Stockfish is unsalted fish, especially cod, dried by cold air and wind on wooden racks (which is called "hjell" in Norway) on the foreshore. The drying of food is the world's oldest known preservation method, and dried fish has a storage life of several years. The method is cheap and effective in suitable climates; the work can be done by the fisherman and family, and the resulting product is easily transported to market.

Żerdzie z suszącymi się sztokfiszami to typowy letni widok na wybrzeżach Norwegii i Islandii. Przed spożyciem sztokfisze należy ubijać młotkiem do mięsa, a następnie przez kilka dni moczyć.