Page 20 - The Lost Book Superfoods

The Lost Book of Superfoods

large fish with each being one inch thick at its thickest point you would brine for five
days. Watch your brine closely. If at any point you do not see salt crystals in the
brine, add more salt.

Drying the fish is all about the right combination of temperature, low humidity, and
air flow. The Vikings actually dried cod with no salt, and it was preserved just fine.
Cod is unique in that it has almost no fat that could go rancid. You will also need to
find a spot to dry your fish that is away from your living quarters and protected from
birds and cats. It can create a strong smell, so do your family a favor and dry it
outdoors.

Rinse the fish off and dry it thoroughly with paper towels. There are two primary
ways that people dry fish. You can hang your fish in a shed or on a protected rack
outdoors. Be aware that there will be some liquid dripping off of the fish, so you may
want to put a pan underneath. You can also wrap the fish in cheesecloth and place it
on a baking rack. If you have a spare refrigerator, you can dry it there.

As for the temperature, you can potentially dry fish at any temperature. However,
there is more potential for bacteria with warm temperatures. The temperature and
humidity will determine how long the drying process will take. I would plan on one
to two weeks in most cases. The longer you dry your fish, the longer it will last. When
finished, wrap the fish and place it in an airtight container. Keep it in a cool dry
place. When ready to eat, soak the fish in water for 24 hours. During that time you
will want to change the water at least twice. This will remove some of the salt while
also rehydrating the fish. You can cook it any way you like, but there are plenty of
recipes online that are specifically designed for salted fish.

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