Replacement for Cod

Mr Views and his brother LOVE fried fish - the typical Friday night beer-batter all-you-can-eat fried cod. Several years ago, said BIL was asked to leave an all-you-can-eat place after consuming something like 8 plates of this.

I have created a lovely gluten-free replacement for the beer batter now that we have gluten-free beers on the market. And, for Mr Views and myself, I used cod from Whole Foods on one occasion. Delicious. We ate a 1/2 pound between us.

But, the Atlantic cod. The cod that is listed as Avoid on the Right Bite card. What does one use to replace it? I see that pacific cod is a better alternative. Anyone know who might have that? it could be that this is what Whole Foods has, but it's a trifle on the high side to feed to someone who can consume pounds, not ounces.

Or, are there any other reasonably priced alternatives that would be similar in taste and texture?

Most fish fry places use cod, perch, walleye, smelt, haddock, or catfish.

Interesting problem.

Atlantic cod is definitely listed on the "avoid" list of most sustainable seafood guides.

You might consider halibut, which is less oily than cod and more prone to drying out if overcooked. Although, I'm not sure if it's going to be much cheaper than Pacific cod.

If cost is the primary driver, tilapia might be a good choice, although not the tastiest. I can think of much worse things than deep fried tilapia if I had the right condiments to doctor it up.

Best,
Michael

First of all, although Whoe Foods does have good qulity seafood, there are other much less expensive options. Two that I visit - Issacson and Stein on Fulton St, and H-Mart in Niles. Most anything you get at these two will be of similar quality to WF and several $$ less per pound. I would go to those stores, pick out a variety of fish and do a taste test.

The first thing that seems appropriate on the Rite Bite card is Catfish - obviously a favorite in the deep south. It does have a stronger taste than Cod, so you might want to consider some seasoning to the batter. It does have a nice texture.

Haddock is probably the most common alternative to cod.

I also saw scallops as a recommended food. Obviously different than cod, but delicious deep fried, as are mussles and oysters.

Pollack is generally used in place of cod ... If you can get over the grey streak through the flesh.

My BIL doesn't like fish, so anything that tastes like fish is out, lol. Catfish - not a chance! The batter and frying cover up any possible flavor that cod might have, leaving an empy palate of delcious oily crunchy batter. That is what BIL wants. Maybe I could just throw the batter in the oil and give him that, lol.

After I typed this, I thought of pollack, but I wasn't sure, so thanks for that idea. I haven't seen it around, but I don't look farther than WF most often. I saw tilapia when I looked the other day...it's just not a tasty fish to me, but maybe cooked this way it would work. It was noted that perch could work, too. Walleye isn't always easy to find, or inexpensive, but tilapia and perch are. Neither have the meatiness of cod. Haddock does, but it's not necessarily less expensive.

I didn't see white, relatively tasteless fishes at H-mart. I haven't visited the place on Fulton, so maybve I'll head over there in the near future and see what they have. I am thinking of buying just one small piece of three or four species and trying them to see which reminds me most of the cod.

Thanks for all the ideas.

Oh, I looked online and saw hake recommended. But, I can't say I've ever seen hake aound here. Nor do I know its status in terms of sustainability.

Maybe I could just throw the batter in the oil and give him that, lol.

You laugh... but Long John Silver's does that.

HI,

I am not refering to the Rite Bite card, so there is a chance my suggestion may be on your (not mine) banned list: skate wing. I have been buying the frozen still on the bone skate wing at H-Mart for under $4 a pound. I de-bone then lightly coating and frying them. The skate I purchased has all been very pleasantly sweet, not fishy, tasting. It may not be the best suited fish for beer batter treatment, though it does meet your BIL criteria of not being fishy tasting.

You could go strictly farmed fish: tilapia, while not my favorite might do better when overwhelmed in a beer batter. Trout filets might also be an option and not likely on your banned list.

Regards,

eatchicago wrote:You might consider halibut, which is less oily than cod and more prone to drying out if overcooked.

Michael,

I recently had halibut fish and chips and thought it quite good, mild flavor, meaty, moist. The fry cook had a deft touch, as you mention, halibut is prone to drying out.

Just a few nights ago I had fish and chips made with salmon, split an order, with my sister-law as much for novelty as hunger. I was pleasantly surprised at how well salmon took to the beer batter treatment, I liked the fuller fish flavor, as did my sister in-law. Though, like halibut, salmon would be easy to dry out when deep frying.

Enjoy,
Gary

Hi,

I had wondered how salmon might behave under a beer batter treatment.

Thanks!

Regards,

ViewsAskew wrote:Walleye isn't always easy to find, or inexpensive,

I believe the Fish Keg in Evanston stocks walleye for frying; usually you can buy whatever they're serving fresh as well.

While I'm purchasing here in Santa Fe, the Trader Joe's has big boneless chunks of Alaskan-caught cod for $6.99/lb, and I imagine it wouldn't be much different in Chicago. It's frozen, though, but in a fried dish I don't think it'd make much difference (I could be wrong).
I'm not sure what your price point is; that's certainly higher than tilapia, though with a good fish and chips I personally enjoy a hunk of fried fish, rather than a thin fillet.

-parker

ViewsAskew wrote:
I didn't see white, relatively tasteless fishes at H-mart. I haven't visited the place on Fulton, so maybve I'll head over there in the near future and see what they have. I am thinking of buying just one small piece of three or four species and trying them to see which reminds me most of the cod.

Koreans eat a lot of pollock - purchased whole and frozen in fillets or even pre-sliced thin rectangles (2" x3") that they use for dipping in egg and pan frying. H-mart certainly carries frozen "white, relatively tasteless fish" filets and "blocks." It's often used in Korean jigae's/tang (spicy soups/stews). I've seen them... but I don't buy them b/c I don't like frozen fillets... or items from the PROC.

H-mart has been having a sale on "fresh" cod steaks $3.99/lb for weeks now; I'm sure you could "lump" cut the meat off the steaks. We ate some steamed a la Chinese style w/ ginger, scallion & soy and then made some into taegu mae woon tang (spicey cod soup) which was a better way of utilizing the cod.

ParkerS wrote:While I'm purchasing here in Santa Fe, the Trader Joe's has big boneless chunks of Alaskan-caught cod for $6.99/lb, and I imagine it wouldn't be much different in Chicago. It's frozen, though, but in a fried dish I don't think it'd make much difference (I could be wrong).
I'm not sure what your price point is; that's certainly higher than tilapia, though with a good fish and chips I personally enjoy a hunk of fried fish, rather than a thin fillet.

-parker

I tried this awhile ago. Awful stuff it was - hard, chewy, not all all tender or flaky. Not sure why, but was unwilling to try it again without more idea of why or if this is a common problem. If anyone else has successfully used such a frozen option successfully, let me know.

Jay K wrote:Koreans eat a lot of pollock - purchased whole and frozen in fillets or even pre-sliced thin rectangles (2" x3") that they use for dipping in egg and pan frying. H-mart certainly carries frozen "white, relatively tasteless fish" filets and "blocks." It's often used in Korean jigae's/tang (spicy soups/stews). I've seen them... but I don't buy them b/c I don't like frozen fillets... or items from the PROC.

H-mart has been having a sale on "fresh" cod steaks $3.99/lb for weeks now; I'm sure you could "lump" cut the meat off the steaks. We ate some steamed a la Chinese style w/ ginger, scallion & soy and then made some into taegu mae woon tang (spicey cod soup) which was a better way of utilizing the cod.

Jay, you mentioned that you don't buy frozen or PROC products - I'm usually with you on both accounts. So, that brings up an interesting question: especially with fish, unless you buy from WF or a fish monger you know and trust, how do you know the source? That cod that you bought sounds like it's worth a try.

I was going to start a thread to ask this, but since there's one going, I hope the OP and others won't mind me asking this.

I recently bought a package of two cod steaks, for the purpose of making as close as I can come to English fish and chiops. Got the malt vinegar ready and everything. So here's my question. These cod steaks are approaching two inches thick. Will they cook well in our FryDaddy-type fryer? Or should I split them in half horizontally?

Katie, I think 2 inches is twice too thick.

Now, as for substitutes for cod, I can only report my experience chasing the elusive Best Fish 'n Chips in the World all over MA, ME and the Maritimes. Haddock is exclusively used throughout that huge region. Compared to the best high-end British cod fish 'n chips, the North American haddock version very well holds its own. Nice flake, nice texture, just enough taste to keep interest up.

And, as far as overfishing is concerned, stocks seem quite safe:

http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/nefsc/publica ... m2005r.pdf

Don't know about availability in Chicago, but haddock most certainly is a wise alternative to Atlantic cod.

Geo

Katie, are these frozen? If so, please let me know how they turn out. I've only tried frozen once and didn't have good results, but it could have been that particular fish. So, am eager to hear if others have had decent results.

I also would agree that 2" is thick. I remember getting them that thick at the local Firefighter's Fish Fry. . .and they had to be cooked too long and ended up overcooked on the outside with really dry outer fish.