Congrio and Merluza are different fish, but they're close enough in the kitchen to stand in for one another.
Congridae
Congrio
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.
Full guide →Merlucciidae
Merluza
Hake is a mild, white-fleshed fish from the cod family, softer and more delicate than cod itself. It is the most consumed fish in Spain and one of the most popular in Argentina. In France it is known as colin and is a supermarket staple. Its gentle flavor and flaky texture make it suitable for frying, baking, and steaming. Argentine hake (Merluccius hubbsi) is a related but distinct species.
Full guide →Both are Iberian stew and rice fish sold in thick cross-cut steaks — hake is softer and flakier, conger firmer and more gelatinous.
| Country | Congrio | Merluza |
|---|
| 🇺🇸United States | Conger eel | Hake |
| 🇬🇧United Kingdom | Conger eel | Hake |
| 🇫🇷France | Congre | Colin |
| 🇪🇸Spain | Congrio | Merluza |
| 🇦🇷Argentina | Congrio | Merluza |
| 🇲🇽Mexico | — | Merluza |
| 🇵🇹Portugal | Congro | Pescada |
| 🇧🇷Brazil | — | Merluza |
| 🇮🇹Italy | Grongo | Nasello |
| 🇩🇪Germany | Meeraal | Seehecht |
Browse every species in the atlas on the fish index, or identify one from a photo with Identify my cut.