Miso Marinated Black Cod

4.73 from 11 votes

Buttery black cod marinated in white miso, sake, mirin, and sugar, then seared until caramelized and finished in the oven.

Prep Time3

Cook Time20

Total Time3 20

Course: Main Course, Dinner

Cuisine: Japanese, Asian

Servings: people

Bring the sake and mirin to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Boil for 20 seconds to evaporate the alcohol. Turn the heat down to low, add the miso paste, and whisk. When the miso has dissolved completely, turn the heat up to high again and add the sugar, whisking constantly to ensure that the sugar doesn't burn on the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat once the sugar is fully dissolved. Cool to room temperature.
Pat the black cod fillets thoroughly dry with paper towels. Slather the fish with the miso marinade and place in a non-reactive dish or bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Leave to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours and up to 3 days.
Preheat oven to 425°F. Heat an ovenproof skillet over high heat on the stovetop. Lightly wipe off any excess miso clinging to the fillets, but don't rinse it off. Add a little oil to the pan, then place the fish skin-side-up on the pan and cook until the bottom of the fish browns and blackens in spots, about 3 minutes. Flip and continue cooking until the other side is browned, 2 to 3 minutes more. Transfer to the oven and bake for 5 to 10 minutes, until the fish is opaque and flakes easily.
Serve over a bed of white rice and charred broccolini

Give the fish time to marinate. Three hours is the minimum, but you can marinate the black cod for up to 3 days in the refrigerator for deeper flavor.
Pat the black cod completely dry before marinating. Removing excess surface moisture helps the miso marinade coat the fillets evenly.
Use a non-reactive dish for marinating. Glass or ceramic works well for holding the fish and marinade in the refrigerator.
Wipe away excess marinade before cooking, but don't rinse it off. The sugar and miso can burn quickly over high heat, so remove the heavy coating while leaving enough behind to caramelize.
Use an ovenproof skillet. The fish starts on the stovetop and finishes in a 425°F oven, so choose a pan that can safely move directly from one to the other.
Watch the fish closely while searing. The miso and sugar encourage fast browning, and a little dark caramelization is exactly what you want.
Don't skip the oven finish. After searing both sides, finishing the black cod in the oven cooks the center through without requiring additional aggressive stovetop heat