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Mains · Japanese

Miso-Glazed Salmon

A short miso marinade, wiped back before grilling, and a fresh coat of glaze so it blisters instead of burning.

Prep
10 min
Cook
12 min
Marinate
30 min
Total
52 min
Serves
4

Added .

Illustration of miso salmon

Why this version

  • Thirty minutes of marinating is enough. Overnight, the salt began to cure the fish and the texture turned dense.
  • Wiping off the thick marinade before grilling stops it scorching before the salmon cooks through.
  • The grill beats the oven: the glaze caramelised in 8 minutes while the inside stayed pink.

Ingredients

Servings
4 servings
Units
  • 60 g white miso
  • 2 tbsp mirin
  • 1 tbsp sake or dry sherry
  • 1 tbsp light brown sugar
  • 1 tsp soy sauce
  • 2 cm fresh ginger, finely grated
  • 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
  • 4 salmon fillets, skin on, about 150 g each
  • 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
  • 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
  • steamed rice and greens, to serve

Method

  1. Whisk the miso, mirin, sake, sugar, soy sauce, ginger and sesame oil until smooth.

  2. Pat the salmon dry and spread two-thirds of the glaze over the flesh (not the skin). Refrigerate for 30 minutes, or up to 6 hours.

  3. Heat the grill to high with a rack about 10 cm below the element. Line a tray with foil and oil it lightly.

  4. Wipe most of the marinade off the fish with your fingers — a thin film should remain — and lay it skin-side down on the tray. Brush with the remaining, unused glaze.

  5. Grill for 7–9 minutes, until the glaze is blistered with dark spots and the thickest part flakes when pressed. For medium, aim for 50°C in the centre. Watch the last 2 minutes closely.

  6. Rest for 2 minutes, then scatter with spring onion and sesame seeds and serve with rice and greens.

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What we tested

  • Overnight marinade: firmer, saltier and slightly cured at the edges.
  • Oven at 220°C for 12 minutes: cooked well but barely coloured.
  • Red miso: punchier and saltier; reduce it to 45 g if you use it.

Keeping

Leftovers keep for 2 days. Flake cold salmon into rice with cucumber and a splash of soy for lunch.

Swaps and notes

The same glaze works on aubergine halves: score, brush, and grill for 12–15 minutes.

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