10/15/2018 / By Zoey Sky
There are various food preparation methods that can benefit preppers, and one of them is drying and salting. Unlike home canning, dried and salted food is easier to make since it only requires basic ingredients and equipment.
If you want to supplement your stockpile of canned food, you can start by learning how to make salt cod. (h/t to AskAPrepper.com.)
Bacalao, or salt fish, refers to cod fish that has been cured via a dry-salting method. Today, bacalao is used to create dishes like brandade, a creamy spread that uses salt cod and olive oil. Brandade is served with bread or potatoes.
In English-speaking regions, bacalao is called salt cod. However, bacalao can be made from other non-oily white fish like haddock, flounder, pollock, snapper, or whiting. “Salt cod” is often used as a generic term to describe dried and salted fish even if it isn’t made with cod.
Bacalao is easy to make, but the process is rather time-consuming. If you can bear the two-week wait, learning how to make bacalao gives you access to fish with a long shelf life. When stored properly, bacalao can last for as long as three years.
The recipe will use cod, but you can also opt for a different kind of fish. Part one will focus on preparing the fish.
Ingredients:
Steps:
Part two will focus on drying the fish after it has been salted.
Steps:
When SHTF and you can’t use your fridge, you can let the salt cod dry in the sun and wind. Screen the fish with fine mesh to prevent flies from contaminating the fillets. Your bacalao is ready once it’s dry and stiff. (Related: How to preserve food without canning.)
You can wrap bacalao in paper or fine cloth once it’s ready. It’s best to store bacalao in wooden boxes so the fish stays nice and dry. Whatever container you use, store the bacalao in a dry place. Properly dried and salted bacalao will last for at least two to three years even without refrigeration.
To use bacalao, soak the fish in water for two to three days. Change the water at least twice a day. The water will rehydrate the fillets and remove most of the salt. Once the fish has been rehydrated, you can use it to make various fish-based dishes.
You can learn more about bacalao, dry-salt curing, and other food preservation methods at FoodSupply.news.
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