If you are a fish lover, you have certainly tasted both cod and haddock in your life, but you probably weren’t able to tell the difference between the two of them, mostly because they are so similar. At first, it is kind of hard to tell the difference between both cod and haddock, but don’t worry, we’re here to help you out with that.
Both of the North Atlantic
They are incredibly similar because both the haddock and cod are part of the same kin. They are both part of a large cold water fish family that includes other types of fish such and Pollock and hake. These are found in the North Atlantic (mostly). Haddock lives in deeper waters than the cod, and cod lives more to the North than haddock, so they are both captured in different areas.
Easily Confused
These two share an incredibly similar anatomy, and when they’re skinned it is very hard to tell apart between these two, even though cod is usually larger than cod, it is not a significant difference. When they’re whole, however, it is easy to tell them apart because of the color. Cod has a green-brown skin, while the haddock is more black and gray.
What Sets Each Other Apart in the Culinary World?
From the perspective of a cook, they are both different and in a professional kitchen, it is almost a crime to mistake one for the other. Cod fillet is usually appreciate in a lot of countries because it is thicker and firmer, with a clean and mild flavor attached to it – perfect to go along with proper seasoning.
Haddock, on the other hand, has a stronger flavor than cod, and a darker color. It’s served in thinner portions due to its stronger taste, and it has a soft texture that is more fragile than the texture of cod.
When Used for Cooking
In a lot of recipes, you can switch cod for haddock, but each one of them has different strengths and different weaknesses. Usually, haddock’s thinner fillets cook a lot faster than cod, and that makes them suitable for types of cooking that take less time such as deep-frying or pan-frying.
Cod fillet, since it is thicker, is usually better for recipes that call in for grilling, boiling, or even searing since this in-depth cooking is going to allow the interior to cook before the exterior is burned. Cod needs to be oiled before cooking, or else it is going to be really dry in the end.
Both types of fish are amazing to bake and to fit into casseroles, with haddock bringing a lot of flavor into the final result, but with cod bringing in the better texture to the final result. Either way, if you use any of these properly in a recipe, you are going to have an amazing final result.