Riberalves
Ready-to-cook Desalted Codfish
It all began in the 1960s with a son and a father selling codfish door-to-door on the streets of downtown Lisbon. Back in those days, João Alves would leave the grocery store in São Pedro da Cadeira, Torres Vedras, along with his father to help him deliver bales.
Riberalves
Ready-to-cook Desalted Codfish
It all began in the 1960s with a son and a father selling codfish door-to-door on the streets of downtown Lisbon. Back in those days, João Alves would leave the grocery store in São Pedro da Cadeira, Torres Vedras, along with his father to help him deliver bales.
The codfish industry made its mark on him and, years later, around 1985, after he had established himself, João Alves found inspiration on the name of his two sons — Ricardo and Bernardo Alves — to build a company that would become a reference within the codfish industry, Riberalves.
Each year Riberalves produces 30,000 tons of codfish, the equivalent to 8-10% of all codfish that are caught in the world. Today this is the single largest industrial facility in the world exclusively devoted to codfish processing. In this unit Riberalves implements its own technology, conceived to assure the production of the Ready-to-Cook Deep-Frozen Desalted Codfish. In this facility, Riberalves implements its own technology to assure the production of the Ready-to-Cook Deep-Frozen Desalted Codfish.
Process
Riberalves launched its Ready-to-Cook Codfish in the year 2000. The company developed its own technology to achieve maximum quality and performance in each production stage. Besides that, Riberalves makes sure it controls the raw material from its very origin, ensuring that only the best codfish is used in the process.
Capture
Riberalves follows best practices for fishing — such as fishing by line — and thus assuring that cod is treated in a delicate manner and avoiding any impact that could lead to loss of protein quality. Furthermore, Riberalves codfish is immediately bled after being caught in order to guarantee that the flesh retains its finest qualities.
Origin
Only the finest species of codfish, the Gadus Morhua — from the Atlantic Northeast — is used to produce Riberalves’ Ready-to-Cook Codfish.
Drying
After the Traditional Portuguese Cure is complete, codfish undergoes a drying process. Taking place in controlled atmosphere chambers, this process allows dehydrating and removing excessive protein humidity. Its duration varies according to the thickness and size of the fish.
Cutting
Once dried, codfish is cut in a variety of pieces according to consumer needs. The convenience of the Riberalves Ready-to-Cook cod begins to show at this stage: consumers will be allowed to choose from a wide variety of cuts according to their preferences.
Deep-freezing
Developed and perfected by Riberalves, this fast -40°C deepfreezing process lasts 4 hours and preserves the organoleptic properties of the codfish. Contraryto home freezing — a process that can take up to a day and reduces codfish quality — industrial deepfreezing keeps proteins intact.
Salting
After capturing the fish and complying with the traditional method developed by the Portuguese people throughout centuries, the codfish is immediately nestled in salt. This is the first step in the preservation process, and means that the Traditional Portuguese Cure is underway. Under no circumstance will cod be frozen at high seas or submitted to double freezing. Also, no phosphates will be added to the codfish.
Traditional Portuguese Cure
As in the case with smoked ham, the duration of the salted cure is one of the most defining factors when it comes to codfish quality. In compliance with the Traditional Portuguese Cure, the Ready-to-Cook Riberalves codfish may rest from five months up to one year in salt.
Soaking
Once cut, codfish is soaked in controlled temperature water during a precise amount of time. How long this step lasts is defined by the size and thickness of the piece. This way the saltiness of the piece is perfect and consistent, hence avoiding mistakes and hindrances commonly associated with home desalting.
Convenience
Once packaged, the Ready-to-Cook Riberalves Codfish is ready to land onthe market. Daily routines in modern society allow little room for a time consuming process such as soaking cod, therefore preparation and cooking routines need to be swift. In that sense, the Ready-to-CookRiberalves Codfish presents itself as an ideal solution. A final argument must also be made: an argument for the premium quality of the best Traditional Portuguese Cure codfish.
MSC Certification
In June 2010, Riberalves became a Marine Stewardship Council Certified company. Recognized for its compliance with the rules of sustainability and good management in its fishing activities.
