The Cod Family

Along with the herring and tuna families, the cod family has been one of the most important fisheries in history. Cod, haddock, hake, whiting, pollack, and pollock are medium-sized predators that stay close to the ocean bottom along the continental shelves, where they swim relatively little— and thus have relatively inactive enzyme systems and stable flavor and texture. Cod set the European standard for white fish, with its mild flavor and bright, firm, large-flaked flesh, nearly free of both red muscle and fat.