clean salted anchovies

Why buy whole salted anchovies (and not canned)

Whole salted anchovies are the same product found inside a can of premium anchovies, but prior to filleting and packaging in oil. Canneries sell whole salted anchovies mainly to restaurants, hospitality professionals, and domestic consumers who know what they're doing. The result, if done well, is exactly the same as buying a top-level can — at a considerably lower price per gram of clean product.

There are three specific reasons to choose salted anchovies over canned.

Price per gram of clean anchovy

A whole salted anchovy contains salt, a central bone, head, and viscera. The yield of clean fillet is around 40-50% of the gross weight, depending on the size of the specimen. Our salted anchovies for cleaning cost €5.95 per quarter kilo. At a 45% yield, you get about 112 grams of clean fillet in oil for that price — which equates to an unbeatable value for money compared to equivalent canned products.

Total control over saltiness

Canned anchovies already have their saltiness determined by the cannery. Whole salted anchovies give you complete control: more desalting time produces a milder anchovy; less time, an anchovy with more salt and character. For those with a clear preference for intensity, this is a real advantage.

The process itself

Cleaning anchovies is a task that requires patience and concentration, but it has a meditative quality. It's the kind of manual work with a clear and satisfying gastronomic result that more and more home cooks appreciate. At Mercat del Ninot in Barcelona, we have been selling whole salted anchovies for 35 years and teaching customers how to clean them. The final result, on a piece of sourdough bread with a drizzle of oil and a good white wine, justifies every minute of the process.

Materials needed before starting

No special equipment is needed. However, it is important to have everything prepared before starting, because the process has waiting times that are best utilized if the materials are ready.

Utensils

• Two or three medium bowls (for desalting water and clean fillets)
• Kitchen tongs or tweezers (to extract fine residual bones)
• Small sharp knife, or simply your fingers (to open and fillet)
• Plenty of absorbent kitchen paper
• Airtight glass jar or container for final packaging

Ingredients

• Whole salted anchovies (the quantity you want to clean)
• Cold tap water, enough for several changes
• Quality extra virgin olive oil — don't skimp here, the oil is part of the final flavor
• Optional: garlic clove, bay leaf, chili pepper, lemon peel to flavor the oil

Workspace

Work on a clean and spacious surface. The process is clean if done in an organized manner — salt and anchovy juice stain very little. Have kitchen paper handy from the start and a waste bag nearby for bones, heads, and skin.

Step 1: desalting, the most important stage

Desalting is the stage that most affects the final result and has the most room for error. An insufficiently desalted anchovy will be overwhelmingly salty; an over-desalted one will lose character and flavor. The goal is to remove excess salt from the surface and outer layers of the muscle, not the salt that is integrated into the tissue as a result of curing.

Desalting time: base reference

Whole salted anchovies need between 30 minutes and 2 hours of desalting in cold water, depending on the thickness of the specimen and the intensity of salt you are looking for. The base reference for a standard size specimen is 45-60 minutes with two changes of water.

• 30-45 minutes: anchovy with character, noticeable saltiness. Ideal for those who want it intense.
• 45-75 minutes: the balanced point for most uses. Full flavor, salt present but not dominant.
• 90-120 minutes: milder anchovy, ideal for dishes where anchovy is a nuance and not the protagonist, or for salt-sensitive palates.

The procedure

Place the whole anchovies in a bowl with cold tap water. Do not use hot water — it alters the muscle texture. Let them soak for 20-25 minutes, change the water, and let them soak for another 20-25 minutes. Taste an anchovy by running your finger over the surface and trying a small portion of the muscle — if the salt is tolerable and the fish flavor is present, the desalting is sufficient. If it is still very salty, change the water once more and wait an additional 15-20 minutes.

Do not soak the anchovies in the refrigerator unless the desalting will exceed 2 hours. For standard times, room temperature is perfect and the variation is minimal.

Signs of correct desalting

A well-desalted anchovy has slightly more flexible muscle than before soaking, the characteristic coppery-pink color without visible changes, and when gently pressed with a finger, the tissue yields without falling apart. An over-desalted anchovy has excessively soft muscle and the color may turn a paler pink. An under-desalted anchovy still has a clearly saline outer surface to the touch.

Step 2: opening and filleting the anchovy

Once desalted, remove the anchovies from the water and place them on kitchen paper. Gently pat them dry on the outside — just for handling, not for thorough drying (that comes later).

The opening technique

Hold the anchovy by the tail with one hand. With the thumb and forefinger of the other hand, hold the fish's belly just below where the head was (it's no longer there, but the cut is visible) and gently press sideways. The fish should open into two fillets along the central bone with very little resistance if the desalting has been adequate.

If the fish resists, it is a sign that it needs a few more minutes of soaking — the salt has still hardened the connective tissue around the bone. Put it back in water for another 10-15 minutes before trying again.

Removing the central bone

Once the fish is butterflied, you will clearly see the central bone. Hold the tail with two fingers, slide the thumb of the other hand under the central bone from the tail towards the head, and gently lift. The bone should come out in one piece with relative ease. If it breaks, no problem — remove the rest with your fingers or tweezers.

The result is two fillets joined at the back. You can separate them completely or leave them butterflied — both presentations are valid for final packaging. At Bacalalo, we always separate them: it allows for more compact packaging and a more uniform oil distribution.

Step 3: cleaning bones and skin

This is the most laborious stage and the one that distinguishes a professional result from an amateur one. Anchovies have small lateral bones on both sides of the fillet and, in some specimens, fine skin remnants on the outer surface of the muscle.

Lateral bones

Run your index finger along the inner surface of the fillet (the one that was attached to the central bone) from tail to head. You will feel the tips of the lateral bones as small prominences. Remove them with tweezers, pulling in the direction of the bone (always from tail to head, never perpendicular — this prevents tearing the muscle). In a standard specimen, there are between 8 and 14 lateral bones per fillet.

For regular home use, removing 90% of the bones is sufficient — the small residual ones are harmless. For a restaurant-quality result, apply more pressure with your finger and dedicate 2-3 minutes per fillet.

The skin

The skin of salted anchovies is thin and edible. Some consumers remove it, others leave it. To remove it, hold the fillet by the tail and slide your thumb between the skin and the muscle with a gentle motion. It comes off easily in well-cured specimens. Leaving it on is equally correct and adds a slight additional flavor to the oil during preservation.

Expected result

A well-cleaned fillet has the characteristic uniform coppery-pink color, no visible bones, with the firm but flexible texture typical of a properly cured anchovy. If the fillet is excessively soft or falls apart when handled, it may indicate insufficient curing of the original product or too long desalting.

Step 4: properly drying the fillets

Drying is a stage that is often underestimated and has a direct impact on the quality of the final packaging. Fillets with residual moisture dilute the oil, reduce the product's shelf life, and can promote mold growth on the surface if water pockets remain under the oil.

The drying technique

Place the fillets on several layers of absorbent kitchen paper. Cover with another layer of paper and gently press with the palm of your hand — without rubbing, just even pressure. Remove the damp paper and repeat with dry paper. The goal is to remove visible surface moisture, not to desiccate the muscle.

For optimal results, leave the fillets on clean, dry kitchen paper for 15-20 minutes at room temperature before packaging. In summer, with heat, 10 minutes are sufficient. The anchovy is ready to package when the surface feels dry to the touch.

What not to do

Do not use scented or antibacterial kitchen paper — anchovies absorb aromas very easily. Do not place the fillets in direct sunlight or near a direct heat source — heat alters the texture. Do not leave them on paper for more than 45 minutes — the anchovy will dry out excessively, and its characteristic melting texture will be lost.

Step 5: preserving in olive oil

Packaging in oil is the final step and determines the product's flavor for the following weeks. The choice of oil is as important as the anchovy's quality.

What oil to use

Extra virgin olive oil, always. Salted anchovies have spent months curing — it's worth protecting that work with an oil of equal quality. A mild or medium-flavored extra virgin olive oil (Arbequina, Hojiblanca) complements the anchovy without competing with it. A refined olive oil or sunflower oil would be an insult to the product; an oil with excessive bitterness or spiciness would dominate the anchovy instead of framing it.

Approximate quantity: for a 250 ml jar, you will need approximately 150-180 ml of oil, depending on how much the fillets are compressed when placed.

The packaging process

Use a clean, dry glass jar with an airtight seal. Place a layer of fillets at the bottom, all oriented in the same direction for compact packaging. Cover with oil. Add another layer of fillets and cover again with oil. Repeat until the jar is full. The last layer should be covered by at least 5 mm of oil above.

Close the jar, gently invert it a few times to distribute the oil, and refrigerate. The product will be at its optimal point after the first 24-48 hours in oil — the initial resting allows the oil to penetrate the tissue and harmonize the flavor.

Optional flavorings

For an aromatic variation, you can add to the jar before closing: half a thinly sliced garlic clove (remove after 3-4 days to prevent it from dominating), a small dried chili pepper, a small sprig of fresh thyme, or a strip of lemon peel. These flavorings are optional — quality anchovies don't need them, but they can add an interesting dimension for specific uses.

To learn more about long-term preservation techniques, consult our guide on how to preserve open and oiled anchovies.

Professional tricks for a perfect result

After 35 years selecting and selling anchovies at Mercat del Ninot in Barcelona, we have seen the most common mistakes and the details that make the difference between an acceptable home result and a truly good one.

Trick 1: the temperature of the desalting water

Always use cold water. If the water is lukewarm or hot, the muscle tissue softens excessively and the fillets break when handled. In summer, if the tap water is above 20 °C, add a few ice cubes to the desalting bowl. The difference in the integrity of the final fillet is noticeable.

Trick 2: dry more than seems necessary

Residual moisture is the silent enemy of oil packaging. Professionals dry the fillets longer than seems necessary — 20-25 minutes on absorbent paper is the norm, not the exception. A perfectly dry fillet in extra virgin olive oil will keep for 3-4 weeks without problems. A fillet with residual moisture can start to deteriorate in 7-10 days.

Trick 3: oil at room temperature

Pour the oil at room temperature, not straight from the fridge. Cold oil has higher viscosity and does not penetrate the fillet tissue well during the first few hours. Room temperature oil flows better between the fillets and ensures uniform coverage from the start.

Trick 4: initial resting before first consumption

Freshly packed anchovies in oil have not yet reached their peak. The oil needs between 24 and 48 hours to penetrate the tissue and soften the overall profile. Packed today, they will be perfect the day after tomorrow. If you taste them 10 minutes after packing, the result will seem drier and saltier than it will ultimately be.

Trick 5: use the oil from the jar

The oil in which the anchovies have rested absorbs all the flavors of the curing process — umami, marine notes, aromatic complexity. When you finish the jar, save the oil. It is exceptional for dressing salads, making anchovy vinaigrette, toasting bread slices, or adding to pasta. Professionals never discard it.

How long do homemade anchovies last

The shelf life of homemade anchovies in olive oil depends on three variables: the quality of the prior drying, the airtightness of the jar, and the storage temperature.

Refrigerated storage

With proper drying (fillets without residual moisture), extra virgin olive oil that completely covers the fillets, and an airtight jar in the refrigerator at 4-6 °C, homemade anchovies last between 3 and 4 weeks under optimal conditions. From the second week onwards, the flavor profile continues to evolve positively — anchovies that have been in oil for 2-3 weeks are usually more rounded and less aggressive than freshly prepared ones.

Signs of spoilage

Spoiled anchovies in oil show: color change to gray or green tones, sour or rancid smell when opening the jar, very soft or gelatinous texture, or visible mold growth on the surface (generally on fillets that were not completely covered by the oil). If you observe any of these signs, discard the entire jar — this is not a product where there are safety grey areas.

Freezing: not recommended

Anchovies in oil are not suitable for freezing. The structure of the muscle tissue of cured anchovies does not tolerate the freezing-thawing cycle without losing the melting texture that makes them valuable. If you want to have a reserve, the most efficient way is to keep the salted anchovies uncleaned (which can be stored for months in their original salt in the refrigerator) and clean them in small batches as needed.

For more information on how to enjoy Cantabrian anchovies and what varieties exist, consult our complete guide to Cantabrian anchovies: brands, sizes, and how to choose.

Frequently Asked Questions