Black Cod Miso Recipe

Make marinade

In a medium bowl, whisk together the white miso, mirin, sake, granulated sugar, soy sauce, grated ginger, and grated garlic until smooth and the sugar begins to dissolve. Taste: mixture should be sweet-savory; adjust sugar or mirin by 1 teaspoon if needed.

Portion glaze

Scoop out roughly 1/3 to 1/2 cup of the miso mixture and reserve in a small saucepan — this portion will be reduced into a glossy glaze used for broiling/finishing. Cover and refrigerate the larger remaining marinade for marinating the fish.

Reduce reserved glaze

Place the reserved 1/3–1/2 cup miso mixture into a small saucepan over low-medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until it thickens slightly and becomes glossy, about 6–8 minutes. Remove from heat and cool. Keep warm or refrigerate briefly; it will thicken more as it cools.

Marinate the fish

Pat the black cod fillets dry with paper towels. Place fillets in a shallow dish or resealable bag and spread the larger portion of the miso marinade over each fillet (skin side can be left uncoated). Cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours and up to 48 hours. For best texture and flavor, 24–48 hours is recommended.

Prepare for cooking

When ready to cook, remove fillets from refrigerator and let sit 20–30 minutes at room temperature. Preheat the broiler (or oven set to high with broil) and position rack 6–8 inches from heat source. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly oil the foil or brush fish skin with 1 tsp neutral oil to prevent sticking.

Wipe off excess marinade

Using a paper towel, gently wipe off excess miso from the fish surface until a thin, even coating remains — too much on the surface can burn under high heat. Reserve any marinade that did not touch raw fish for additional glazing if desired (do not reuse marinade that contacted raw fish unless boiled).

Broil or pan-sear

Broiler method (recommended): Place fillets skin-side down on prepared sheet and broil 6–10 minutes, watching closely; fish should puff slightly, color to a deep golden brown, and flake easily with a fork. Timing depends on thickness (thicker fillets may take up to 10–12 minutes). Pan-sear/finish method: Heat an ovenproof skillet over medium-high, add 1 tsp oil, skin-side down sear 3–4 minutes until skin is crisp, then transfer to preheated 425°F (220°C) oven for 6–8 minutes until fish is cooked and surface caramelized.

Glaze and caramelize

During the last 1–2 minutes of cooking or immediately after removing from oven/broiler, brush the reduced miso glaze evenly over the top of each fillet. If broiling, you can return to broiler for 30–60 seconds to slightly caramelize the glaze — watch carefully to avoid burning.

Rest and finish

Let the fish rest 2–3 minutes. Transfer to plates, garnish with sliced scallions and toasted sesame seeds if using, and serve with lemon or lime wedges on the side.