The Art of Salt-Packing

Unlike most canned tuna and sardines, the salty brown anchovies we buy in little oval cans have been through a whole aging and curing process before they even reach the tin. Anchovies, freshly fished from the ocean, are beheaded and piled into large, round crocks, with handfuls of rock salt sprinkled between each layer of silvery fish.

Over the course of the next five to six months, the salt draws much of the moisture from the fish, creating a murky, pinkish liquid. Meanwhile, the anchovies cure, which turns their flesh from white to a deep reddish amber color and suffuses the meat with enough salty umami that each fillet could season a whole pot of sauce. The salt-curing process also acts as a means of partial preservation, keeping the uncooked fish edible for many months. Once the curing process is complete, the anchovies are rinsed, filleted, trimmed of their tails and fins, and packed into tins with olive oil. This is the form of anchovy you’ll find at most American grocery stores.