Scrod
Encyclopedia
Scrod is a young (2.5 lb (1.1 kg) or less) cod
or, less frequently, when spelled with an 'h', haddock
, split and boned. It is a staple in many coastal New England
and Atlantic Canada
seafood and fish markets.
A popular acronym used in New England area for scrod is "Seaman's Catch Received on Deck", which implies whatever type of "whitefish" caught that day would be used universally for cooking. A dubious folk etymology holds that the term comes from the acronym "Small Cod Remaining On Dock", but it more likely comes from the obsolete Dutch
schrood, piece cut off, or from scrawed, from Cornish dialect.
Scrawing was a method for preparing a fish for cooking by splitting it open, drying it in the sun and/or salting it overnight to remove moisture, and then broiling it when dry. Cooking a young cod or the split tail of a large cod, with the same preparation method as scrawing, have been labeled as "scrod" in a cook book published as early as 1851. A fisherman friend of Daniel Webster
is described as having greatly enjoyed scrawed cod for breakfast during his life.
Cod
Cod is the common name for genus Gadus, belonging to the family Gadidae, and is also used in the common name for various other fishes. Cod is a popular food with a mild flavor, low fat content and a dense, flaky white flesh. Cod livers are processed to make cod liver oil, an important source of...
or, less frequently, when spelled with an 'h', haddock
Haddock
The haddock , also known as the offshore hake, is a marine fish distributed on both sides of the North Atlantic. Haddock is a popular food fish and is widely fished commercially....
, split and boned. It is a staple in many coastal New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
and Atlantic Canada
Atlantic Canada
Atlantic Canada is the region of Canada comprising the four provinces located on the Atlantic coast, excluding Quebec: the three Maritime provinces – New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia – and Newfoundland and Labrador...
seafood and fish markets.
A popular acronym used in New England area for scrod is "Seaman's Catch Received on Deck", which implies whatever type of "whitefish" caught that day would be used universally for cooking. A dubious folk etymology holds that the term comes from the acronym "Small Cod Remaining On Dock", but it more likely comes from the obsolete Dutch
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
schrood, piece cut off, or from scrawed, from Cornish dialect.
Scrawing was a method for preparing a fish for cooking by splitting it open, drying it in the sun and/or salting it overnight to remove moisture, and then broiling it when dry. Cooking a young cod or the split tail of a large cod, with the same preparation method as scrawing, have been labeled as "scrod" in a cook book published as early as 1851. A fisherman friend of Daniel Webster
Daniel Webster
Daniel Webster was a leading American statesman and senator from Massachusetts during the period leading up to the Civil War. He first rose to regional prominence through his defense of New England shipping interests...
is described as having greatly enjoyed scrawed cod for breakfast during his life.