Cod in Pil Pil Sauce: The Traditional Recipe Step by Step

Pil pil is culinary magic. It's not a sauce in the classical sense — it contains no flour, no cream, no artificial thickeners. It's simply the gelatin from the cod itself, emulsified with olive oil through slow, patient circular motion. The result is a white, silky, creamy sauce that seems impossible without knowing the secret.

And the secret, as almost always in cooking, is technique and patience.

Origin of Pil Pil: From Bilbao to Mercat del Ninot

Bacalao al pil pil is a dish of Basque origin, specifically from Bilbao and its surrounding area. Legend has it that the name comes from the sound the oil makes gently boiling with the cod: "pil pil, pil pil." Whether true or not, the sound exists and is characteristic of this very low-temperature cooking process.

In Catalonia, pil pil arrived with the influence of Basque cuisine and is now a common dish in market-cuisine restaurants and in homes that love cod. At Barcelona's Mercat del Ninot, where we have been since 1990, we have seen this recipe evolve over decades. Some make it exactly as their grandparents did in Bilbao, while others have incorporated their own small touches. Both paths lead to the same place if the cod is good and the technique is correct.

Ingredients for 4 People

• 4 quality desalted cod loins (150-180g each), with skin
• 400 ml of extra virgin olive oil (quality is key — it's part of the sauce)
• 6-8 thinly sliced garlic cloves
• 2 dried chili peppers (optional, for those who want a spicy kick)
• Fresh chopped parsley for garnish

For pre-desalting:

• Salted cod loins
• Plenty of cold water
• 48-72 hours of desalting in the refrigerator, changing the water every 8 hours

Why Mercat del Ninot Cod is Ideal for Pil Pil

Pil pil is a dish that relies entirely on the quality of the cod. And not just any quality — it specifically depends on the amount of collagen the cod has.

Collagen is the connective tissue protein that, when cooked at a low temperature, turns into gelatin. This gelatin is what emulsifies with the olive oil to create the pil pil sauce. Without collagen, there is no sauce.

Low-quality cod, poorly cured or with excess moisture, has less available collagen, and the pil pil won't bind or will bind very weakly.

At Bacalalo, we select cod with very specific criteria for pil pil:

• Origin: Iceland or Norway (Gadus morhua) — cold waters promote denser, collagen-rich flesh
• Minimum curing time: 4-5 months, preferably 6 or more
• Loin with skin: The skin is especially rich in collagen. For pil pil, the skin is essential
• Appropriate thickness: A very thin loin won't yield enough gelatin. We look for loins at least 3 cm thick at the center

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Step by Step: The Bacalao al Pil Pil Recipe

Step 1: Proper Desalting

Desalting is half the battle. Poorly desalted cod will ruin even the best pil pil technique.

Desalting protocol for thick loins (pil pil):

• Place the loins in a large bowl or container, completely covered with cold water.
• Cover and refrigerate.
• Change the water every 8 hours: at 8h, 16h, 24h, 32h, 40h, and at 48h you can test for salt.
• For very thick loins (more than 4 cm), up to 72 hours may be needed.

Desalting test: Cut a small piece from the center of the loin (the thickest part) and taste it raw. It should taste like cod, with a pleasant hint of salt, but not overly salty. If it's still too salty, continue desalting, changing the water every 6 hours.

Common mistake: Many people taste the edges of the loin (which desalts quickly) and think it's ready. The center takes much longer. Always taste the center.

Step 2: Confit the Garlic

Pour the extra virgin olive oil into a shallow, wide pan (ideally cast iron or ceramic). Add the sliced garlic cloves and chili peppers (if using).

Turn the heat to the lowest setting. The goal is to confit the garlic, not fry it. The temperature should be very low — the oil should shimmer gently, never actively boil.

Confit the garlic for 8-10 minutes until it's transparent and very tender. It should not brown — if it browns too much, it will become bitter and ruin the pil pil.

Once the garlic is confit, remove it with a slotted spoon and set aside. Also set aside the chili peppers.

Why remove the garlic? If you leave the garlic in the pan during the pil pil process, the circular motion will crush it and incorporate it into the sauce uncontrollably. It's best to add it at the end, already confit, as an element of presentation and flavor.

Step 3: The Correct Temperature — The Key to Everything

This is where many fail. Temperature is the most critical factor in pil pil.

The oil should be between 60 and 70°C. Never above 75-80°C. With a kitchen thermometer, it's easy to control. Without a thermometer, the indicator is that the oil shimmers slightly but does not actively bubble.

If the oil is too hot (frying), the cod cooks too quickly, the gelatin doesn't have time to release and emulsify, and the cod becomes dry.

If the oil is too cold (less than 55°C), the gelatin doesn't release properly, and the sauce also won't bind.

Temperature test without a thermometer: Dip the tip of a toothpick or a small piece of bread. It should bubble gently but not vigorously. The temperature is correct when you can hold your hand 5 cm from the oil's surface without feeling intense heat.

Step 4: Cooking the Cod

Place the loins in the pan with the skin side down. The skin is the main reservoir of collagen — placing it in direct contact with the oil helps the gelatin release into the oil.

You will immediately notice two things:

1. The oil cools slightly — normal, the cod was at refrigerator temperature.
2. The cod begins to release a white, viscous gelatin — exactly what we are looking for.

Keep the heat at its lowest setting and observe. The white gelatin will gradually emerge and accumulate at the bottom of the pan.

Step 5: The Circular Motion — The "Meneíto"

This is where pil pil becomes pil pil.

Hold the pan with both hands (with gloves or kitchen towels, as it will be hot). Make a slow, circular motion, as if you were swirling a wine glass to aerate it. You don't have to move the cod — you have to move the pan.

The circular motion causes the gelatin and oil to mix into an emulsion. The gelatin acts as an emulsifier (just like the lecithin in egg yolk in mayonnaise) and binds the olive oil, forming a creamy, white sauce.

Rhythm: About 30 seconds of motion, 30 seconds of rest, repeating. During the rests, observe how the sauce develops.

Signs it's working: The sauce becomes progressively whiter and denser. As you continue, the amount of sauce increases. At first, it seems like nothing is happening — keep going, the sauce takes time to bind in the first few minutes.

Total time: Between 15 and 25 minutes, depending on the thickness of the cod and the amount of collagen. Quality cod from Bacalalo, properly desalted, binds the sauce in 15-18 minutes.

Step 6: The Sauce's Consistency

The pil pil sauce is ready when:

• It coats the back of a spoon without completely sliding off.
• It has a light béchamel-like texture — neither too runny nor too thick.
• The color is bright, homogeneous cream-white.
• The cod, when gently pressed, yields and flakes apart.

If the sauce is too runny, continue the circular motion for a few more minutes. If the sauce is too thick (rare), you can add a few drops of warm desalting water and continue stirring.

Step 7: Finishing and Presentation

Turn off the heat. Place the confit garlic and chili peppers back on top of the cod.

Serve immediately on warm plates. Pil pil doesn't wait — the sauce behaves differently when it cools (it solidifies slightly, like gelatin). If reheating is necessary, do so very gently.

Presentation: The cod on the plate (skin side up, to show the golden color from cooking), generously bathed in the white sauce, with confit garlic around it and chopped green parsley on top. The contrast of colors is beautiful and, in itself, announces the dish.

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Mistake 1: Oil Too Hot

Symptom: The cod fries instead of confiting. The sauce doesn't bind or binds very weakly and greasily.

Solution: Reduce the heat to the minimum. If necessary, remove the pan from the heat for a few moments to lower the temperature.

Mistake 2: Moving the Cod Instead of the Pan

Symptom: The cod breaks into pieces. The sauce may not bind as well.

Solution: Always move the pan, never the cod. The pan's movement creates the emulsion naturally.

Mistake 3: Overly Salty Cod (Insufficient Desalting)

Symptom: The sauce has an excessively salty taste that cannot be corrected.

Solution: No solution once cooked. Prevent it by ensuring correct desalting and always tasting the center of the loin.

Mistake 4: Low-Quality Cod (Lack of Collagen)

Symptom: The sauce doesn't bind or remains very runny despite correct movement.

Solution: Buy quality cod, sufficiently cured, with skin. The skin is the collagen reservoir — without it, pil pil is much more difficult.

Mistake 5: Impatience

Symptom: You turn up the heat to speed up the process. The sauce separates or the cod cooks poorly.

Solution: Pil pil cannot be rushed. 15-25 minutes over minimum heat. Patience.

The Strainer Trick for Beginners

If this is your first time making pil pil and you're unsure about the circular motion, there's a trick that makes the process much easier:

1. Transfer the cod to a plate and set it aside.
2. Using a slotted spoon or fine-mesh metal strainer, work the oil and cod juices by moving the strainer in circles within the pan.
3. The friction of the strainer mechanically creates the emulsion.
4. Once the sauce binds, return the cod.

This method is less traditional but works perfectly and allows beginners to achieve an excellent pil pil without needing the pan-moving technique.

Ideal Accompaniments for Bacalao al Pil Pil

Pil pil is a complete dish on its own. But if you want to complete the meal:

Confit potatoes: The same confit technique as the cod — potatoes in oil at 65-70°C for 30-40 minutes until very tender. Served alongside or beneath the cod.

Quality toasted bread: For dipping the sauce. This is, perhaps, the best possible accompaniment. Good sourdough bread, toasted, and the pil pil sauce for dipping.

Simple green salad: Lamb's lettuce or arugula with a lemon vinaigrette. The contrast of acidity and freshness balances the richness of the sauce.

White rice: A base of white rice (not elaborate rices that would compete with the sauce) on which to serve the cod and sauce.

Where to Buy Cod for Pil Pil in Barcelona

For bacalao al pil pil, the quality of the cod is not optional — it is the sine qua non condition.

At Bacalalo, we select loins specifically for preparations like pil pil: thick, with skin, properly cured, with the necessary gelatin to bind the sauce. We have been at Mercat del Ninot since 1990, ensuring that the cod you buy is suitable for the dish you want to cook.

If you're unsure which loin is best for your pil pil, ask us at the counter. We've been answering exactly these questions for decades.

Buy quality cod for pil pil at Bacalalo — Mercat del Ninot, Barcelona

Frequently Asked Questions