Canadian National Dishes

Fish and Brewis with Scrunchions

Fish and brewis is a Newfoundland and Labrador meal of salt cod and hard bread, also called hardtack or sea biscuit. This home version soaks and cooks the fish and bread separately, then serves them together with crisp salt-pork scrunchions and a little rendered fat. Families prepare the dish in different ways; Fisherman’s Brewis is often chopped or mixed, while this plate keeps the pieces distinct.

Canadian National Dishes
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A plate of Newfoundland fish and brewis beside a bowl of scrunchions on a wooden table.
A plate of Newfoundland fish and brewis beside a bowl of scrunchions on a wooden table.
Prep 25 minutes
Cook 55 minutes
Total 25 hours 20 minutes
Calories About 1,290kcal per portion
Ingredients ↓
Overview

Fish and Brewis with Scrunchions

Hard bread was valued for its long keeping quality, and salt cod could be stored without refrigeration. Together they became a familiar food in Newfoundland and Labrador. The dish has no single household formula: some cooks add potatoes, and some chop the hot fish and bread together. This version follows a documented traditional method and keeps the cod and softened bread in separate portions on the plate.

Scrunchions are small cubes of salt pork fat slowly fried until crisp. Their rendered fat seasons the fish and bread, so the recipe needs no added salt. The finished dish is rich and salty by design; soaking time and the saltiness of the products make a noticeable difference.

Practical

Practical

  • Begin the day before. Soak the cod and hard bread separately in covered containers in the refrigerator.
  • Change the cod’s water after 12 hours. Thick pieces or especially salty cod may need more soaking; after 24 hours, cook a small flake and taste it for saltiness.
  • Render the pork slowly over medium-low heat. This gives the cubes time to crisp without scorching.
  • Simmer the cod gently and lift it carefully so it stays in large flakes. Remove any skin and bones before serving.
  • Hard bread should be soft enough to eat but still hold its shape. Drain it well so the plate is not watery.
Ingredients

Ingredients

Fish and bread

  • 900 g dried salt cod, in large pieces
  • 6 cakes Newfoundland hard bread or hardtack, about 450 g total
  • 15 mL neutral cooking oil

Scrunchions

  • 450 g salt pork fatback, cut into 1 cm cubes
  • 1 g black pepper, or to taste
Directions

Directions

Method

  1. Soak the codRinse the salt cod under cold running water. Put it in a covered food-safe container, cover generously with cold water and refrigerate for 24 hours. Change the water after 12 hours. Keep the fish at 4°C or colder.

  2. Soak the hard breadBreak the cakes into large pieces and place them in a separate covered bowl. Cover with cold water and refrigerate for 12 hours. Drain before cooking.

  3. Render the scrunchionsPut the salt-pork cubes in a heavy skillet over medium-low heat. Cook slowly, stirring now and then, for 20–25 minutes until crisp and golden. Lift them onto a warm dish with a slotted spoon and keep the rendered fat in the skillet.

  4. Cook the codDrain and rinse the soaked cod. Put it in a large pot, cover with fresh water and add the oil. Bring just to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer gently for 20–30 minutes. Check the thickest piece with a clean digital thermometer; it must reach 70°C. The flesh should flake easily. Drain, remove skin and bones, and break the cod into large flakes. Do not add salt.

  5. Cook the hard breadPut the drained bread in a separate pot and cover with fresh water. Bring to a boil, then simmer gently for about 10 minutes, until soft through but still holding its shape. Drain well.

  6. Plate and serveArrange the cod and hard bread in separate sections on warm plates. Spoon a little rendered pork fat over them and scatter the scrunchions on top. Offer the remaining fat at the table and season with black pepper. Serve hot.

Practical

Practical

Serving

Serve the fish and bread side by side so each keeps its texture. A little rendered fat carries the savoury flavour; use it sparingly if you prefer a lighter plate. Some households serve potatoes or onions with fish and brewis, but they are not part of this version. For Fisherman’s Brewis, the hot cod and bread may be chopped or mixed together before adding the scrunchions.

Make-ahead

Refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers within two hours and use within 2–3 days. Reheat the fish, bread and scrunchions to 74°C; add a splash of water to the bread if it has dried. Reheat only the portion you plan to eat.

Control points

Control points

  • The cod is still too saltychange the water and continue soaking in the refrigerator. Thick pieces may need longer; do not try to remove salt by adding more ingredients at the end.
  • The cod falls apart in the potkeep the water at a gentle simmer and lift the pieces with a slotted spoon.
  • The hard bread is firm in the middlesimmer it for a few more minutes, then check again. Avoid a vigorous boil, which can break it up.
  • The pork browns before it crispsreduce the heat and let the fat render slowly.
  • The plate tastes too saltyadd no salt and serve with more plain hard bread. Next time, soak the cod longer and change the water more often.
Nutrition

Nutrition

  • Serving sizeOne-sixth of the recipe, including cod, hard bread and scrunchions
  • Calories1,290kcal
  • Carbohydrate58 g
  • Protein108g
  • Fat65g
  • Fibre2 g
  • Sodium3,470mg

Very rough estimate using USDA FoodData Central values for dried, salted cod by its dry ingredient weight, cured raw salt pork and the cited Purity hard-bread product. Sodium assumes an illustrative 90% reduction from cod during soaking, informed by more extensive desalting studies; the home soak may remove less. Cure, thickness and water changes cause large variation, so sodium may be substantially higher or lower. All pork and rendered fat are counted as eaten. Not a laboratory analysis or product label.

Allergens and safety

Allergens and safety

Fish and wheat are priority allergens; the hard bread contains wheat and gluten. Check package labels for other ingredients and cross-contact statements. Keep the fish soaking in a covered container at 4°C or colder, separate from ready-to-eat foods. Cook the cod to 70°C at its thickest point. Refrigerate leftovers within two hours and reheat to 74°C.

FAQ

FAQ

What does “brewis” mean?

It refers to hard bread or sea biscuit that has been soaked and cooked. In the dish, it is served with salt cod.

Can I use fresh cod?

Fresh cod will cook, but it does not need desalting and has a different flavour and texture from salt cod. It makes a different version of the dish.

Why soak the bread and fish separately?

They soften at different rates and need different cooking times. Separate soaking and cooking also make it easier to drain each well and serve the textures distinctly.

A good plate to share

A good plate to share

  • Set out the cod and softened hard bread separately, then let everyone add scrunchions and rendered fat to taste.
  • Plan the overnight soaking ahead; the final cooking is simple once the ingredients are ready.