Scrod
Scrod or schrod (/ˈskrɒd/) is a small cod or haddock, and sometimes other whitefish, used as food. It is usually served as a fillet, though formerly it was often split instead.
| Alternative names | Schrod |
|---|---|
| Type | Fish |
| Region or state | New England and Atlantic Canada |
| Main ingredients | Cod or haddock |
| Ingredients generally used | Other whitefish |
In the wholesale fish business, scrod is the smallest weight category of the major whitefish. From smallest to largest, the categories are scrod, market, large, and whale. In the United States, scrod haddock or cusk weighs 1+1⁄2–3 pounds (0.7–1.4 kg); scrod cod 1+1⁄2–2+1⁄2 lb (0.7–1.1 kg); and scrod pollock 1+1⁄2–4 lb (0.7–1.8 kg). The exact weight categories are somewhat different in Canada.
Scrod is common in many coastal New England and Atlantic Canadian fish markets and restaurants, although using the name 'scrod' without the species is in principle mislabeling.
Historically, scrod was simply a small cod or haddock, "too small to swallow a bait" or "too small to be filleted", which was usually prepared by being split and lightly salted ("corned"), and sometimes quickly air-dried. They were generally broiled and served with butter. Starting in the mid-20th century, it came to mean a small haddock or cod that is filleted or split.