Overview

Pacific cod (Gadus macrocephalus) is a bottom-dwelling marine fish found along the continental shelf and upper slopes of the North Pacific Ocean. It has three separate dorsal fins and catfish-like whiskers on its lower jaw, and its white, flaky flesh is mild in flavor with a firm texture. It is an important commercial food species, often compared to Atlantic cod but with a slightly sweeter, more delicate taste.

Origin and history

Pacific cod ranges around the rim of the North Pacific, from the Bering Sea south to central Japan and from the Gulf of Alaska south to central California [1]. It has been fished commercially for centuries by Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest and Alaska, and later by Russian, Japanese, and American fleets. The species became a major target of industrial fisheries in the 20th century, particularly in the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska. Today, Pacific cod stocks are managed under U.S. and international quotas, with the largest fisheries operating off Alaska [2].

Varieties and aliases

  • Also known as gray cod, grey cod, grayfish, or greyfish [1]
  • In Korean: daegu (대구)
  • In Japanese: madara (マダラ)
  • In Russian: tikhookeanskaya treska (тихоокеанская треска)

Culinary uses

Pacific cod is versatile in the kitchen due to its mild flavor and firm, flaky flesh. It is commonly battered and fried for fish and chips, baked with herbs and butter, or poached in broth. In Korean cuisine, it is the primary fish for daegutang (대구탕), a spicy cod stew made with fresh Pacific cod, Korean radish, tofu, and minari (water dropwort), producing a bright, clear-spiced broth. It also appears in Japanese nabe (hot pot) dishes and is frequently salted and grilled. The roe (myeongnan) is a prized ingredient in Korean banchan and jeotgal (fermented seafood).

Cross-cuisine context

Pacific cod is the direct analogue of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) in the North Pacific, and the two are often used interchangeably in Western recipes. In Mexican cuisine, there is no deep tradition of cod consumption, though dried and salted cod (bacalao) — typically Atlantic — appears in dishes like bacalao a la vizcaína, a Christmas Eve staple in many Mexican households. Pacific cod is not traditionally dried and salted in the same manner, so it is not a direct substitute for bacalao in that preparation. In Korean cuisine, Pacific cod is the definitive fish for daegutang, a role that Atlantic cod sometimes fills in Korean diaspora communities when Pacific cod is unavailable. In Japanese cuisine, it is used in hot pot (mizutaki-style nabe) and as a base for kamaboko (fish cake), similar to how white fish like pollock are used in other Asian fish cake traditions.

Notes for cooks

  • Pacific cod fillets should be opaque and moist with a mild sea-breeze scent. Avoid fillets with a strong fishy odor or dry, brown edges.
  • It can be substituted with Atlantic cod, haddock, or pollock in most recipes, though Pacific cod is slightly sweeter and less flaky than Atlantic cod.
  • For Korean daegutang, use fresh, bone-in chunks of Pacific cod for the richest broth. Frozen fillets will work but produce a less complex stock.