On the rocky coasts of Iceland and other North Atlantic countries, dried and salted cod has played a role far greater than its humble appearance suggests. Preserved by a combination of salt and air, this fish product has connected Iceland to international trade and shared culinary heritage for centuries.
A preservation method with deep roots
Drying fish is the oldest known method for keeping food from spoiling, and dried cod has a shelf life stretching over years. In practice, cod was traditionally beheaded, gutted and split open before being salted and spread on rocks or hung on frames near the shore to dry. The method, sustained chiefly by wind and sun, was straightforward enough to be carried out by fishers and their families. It relied on Iceland’s coastal weather rather than specialised technology.
The arrival of affordable salt from Southern Europe in the seventeenth century intensified production across the northern Atlantic. What began as necessary preservation became a significant trade item. In Icelandic, the resulting product is called saltfiskur (pronounced ‘salt-fiskur’), distinct from the unsalted stockfish. The combination of salting and drying not only kept the fish edible for years but also enhanced its flavour, according to those who work with it.
A global commodity and culinary bridge
Dried and salted cod, variously called salt cod, saltfish, or salt dolly in English, was for centuries a vital link between North America, Europe, and beyond. It travelled as part of the so-called triangular trade, forming a food chain that extended from Newfoundland, Iceland, and Norway to the Mediterranean, West Africa, the Caribbean, and Brazil. The Atlantic cod supplied most of this industry until overfishing forced the inclusion of other whitefish in later years.
The export of salt cod supported Iceland’s economy and communities, making the fish a dietary staple in many other regions. Its presence is vivid in Mediterranean dishes such as Portuguese bacalhau, Italian baccalà, and French brandade de morue. In the Caribbean, it evolved into local favourites like Jamaica’s ackee and saltfish.
Locally, the work of drying and salting cod became a shared family and seasonal activity, with older generations passing down skills and knowledge about preparing the fish. Though sun and cliff-dried cod is still produced in places, most now comes from electrically heated indoor facilities, but the tradition persists as a cultural thread in Iceland and beyond.
