Easy Misoyaki Butterfish (Sablefish)
A fool-proof fish dish that anyone can make with a little advance planning.
Equipment
- 1 small bowl
- 1 spoon
- 1 plastic zip seal bag
- 1 11" frying pan
- parchment paper
Ingredients
- 1 lb black cod or sablefish steaks or filets
- ¼ cup red miso paste
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- ½ tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar or sake or other clear liquor (optional)
Instructions
- One to three days before cooking: Defrost sablefish overnight if frozen. (In a pinch, defrost sablefish in microwave with timed defrost setting for 4 to 6 minutes.)
- Eight hours to one day before cooking: Mix red miso, soy sauce, honey, and rice wine (or sake) if using, in a small bowl. Add this marinade mixture to a plastic bag large enough to fit the sablefish.
- Add sablefish to the plastic bag, take out as much air from the bag as possible, and seal. Massage the outside of the bag to spread the marinade over the fish.
- Put plastic bag in the refrigerator and marinate for at least 8 hours or up to 2 days. If you remember, periodically massage the fish in the bag and mix it around to get more of the marinate coating all parts of the fish.
- When ready to cook, heat pan on medium heat. Insert a piece of parchment paper large enough to cover the entire bottom of the pan.
- Scrape off ALL the marinade off the sablefish so the sugar in the marinade does not burn. If you don’t scrape off the marinade, you will have a very burnt-looking fish.
- Add the sablefish to the parchment-lined pan and cook for 5 minutes on each side for a total of 10 minutes.
- Serve with steamed rice and steamed vegetables. Baby bok choy, choi sum, and green beans are great accompaniments.
Notes
Tips and Tricks
Can I use white miso instead of red miso?
Yes! If you do use white miso, I recommend using 1/3 cup white miso to make sure you get that miso flavor. White miso is milder than red miso. Also increase the soy sauce to 1 ½ tsp.
Does it matter whether I use filets or steaks?
In terms of flavor, filets and steaks will result in beautifully moist fish with a wonderful umami flavor from the marinade. I have an easier time finding and removing the pin bones from the fish when I am eating the steak cut. However, restaurants tend to serve the filet because it looks prettier from a plating standpoint and does not have the large backbone from the fish.
Alternative sweetener?
Yes, you can use palm sugar or brown sugar instead of honey. I try not to use white granulated sugar unless it’s required in certain types of baking since it might increase the risk of contracting diabetes. Diabetes and sugar intake: What is the link? (medicalnewstoday.com)
How long do leftovers keep?
You can keep these leftovers for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Reheat in the microwave for 90 seconds to 2 minutes depending on the size of the fish.