Saltfish "Run Down" Recipe

Are you ready for a sweet hand dish?

A dish that you know while you're eating you want to suck all your fingers and put the plate to your head to drink all the sauce up? This is what Run Down is to me.



It is the kinda food that's just sweet to taste (and not meaning sugar) and you're smiling eating as you put the spoon down into the plate.

The salted cod fish cooked down in a runny sauce of coconut milk seasoned up with hot pepper and tomatoes. It is that dish that excites you to cook because you know you're going to have so much fun and joy eating it after.

Why is this called "Run Down"?

You're probably wondering why oh why is this thing called "run down". I honestly cannot say. I asked around and various reasons were given with none making any sense. Lol.

The method for this varies across the islands. In fact though Jamaicans call this "run down", some islands just refer to it as "stew down" or I've heard it's also called "dip and fall back".

Regardless of all the names, it's salt fish stewed down in some coconut milk. And most time eaten with dumplings

This recipe requires a little work but I think it is so worth the effort. I used salt fish (salted cod) but mackerel is an easy alternative. But salt fish is much better.

They both do require getting the salt out by soaking either overnight or by "washing", soaking, and discarding of the salt water.

How to remove salt from salted fish?

Overnight Soak Method

The next morning, throw the water off and go ahead and pick the bones out of the fish (if you used ones with bones). Taste a piece of the fish to ensure it is still not excessively salty.

I do this method occasionally, but it is not my first choice.

Boiling Method

Place the fish in a pot of hot water, making sure that the water covers the fish, and bring to a high boil. Let it boil for about 25 minutes.

Throw off water and let it cool a little, taste for saltiness, before chipping up. If still salty repeat process.

I avoid this method like a plague. Most times it produces a rubbery textured saltfish. Nobody wants that.

Soak out Method

Add the saltfish to a bowl of water, making sure it is covered in water. Let it sit for 20 minutes. Throw off water from fish and test for saltiness. Repeat if needed.

I usually have to repeat this twice to get to the salt level I want. This is my preferred method of removing salt from my saltfish. It also doesn't require me pre planning dinner the night before.

Wash out method

Chip up the saltfish prior to soaking, removing all bones in the process. Put in a colander and run the tap with cold water through the saltfish in the colander. Squeeze the fish taking out excess water and then letting fresh water run through. Run through until salt is cut down.

This is my mother's only way of removing salt from salt fish. It's the shortest method and fastest method.

How to make saltfish rundown

This recipe highlights again how much we use coconut milk. I did say it was an integral part of our Caribbean cooking. If you want to you can use the canned milk here (preferably one from a Caribbean brand like Grace, Goya, or Jamaica's choice).

I avoid Asian brands with coconut milk because they have a consistency that is different from what we get with fresh coconut milk. You can definitely see and taste when you use tin versus freshly made coconut milk. If you want to make your own coconut milk, definitely do that if you can.

Now let's get this sauce-making.

We want to add some oil to the pan and sauté the garlic and curry powder to bring out the flavor of the curry into the dish.

Then we add the coconut milk and we need to bring that to a boil. The milk needs to boil to the point it starts to get thick. While it's cooking I liked to add the hot pepper, thyme, onions, and the things that will season up the milk for taste.

When it starts to get thick I add in my tomatoes and ochro if using. Then we add the salt fish to the thickened milk and we leave it to simmer.


At this point, you are able to taste and make adjustments as needed. Want more gravy? Add a little water to the dish.

By now this should just be simmering down to make sure the fish is cooked. Like all other seafoods this doesn't need to be cooked for very, very long.


 I like to leave it to sit in the juices for a little while so that the fish continues to soak into the sauces and the seasonings.

I try my very best not to make that hot pepper burst, if it does it's going to be very spicy. If you like pepper then be sure to either pop the pepper later down in the cooking or you can add another scotch bonnet to the mix.

Traditionally this is served with ground provisions (boiled yam, plantains, green bananas, sweet potato, yuca) and some boiled dumplings.

I love, love, love run down with dumplings. Dumplings packed with fish and soaked down in gravy. And my corn meal dumplings were a winner with it.


I honestly tell you I was eating this and smiling from ear to ear. A big spoon and a bowl of this is heaven to me. I love to add a lot of gravy.

Piece ah dumpling, with sauce and saltfish full of peppers and tomatoes and a piece of ochro. Yum!! sweetness for sure.

I love when food just makes you happy. When making it gives you joy and eating it brings you joy. Ha!!


I'm sorry for the excitement. But this was really good.

And it's one of those dishes that tastes amazing the next day too. If there is any leftovers.


Seafood is always so good in coconut milk. Check out my other fish in coconut curry sauce: