
Look for thick, even flesh. A whole fillet or substantial center portion gives you more control over soaking and cooking.
Check the usable yield. Skinless and boneless fillets eliminate the weight and work of trimming skin, fins and bones.
Expect a clean cured aroma. Salt cod has a noticeable smell, but it should not smell sour, rancid, putrid or like ammonia.
Avoid excessive damage. A few natural cracks are normal in a dried product. Large amounts of tiny broken scraps cook less evenly and are harder to present.

Cooking Traditions From Italy, Spain and Portugal

Once desalted, the fish can be poached, baked, braised, fried or flaked. Its firm structure stands up to ingredients that might overwhelm delicate fresh fish.

Italian: Serve it in a cold salad with celery, parsley, garlic, lemon and olive oil; fry it in a light batter; or simmer it with tomato, olives, capers and potatoes.
Spanish: Prepare it with peppers and tomato, Basque-style pil-pil sauce, or shape it into croquettes and fritters.
Portuguese: Make Bacalhau à Brás with onions, potatoes and eggs; Bacalhau à Gomes de Sá; or pastéis de bacalhau.
Caribbean and Latin traditions: Use it for bacalaítos, serenata de bacalao, stews, rice dishes or saltfish served with vegetables and starches.

For food safety, cook fish to an internal temperature of 145°F, or until the flesh is opaque and separates easily with a fork. If you are making a cold baccalà or bacalao salad, cook the fish first and cool it promptly before mixing the salad. People who are pregnant, older, immunocompromised or cooking for young children should be especially careful to avoid raw or undercooked seafood.

Start with a whole fillet: Our Frank and Sal salt cod is wild-caught North Atlantic cod supplied as whole, skinless and boneless fillets. Once your cod is desalted, visit our kitchen-tested baccalà recipe collection or make our Italian Salt Cod Salad.

Salt Cod Questions Customers Ask Most

How Long Should I Soak Salt Cod?

Allow 48 to 72 hours for a thick whole fillet, changing the water about every eight hours. Thin pieces may be ready sooner. Always confirm by cooking and tasting a small piece from the thickest section.

Can I Desalt Baccala Overnight?

Thin pieces may be usable after an overnight soak, but a thick fillet will usually remain too salty at the center. For the best texture and most predictable result, give a whole fillet two to three days.

Is Baccalà the Same as Bacalao?

In most Italian-American and Spanish food contexts, both names refer to salt-cured cod. Baccalà is Italian; bacalao is Spanish. Because bacalao can also mean cod generally, the phrase bacalao salado is the most precise Spanish name for salted cod.

Is Bacalhau the Same as Salt Cod?

Bacalhau is Portuguese for cod, and most traditional Portuguese bacalhau dishes use salted and dried cod that has been soaked before cooking.

Is Salt Cod the Same as Stockfish?

No. Salt cod is preserved with salt. Stockfish is dried without salt. Both require rehydration, but they are different products with different flavors and preparation times.

Should I Use Hot Water to Remove the Salt Faster?

Not for the standard method. Cold water in the refrigerator protects both food safety and texture. Gentle cooking can be used as a faster method for fish that will be flaked, but hot soaking water is not a substitute for proper refrigeration.

Do I Have to Soak Salt Cod in Milk?

No. Fresh cold water does the desalting. Milk is an optional final step for specific creamy dishes or for cooks who prefer a softer flavor.

Can I Freeze Salt Cod After Desalting It?

Yes. Pat the desalted cod dry, wrap it tightly in recipe-sized portions and freeze it. Thaw it in the refrigerator before cooking.

Should Salted Cod Still Taste a Little Salty?

Yes, it should taste seasoned, but it should not overpower the dish. Stop the soak when a cooked center sample tastes pleasantly salty. Remember to account for olives, capers and other salty ingredients in the final recipe.

The Frank and Sal Rule: Give the Fish Time

We have sourced salt cod for more than 30 years, and the lesson is always the same: thickness matters more than a recipe's exact clock. Give a whole fillet enough cold water, keep it refrigerated, change the water regularly and test the center before committing it to the dish. That little bit of planning is what turns a stiff piece of salted cod into tender, meaty flakes worthy of your family's tradition.

Sources consulted: Frank and Sal's in-shop preparation experience; the FDA's seafood safety guidance; FoodSafety.gov storage guidance; Nofima's explanation of fish salting; and La Cucina Italiana's explanation of salt cod and stockfish.

Last reviewed: August 2026