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Salt fish
An Thropologist
15-01-2016
Does anyone have experience of buying, storing and cooking salt fish? I have only recently started using this product. I use it mostly to make an Iberian dish called Baclaou. Last autumn the Island Sun brand was on special offer so I bought a few packs. Some I have used. All have a best before date of June 2017 so are well within their recommended storage period. The are sold in a plastic tray wrapped in plastic.

I had noticed a slightly fishy smell from my pantry. Not a horrible smell just a smell consistent with dried fish. But I decided to get them out and double wrap them or put the unopned packs in a plastic storage container. I notice that the fish has developed salmon pink coloured marks which I am sure were not there when I bought it. The packs are still sealed so I am wondering if this change in colour is anything to be alarmed about Could it be for example that the salting process wasn't properkly carried out? Or maybe this is quite a normal thing to occur?

Anyone a regular user of salted fish? I would appreciate the benefit of your experience.
Jellied Eel
15-01-2016
Originally Posted by An Thropologist:
“I had noticed a slightly fishy smell from my pantry. Not a horrible smell just a smell consistent with dried fish. But I decided to get them out and double wrap them or put the unopned packs in a plastic storage container. I notice that the fish has developed salmon pink coloured marks which I am sure were not there when I bought it.”

I'd suggest binning it. From a quick google, I found this-

Storage: Best kept at 2-7 degree °C

And from the cooking instructions, it doesn't sound like proper, dried salt fish. That'll keep for a long time, as long as it doesn't get damp. Pink could be mold or bacteria growth. With proper salt fish like this-

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dried_...e:Bacalhau.JPG

It takes a couple of days to rehydrate, with regular water changes to desalt it.. And then it's very tasty. Salt cod is best cod!
bluefb
15-01-2016
II had exactly the same issue. I bought some from Tesco last year, had it in my cupboard for about 2 months unopened and with several years still on the expiry date before I noticed a pink mould (E. coli I believe) and a pissy smell. Threw it out (I did ask at Tesco and they said they'd have replaced it without receipt as long as it's a brand they stock). So no, don't eat it.

Still waiting for my first taste of salt fish.
Jellied Eel
17-01-2016
Originally Posted by bluefb:
“Still waiting for my first taste of salt fish. ”

Try to find the real thing. The Island Sun brand looks like a 'fast food' version of salt fish, and looks like it should be kept in the fridge.

My local fishmonger gets proper salt cod in, and that's.. an interesting texture. It's dehydrated during the salting process so ends up very dry. When I prepare it, I usually give it a couple of days, changing water morning, noon and night.. Which is perhaps why the 'real thing' fell out of fashion. But once prepared, it's only slightly salty, but a stronger flavour than fresh cod. Also seems more popular in the North than down South. Or if you're in Dublin, their famous chippy, Burdocks does a mean salt cod & chips!

Otherwise, this is tasty-

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacalhau_com_todos

or this-

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ackee_and_saltfish

or just serve it with some roughly mashed spuds & garlic.
An Thropologist
18-01-2016
Hi Folks thanks for the responses.

I originally bought 4 packs of Island Sun salt fish and ate two with no ill effects.

It is slightly different to the stuff I used to see in the markets when I lived in Spain. I was familiar with that in that I ate the dishes made with it and had seen and even handled the dried fish. But I never bought and cooked it myself.

I doubt the Island sun version is actual cod. It is a brand marketed mainly to the local afro caribbean market in these parts. My assumption is that it is some Caribbean coaught white fish the name of which is possibly unfamilar here.

The two packs I used, which I prepared in much the way you described, were fine. A tad bland in themselves but the recipe in question has tomatoes, onions, potatoes, garlic, chile, chorizo and herbs, so having a good cod flavour is not so important as it would be in say a fish supper or a poached cod dish.

But I don't like this apricot marking one little bit so I do plan to return it to Tesco which is where i bought it. Thansk for the input
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