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Crispy Puerto Rican Bacalaitos (Salted Cod Fritters) Recipe

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3.9 from 3 reviews

Bacalaitos are traditional Puerto Rican salted codfish fritters that are crispy on the outside and tender inside, perfect as a savory snack or appetizer. This recipe involves soaking and boiling salted cod to remove excess salt, then mixing it into a flavorful batter with garlic, herbs, and sazón seasoning before frying to golden perfection.

  • Total Time: 4 hours 40 minutes
  • Yield: 24 servings

Ingredients

Fish Preparation

  • ½ lb salted cod fish

Batter

  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ packet sazón (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder or 2 cloves minced garlic
  • 1 cup cod cooking water (reserved)
  • ½ cup fresh water
  • 2 tablespoons chopped culantro (recao) or cilantro

For Frying

  • Vegetable oil, for frying

Instructions

  1. Soak the fish: Remove excess sodium from the salted codfish by soaking it in fresh water for at least 4 hours or overnight in the refrigerator. This step is crucial to avoid overly salty fritters.
  2. Cook the fish: Drain the soaked fish, place it in a pot with fresh water, and bring to a boil. Cook for 15 minutes to soften the fish and extract flavor into the water. Remove the fish and reserve the cooking water.
  3. Shred the fish: Once cool enough to handle, shred the boiled cod into bite-sized pieces and set aside for the batter.
  4. Prepare the batter dry mix: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, garlic powder (or minced garlic), and sazón seasoning if using.
  5. Combine liquids and batter: Add 1 cup of the reserved cod cooking water and ½ cup of fresh water to the dry ingredients. Whisk until the batter is smooth, taking care not to overmix to prevent tough fritters.
  6. Add shredded fish and herbs: Gently fold in the shredded codfish and chopped culantro (recao) or cilantro into the batter to evenly distribute the ingredients.
  7. Rest the batter: Allow the batter to rest as you heat oil in a skillet. Resting helps the flour hydrate for better texture.
  8. Heat the oil: Heat vegetable oil in a skillet to 350°F (175°C). Test the oil by dropping a little batter in; it should sizzle rapidly but not burn.
  9. Fry the fritters: Carefully drop about ¼ cup of batter into the hot oil without overcrowding the pan. Fry for about 1 minute, then flip and continue cooking until golden and crisp on both sides. Adjust heat as necessary to avoid burning.
  10. Drain and serve: Remove the bacalaitos from the oil and drain on paper towels to remove excess oil. Serve warm as a delicious snack or appetizer.

Notes

  • Soaking the salted cod for several hours or overnight is essential to control the saltiness of the fritters.
  • Do not overmix the batter to keep the fritters tender and light.
  • Keep the oil temperature steady around 350°F to ensure even frying and crispy texture.
  • You can substitute culantro with cilantro if culantro is unavailable, but culantro imparts a more authentic flavor.
  • These fritters are best served hot and fresh for optimal crispiness.
  • Author: Amelia
  • Prep Time: 4 hours 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Category: Appetizer
  • Method: Frying
  • Cuisine: Puerto Rican

Find it online: https://recipesvibe.com/crispy-puerto-rican-bacalaitos-salted-cod-fritters-recipe/