Bacalhau a Bras Recipe - Classic Portuguese Salt Cod with Eggs and Crispy Potatoes
Quick answer
Bacalhau a bras is one of the most beloved preparations among the hundreds of ways Portugal cooks salt cod, born from the long history of Atlantic cod fishing.
What makes this special
- Portuguese Bacalhau a Bras combines shredded salt cod, thin potatoes, and soft scrambled eggs.
- Salt cod desalted 24 to 48 hours, then hand-shredded into fine strands
- Eggs stirred off-heat only to creamy curds, never fully scrambled
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Soak 250g salted cod in cold water for 24 to 48 hours, changing the water se...
- 2 Cut 300g potatoes into very thin matchsticks and dry them well so they crisp instead of steaming.
- 3 Warm 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pan over medium heat.
Bacalhau a bras is one of the most beloved preparations among the hundreds of ways Portugal cooks salt cod, born from the long history of Atlantic cod fishing. The salt cod is soaked for 24 to 48 hours with frequent water changes to draw out the salt, then shredded by hand into fine strands. Potatoes cut matchstick-thin are fried until crisp, and the shredded cod is sauteed in olive oil with onion until the onion turns translucent and the fish edges take on a little color. Beaten eggs are poured in and stirred gently off the heat so they form creamy curds that bind the potatoes and fish together without scrambling fully. The finished dish is a golden mound of inseparably tangled crisp potato, silky egg, and salty cod fiber. Black olives and parsley add a sharp salty accent and herbal note. Named after a 19th-century Lisbon tavern keeper, this is a fixture of Portuguese tascas and Sunday family lunches.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Season
Soak 250g salted cod in cold water for 24 to 48 hours, changing the water several times so the salinity drops evenly.
Check carefully for skin and bones, then shred the flesh by hand into fine strands.
- 2Heat
Cut 300g potatoes into very thin matchsticks and dry them well so they crisp instead of steaming.
Fry in oil, or bake in the oven, until deeply golden and crisp, then keep them separate for later mixing.
- 3Control
Warm 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pan over medium heat.
Add 120g sliced onion and 2 minced garlic cloves, then cook until the onion turns translucent, softens, and smells sweet without browning too hard.
- 4Control
Add the shredded cod to the pan and saute over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes.
When the edges take on a little color and the pan is not watery, fold in the crisp potatoes gently.
- 5Step
Beat 3 eggs in a bowl, pour them evenly over the pan, and immediately lower the heat.
Stir slowly from the bottom so the eggs form creamy curds that bind the cod and potatoes without turning dry.
- 6Finish
Turn off the heat before the eggs fully set, letting residual heat finish the dish while it stays moist.
Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon parsley and 0.5 teaspoon black pepper, and add black olives if available.
After the steps
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