Scrod facts for kids

Scrod (also spelled schrod) is a name for a small cod or haddock fish. Sometimes, it can also refer to other types of whitefish. People eat scrod, and it's usually served as a fillet.

In the fish business, "scrod" is the smallest size of these fish. Fish are sorted by weight into categories. Scrod is the smallest, followed by market, large, and whale. For example, in the United States, a scrod haddock or cusk weighs about 1.5 to 3 pounds (0.7 to 1.4 kg). A scrod cod weighs about 1.5 to 2.5 pounds (0.7 to 1.1 kg).

You can often find scrod in fish markets and restaurants. It's very popular in coastal areas of New England and Atlantic Canada. Even though it's called "scrod," it's usually a specific type of fish like cod or haddock.

Long ago, scrod was just a small cod or haddock. These fish were too small to be filleted easily. They were often split open, lightly salted, and sometimes air-dried. People usually broiled them and served them with butter. Later, around the mid-1900s, "scrod" started to mean a small haddock or cod that was either filleted or split.

What's in a Name? The Story of "Scrod"

The word "scrod" first appeared in writing in 1841. It comes from an old dialect word from Cornwall, England, called scraw.

This word described how fish were prepared before cooking. They were cut open flat and lightly sprinkled with salt and sometimes pepper. Then, they were left in the sun or air to dry out as much as possible. After that, they were roasted over a fire and served with a little butter. This way of cooking was called "scrawed."

A similar word, scrae, is found in Scotland. It means "fish dried in the sun without being salted." This word was used in 1806.

So, the earliest meaning of "scrod" in America was a young or small cod fish. It was split and salted for cooking.

Another idea is that the word comes from the Dutch word schrood. This word means "a piece cut off." This could refer to fish cut into pieces for drying or cooking.

Fun Stories About the Name

Some people say the word "scrod" came from the Parker House Hotel in Boston. However, this isn't true because the hotel was built after the word was already being used.

There are also some funny, made-up stories about where the word came from. One story says it's short for the "Sacred Cod" carving in the Boston State House. Other ideas suggest it's an acronym (a word made from the first letters of other words).

• "Seaman’s catch received on deck"
• "Small cod remaining on dock"
• "Select catch retrieved on [the] day"

However, acronyms were not common back when the word "scrod" first appeared. It seems "scrod" was often just a way to say "fresh fish of the day." This was useful because menus were often made before the day's catch arrived.

How Scrod is Cooked

Historically, "scrod" was not just a type of fish. It was also a way of preparing it. An old recipe from 1851 explains how to cook scrod. The fish was salted and left overnight. Then, it was broiled, starting with the skin side down.

Today, scrod is cooked in many different ways. It can be fried or broiled after being split or filleted. For example, in famous Boston restaurants, scrod is often a tail piece of haddock or cod. It's dipped in oil, then bread crumbs, and then broiled in an oven.

Broiled Scrod
A young cod, split down the back, and backbone removed, except a small portion near the tail, is called a scrod. Scrod are always broiled, spread with butter, and sprinkled with salt and pepper. Haddock is also so dressed.

Even today, scrod is a popular food. You can still find it in many fish markets and restaurants along the coasts of New England and Atlantic Canada.

Scrod in Books and History

Daniel Webster was a famous speaker and statesman in the 1800s. His friend, Seth Peterson, was a boatman and fisherman. Peterson said that Webster really loved "scrawed" cod.

He explained that Webster liked his codfish "scrawed." This meant the fish was split open, lightly salted overnight, and then broiled for breakfast. Peterson said he prepared it this way for Webster more than a thousand times!