Air-Dried Salt Fish

One purpose of adding lots of salt to fish is that it draws out the moisture, thereby speeding up the drying and curing processes. Usually, small fish to be salt-dried are gutted and beheaded; larger ones are filleted, leaving the collarbone intact to help hold the fish together while hanging.

After dressing, the fish are usually washed in salted water, made by adding 1 cup of salt to each gallon of water. The fish are drained, then dredged in a box of salt. Another box is lined on the bottom with salt, and the dredged fish are put down in a layer. Salt is scattered over the layer, then another layer of fish is put down, and so on. As a rule, the total amount of salt used in this process is 1 pound per 4 pounds of fish. Using too much salt will “burn,” or discolor, the fish.