Salted Cod Ventresca — Traditional Curing | SalazonArte

Buy Icelandic salted cod belly online, the juiciest cut of cod. Traditionally cured. Includes desalting guide. Mercado Central de Valencia.

Salted cod (not desalted): stays in perfect condition for around 1-3 months in the refrigerator. Once desalted: consume within 2–3 days, keeping it refrigerated. The best before date is shown on the label of each piece.

The most prized cut of cod: a triangular piece from the belly area, next to the head—the juiciest and richest in natural gelatin (collagen).

Traditional salting: cured in salt to concentrate its flavor and allow for long-lasting preservation without additives, as tradition dictates.

Unique texture when cooked: its gelatin makes it unbeatable for pil-pil and stews, where it naturally thickens the sauces.

Only two ingredients: cod and salt. A clean, natural product.

Selected by SalazonArte, specialists in salted fish for over fifteen years at the Mercado Central de Valencia.

Taste: intense, deep and balanced; the unmistakable character of salt-cured cod, much more expressive than fresh cod.

Texture: smooth and firm when raw; juicy, unctuous and flaky after desalting and cooking, with the creaminess provided by its natural collagen.

Aroma: clean and marine, delicate, typical of a well-done cure.

Vacuum-packed, approximately 1 kg

Average values per 100 g
Energy: 520 kJ / 124 kcal
Fat: 1.5 g — of which saturates: 0.3 g
Carbohydrate: 0 g — of which sugars: 0 g
Protein: 26 g
Salt: 18 g (drastically reduced after desalting)

Large cod recipes: pil-pil (where the belly is king for its gelatin), Vizcaína style, baked, or in potato stews.

Valencian cuisine: essential in esgarraet, borreta, or a traditional cod and cauliflower rice.

Battered or fried in floured strips: a classic bar snack that is equally popular at home.

Shredded in croquettes, fritters, empanadas, salads, or cod tortilla.

How to desalt it (our guide):

Rinse the piece under the tap to remove surface salt.

Submerge it in a bowl with cold water and leave it in the refrigerator for 36–48 hours, changing the water every 8–12 hours (the belly, being thinner than the loin, needs less time).

Taste an end before cooking: the salt level is a matter of taste. If you want it milder, change the water one more time and add a few extra hours.

Important: desalting should always be done in the refrigerator, never at room temperature.

North Atlantic cold water cod, salt-cured using the traditional method. Selected and cut by SalazonArte in Valencia's Central Market, where salt cod has been a staple at our counter since our beginnings.

Keep refrigerated between 0°C and 6°C, including during desalination.
Keep the piece wrapped or in a closed container to prevent odor or moisture transfer.
Do not break the cold chain.<!--Per-->Freezing is an option (both salted and desalted) if not consumed in the short term.

FISH

Cod (Gadus morhua) (fish) and salt.