Atlantic cod is the reference white fish for North Atlantic kitchens: fish and chips, Portuguese and Spanish bacalhau traditions (usually salt-cured), and simple bakes that respect flakes.
Fresh cod should look translucent-white and firm; grey watery fillets and mushy flesh are failures before the pan starts.
Also called
Cod · Morue · Bacalao (fresh vs salt) · Kabeljau · Gadus morhua
Best cooking methods
Beer-battered fry · Bake with lemon-butter · Salt cod preparations · Chowder cubes
Fresh vs salt cod
Fresh cod wants short cooking and gentle seasoning. Salt cod (bacalao/bacalhau) is a different product that needs soaking — do not swap one for the other without rewriting the recipe.
Ordering cod well
Great rooms name the fish and cooking method. Vague “white fish” on a tourist board is usually a skip. Pair cod nights out with Irish, Canadian, and New England guides on this site.