Conger eel and Congrio are the same fish. Different languages, different markets, one species — so a recipe calling for one works exactly as written with the other.
Congrio is the European conger, a heavy scaleless eel that can exceed two metres and is sold in thick cross-cut steaks rather than fillets. Its reputation is regional and strong: in Chile the caldillo de congrio is close to a national dish, celebrated in Neruda's ode, while in the Basque Country and Galicia it goes into stews and into the dried-and-salted trade. The front half, nearer the head, is the part worth buying — it is meaty, firm and gelatinous, excellent in stews and rice dishes where it thickens the liquid as it cooks. The tail end is dense with fine bones and is usually sold cheaper for stock. Note that the Chilean congrio of restaurant menus is usually not this fish at all but one of several unrelated cusk-eels, a substitution so entrenched that the name has effectively transferred.
One species, one fishmonger’s counter at a time.
| Country | Called |
|---|---|
| 🇺🇸United States | Conger eel |
| 🇬🇧United Kingdom | Conger eel |
| 🇫🇷France | Congre |
| 🇪🇸Spain | Congrio |
| 🇦🇷Argentina | Congrio |
| 🇵🇹Portugal | Congro |
| 🇮🇹Italy | Grongo |
| 🇩🇪Germany | Meeraal |
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