SIMPLE SALTFISH

Salted fish, commonly referred to as ‘saltfish’, is widely available in local supermarkets and fish markets all over the country. They are packaged as whole fish, fillets, or loose pieces in plastic bags; or available in bulk as larger whole fillets or the usual kite-shaped whole fish.

While the flavour of whole fish is more desirable compared to the fillets or pieces, consumers opt to use the fillets or pieces because of the ready-to-use prepackaging which allows for easier usage. The whole fish takes longer to refresh and requires peeling the skin and removing bones which makes it the least “go to” saltfish the consumer would purchase.
All saltfish products must be soaked in water before cooking. This process reduces the salt in the fish and plumps up the fish. Fillets and pieces must be soaked for a minimum of 6-12 hours. Whole fish requires at least 24 hours of soaking. Most recipes recommend changing the water four times over a 24 hour period.
Refreshed salt fish is still uncooked and will spoil unless cooked or stored promptly.

Preparing Salted Fish
Saltfish must be soaked in water before preparing. Place the fish in a glass or ceramic bowl in cold water to cover the fish. Keep the bowl in the refrigerator while soaking. It is recommended that saltfish be soaked for 24 hours, changing the water up to 4 times. The longer the fish is soaked the less salty it becomes. The skin and bones of the fish are easily removed after soaking.
Saltfish must be poached first by bringing the poaching liquid to a boil and placing the fish in the liquid after removing it from the heat. Allow the fish to stand in the liquid for 15 minutes. Any choice of herbs may be added to the liquid for flavour. Boiling saltfish is not recommended as it toughens the flesh. The fish can now be flaked, shredded or separated into chunks depending on the specifications of the dish being prepared.
To brown poached saltfish, first cut the fish into 1 to 2 inch pieces and lightly flour the pieces. Heat a small amount of oil in a pan and then brown the fish in the hot oil. Any choice of herbs or spices may be added to the fish pieces for flavour.
The amount of additional salt to be used in any recipe should be determined by the saltiness of the soaked fish. It is advisable to use salt to taste, better less than too much.