Hake

The term hake refers to fish in either of:

families Gadidae (subfamily Phycinae)
families Merlucciidae (both subfamilies Merlucciinae and Steindachneriinae).

Waters:Northern Atlantic and Pacific Oceans

Description (in water): A slender fish, averaging 1 to 8 lb., yet has been known to grow up to 60 lb. There are at least a dozen species of hake, most of which are named for the color of the skin (red, white, silver, etc.).

Description (in market): Of the same family as cod and similar in many respects, hake is more coarsely grained with a slightly stronger flavor. Snow Hake has white flesh that is low in fat and can range in texture from soft to firm.

Sold as: Whole, fresh fillets or steaks, frozen fillets or steaks, smoked, salted

Best cooking: Can be prepared like cod, which is versatile and promises excellent results after baking, poaching, sautéing, grilling, and roasting.

Buying tips: Look for glistening, pure white flesh that is free of signs of dryness, grayness, and browning. Smell for seawater freshness.

Substitutes: Cod, whiting, dogfish, flatfish, ocean perch, pollock, rockfish, sea bass, red snapper, tilefish, weakfish, wolffish

Notes: Plentiful along the South African, South American, and Mediterranean coastlines, hake provides many countries with a good inexpensive source of protein.

An old European source mentions a hake that was transplanted from the coast of Ireland to Cape Cod. It is uncertain which species this is, but the reference is given below:

This is an Irish salt water fish, similar in appearance to the tom cod. In Galway bay, and other sea inlets of Ireland, the hake is exceedingly abundant, and is taken in great numbers. It is also found in England and France. Since the Irish immigration to America, the hake has followed in the wake of their masters, as it is now found in New York bay, in the waters around Boston, and off Cape Cod. Here it is called the stock fish, and the Bostonians call them poor Johns. It is a singular fact that until within a few years this fish was never seen in America. It does not grow so large here as in Europe, though here they are from ten to eighteen inches [250 to 460 mm] in length. The general color of this fish is a reddish brown, with some golden tints - the sides being of a pink silvery luster.

A lot of hake is eaten in Spain. However, hake levels are rapidly declining, it is important that consumers know to buy South African hake in order to make sure that there is enough hake for future generations.

Hake has come up numerous times in Spanish GCSE exams and it is therefore imperative that students know the word for it (merluza).

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