How does salt cod differ from stockfish?

Salt cod and stockfish represent two distinct methods of preserving fish, and understanding these differences is crucial in the culinary world.

Salt cod refers to cod that has been heavily salted and then dried to help preserve it. The salting process draws moisture out of the fish, which inhibits bacterial growth, making it last longer without refrigeration. This method gives the fish a strong flavor profile, characteristic of the added salt, and it requires soaking before cooking to dissolve some of the salt and rehydrate the fish.

On the other hand, stockfish is produced through a method of drying raw, fresh fish without the use of salt. This technique involves air drying the fish, usually in a cold climate, which results in a product that is preserved through dehydration. Stockfish retains the natural flavors of the fish but can require a longer soaking period to rehydrate due to the absence of salt.

The choice correctly identifies that salt cod is preserved through salting, distinguishing it from stockfish, which is simply dried without any salt. This fundamental difference in preservation methods impacts the taste, texture, and preparation methods of the two products.