What are cod chips

What are cod chips

Cod chips are exactly what they sound like: crispy cod flakes eaten as a snack. But unlike typical industrial fish chips, these are made from cod skins and tripe, parts that in most kitchens end up in the trash.

The process is simple and has two phases: first, the skins and tripe are dehydrated at a low temperature (80 °C) until they are stiff like a cracker, and then they are fried in hot oil for seconds. The effect is spectacular: the pieces puff up, expand, and acquire an airy texture, exactly like pork rinds (chicharrones), but with a sea flavor.

In pintxos bars in the Basque Country and in Michelin-starred restaurants like Mugaritz or Azurmendi, cod skin chips have been appearing as a surprise appetizer for years. The difference is that you can make them at home at practically no cost, using cod scraps you already have.

The result is a light, crispy appetizer, full of collagen and with an intense cod flavor that pairs perfectly with beer, white wine, or vermouth. And if you accompany them with a well-thought-out sauce, you have a restaurant-level starter.

Skins and tripe: the forgotten parts of cod

Before we get into the recipe, let's talk about the raw material. Because if you don't know what cod tripe is, you're missing out on one of the most interesting products in the seafood pantry.

Cod skins

Cod skin is a thick layer, rich in gelatin and collagen. It's responsible for the pil pil emulsifying, for cod stews having that unctuous texture. When you remove it to make a clean loin, the skin is pure gold in the kitchen.

Fresh or desalted, the skin has a rubbery texture that is not appealing to eat directly. But when you dehydrate it and fry it, that gelatin transforms: it expands with the heat of the oil and creates air bubbles that give it an incredibly crispy and light texture.

Cod tripe

Cod tripe is the stomach and intestines of the cod, salted and cured just like the loins. In Basque and Portuguese tradition, they are a delicacy: they are stewed with chickpeas, prepared in Vizcaina sauce, or served in a warm salad. They have a particular texture, between gelatinous and meaty, and an intense flavor.

To make chips, the tripe works just as well as the skins. When dehydrated, they lose all moisture, and when fried, they puff up with a slightly different texture: less airy than the skin, but meatier and with a more pronounced crunch.

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Ingredients and necessary equipment

For the chips (4-6 appetizer servings)

• 300 g desalted cod skins (or a mix of skins and tripe)
• Sunflower oil for frying (1 liter minimum, you need depth)
• Flake salt (Maldon or similar) to finish
• Absorbent paper

Equipment

• Oven with fan function (or a dehydrator if you have one)
• Baking sheet with a wire rack
• Deep pot or fryer (minimum 10 cm of oil)
• Kitchen thermometer (essential for controlling frying)

For the sauces (choose one or more)

• Classic aioli: garlic + olive oil + salt
• Brave sauce: tomato + paprika + cayenne pepper
• Yuzu mayonnaise: mayonnaise + yuzu juice + zest
• Sour cream with chives: sour cream + chopped chives + pepper

Step 1: Low-temperature dehydration

This is the most important phase and the one that requires the most patience. Correct dehydration makes the difference between a chip that puffs up perfectly and one that remains flat and hard.

Preparation of the skins (15 minutes)

1. Clean the skins: if they come from desalted cod, remove any remaining flesh with a knife. The skin should be as clean as possible on both sides. If they have scales, scrape them off with the back of the knife under cold water.
2. If using tripe: desalinate it in cold water for 24-48 hours (changing the water every 8 hours) if it comes salted. Cut it into pieces about 5 x 3 cm, a comfortable size for eating with your fingers.
3. Dry thoroughly with absorbent paper. The less surface moisture, the faster the dehydration.
4. Cut the skins into rectangles about 6 x 4 cm. Don't make them too big: when fried, they expand to double or triple their size.

Oven dehydration (3-5 hours)

1. Preheat the oven to 80 °C with the fan on. If your oven doesn't go below 100 °C, use 100 °C but leave the door ajar with a cloth or wooden spoon for air circulation.
2. Place the skins and tripe on a wire rack over the baking sheet. They should not touch each other. The rack is key: it allows air to circulate underneath and ensures uniform dehydration.
3. Bake for 3-5 hours, checking every hour. The skins are ready when they are completely rigid, dry to the touch, and break with a clean snap when bent. The tripe takes a little longer (4-5 hours).
4. Remove and let cool to room temperature. Once cool, you can store them in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks without a problem.

With a dehydrator: if you have an Excalibur-type dehydrator, set it to 70 °C for 6-8 hours. The result is more uniform than in an oven.

Critical point: if the skins are not completely dry, when fried they will spit oil (residual moisture boils and splashes). Make sure they crack when broken before moving on to frying. When in doubt, leave them for another hour.

Step 2: Frying and the crackling effect

This is where the magic happens. In 5-10 seconds, a rigid, flat sheet transforms into a crispy, puffed-up cloud. The phenomenon is the same as with pork rinds: the gelatin and residual collagen in the skin, upon contact with very hot oil, expand and create thousands of small air bubbles.

Procedure

1. Heat the sunflower oil to 200-210 °C. This is a high temperature, higher than for conventional frying. The thermometer is essential here: if the oil is below 190 °C, the skins absorb fat without puffing up; if it exceeds 220 °C, they burn before expanding.
2. Insert one piece as a test. It should sink for half a second and then rise to the surface, puffing up suddenly. If it doesn't puff up, the oil is not hot enough. If it darkens instantly, it's too hot.
3. Fry 2-3 pieces at a time (no more, or the oil temperature will drop). Each piece needs 5-10 seconds. As soon as they are puffed up and lightly golden, remove them with a spider or skimmer.
4. Place on absorbent paper and salt immediately with Maldon salt flakes. The salt adheres better when the chip still has a film of hot oil.
5. Repeat with the remaining pieces, allowing the oil to regain temperature between batches.

Sunflower vs. olive oil: for this frying, sunflower oil is better. It has a higher smoke point (230 °C vs. 210 °C for extra virgin) and a neutral flavor that allows the cod flavor to shine. Extra virgin olive oil adds an interesting nuance but runs a higher risk of burning at 200 °C.

Sauces and accompaniments

Cod chips are delicious on their own with a touch of salt, but they really shine with a contrasting sauce. Here are the ones that work best:

Black garlic aioli (my favorite)

Crush 4-5 cloves of black garlic into a paste. Mix with 150 ml of homemade aioli (raw garlic + oil + emulsified salt). The result is a dark, sweet aioli with deep umami that pairs perfectly with the marine flavor of the chips. It's the combination that receives the most compliments when I serve it at the Mercat del Ninot.

Mild brava sauce

Sauté onion and garlic, add crushed tomatoes, sweet pimentón de la Vera, and a hint of cayenne pepper. Cook for 15 minutes, blend, and strain. It's the classic sauce for patatas bravas, and it works like a charm with cod chips.

Roasted red pepper cream

Blend 6-8 canned piquillo peppers with a splash of cream, salt, and a teaspoon of Sherry vinegar. Smooth, sweet texture, perfect for dipping. This is the most elegant option if the chips are part of a formal appetizer.

Citrus mayonnaise

Homemade mayonnaise with lemon and orange zest, a splash of lemon juice, and freshly ground black pepper. The acidity cuts through the fat of the frying, and the citrus enhances the sea flavor of the cod.

Guacamole

Mashed ripe avocado with lime, cilantro, chopped jalapeño, and salt. Cod chips perfectly replace nachos, and the cod-avocado combination is a flavor marriage that always works.

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Variations: spices, smoking, and other flavors

Once you master the basic technique, the variations are endless. Here are the ones I've tried and work:

• Paprika chips: before dehydrating, brush the skins with a mixture of olive oil and pimentón de la Vera. It caramelizes slightly during frying and leaves an addictive smoky flavor.
• Curry chips: sprinkle Madras curry powder over the freshly fried chips. The heat of the oil activates the spices.
• Garlic and parsley chips: fry sliced garlic separately until golden, crush it with dried parsley, and sprinkle over the hot chips.
• Smoked chips: if you have a smoke gun or a homemade smoker, smoke the dehydrated skins before frying. 5 minutes with oak chips. The result is spectacular.
• Lime and chili chips: lime zest + ground dried chili (chipotle or ancho). Mexican profile that combines wonderfully.
• Squid ink chips: mix a teaspoon of squid ink with oil and brush the skins before dehydrating. The chips come out black, dramatic, with an extra iodized touch.

Storage and advance preparation

Cod chips are perfect for preparing in advance, making them an ideal appetizer for parties and dinners.

• Dehydrated skins/tripe (unfried): in an airtight container at room temperature, they last up to 3 weeks. They are stable because they have no moisture. This is the phase you can do weeks in advance.
• Fried chips: they retain their crispy texture for 24-48 hours if stored in an open container (not sealed, or condensed moisture will soften them). If they lose texture, 2 minutes in an oven at 180 °C will revive them.
• The key: dehydrate large quantities when you have time, store in jars, and fry only what you are going to serve on demand. 2 minutes of frying and you have an appetizer for 6 people.

Zero-waste cooking with cod

Cod chips are the perfect example of zero-waste cooking. Every time you buy a whole cod or loins with skin, you have free raw material to make chips. And it's not the only way to use the "lesser" parts of the cod:

• Skins: chips (this recipe), pil pil (gelatin emulsifies the sauce), fish broth (deep flavor).
• Tripe: chips, stew with chickpeas, warm salad with mustard vinaigrette.
• Bones and trimmings: cod broth or fumet, base for soups, rice dishes, and stews.
• Kokotxas (cod cheeks): the delicacy of cod, in pil pil or breaded.
• Liver: confit as a gourmet filling, on toast, or in brandada burrata.

A single whole cod provides 3-4 different preparations if you know how to use every part. That's smart, sustainable, and economically logical cooking.

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Frequently asked questions