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. Reduce the heat to low and whisk in the miso paste until fully dissolved. Increase the heat back to high and add the sugar, whisking constantly until the sugar is fully dissolved and the marinade is smooth. Remove from the heat and cool completely to room temperature.
Pat the black cod fillets thoroughly dry with paper towels. Coat the fillets evenly with the miso marinade and place in a non-reactive glass or ceramic dish. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours and up to 3 days.
When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Let the fish sit at room temperature for 15 minutes while the oven heats.
Lightly wipe the excess miso marinade from the fillets with your fingers or a paper towel, leaving a thin, even coating. Do not rinse.
Heat a little vegetable oil in a large ovenproof skillet over high heat until shimmering and almost smoking. Place the fish skin-side up in the skillet and cook undisturbed until the bottom is caramelized and darkened in spots, about 3 minutes. Flip carefully and cook the other side for 2 to 3 minutes more until caramelized.
Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 5 to 10 minutes, until the fish is opaque in the center and flakes easily when pressed gently with a fork. Serve immediately over steamed white rice with charred broccolini alongside.

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