The Recipe · No.803 · Miso Black Cod

Miso Black Cod, and Where to Source It

The magic is time in the marinade. Two to three full days let the salt and sugar work deep into the fatty flesh, changing its texture the whole way through, so a quick broil at the end just caramelizes what the marinade already built.

Ad-free · ingredients first · no 2,000-word story.

Published July 2026 · Sourcing verified 5 Jul 2026

Prep10 min (plus 2-3 day marinade)
Cook10 min
Makes2 servings
CuisineJapanese
Cook it with
Air fryerSheet pan
Can you make Miso Black Cod in an air fryer? — Yes

Yes — this is exactly what an air fryer does well. Work in a single layer so the air can move, and shake or flip halfway for even crisping. It runs a touch faster than the oven, so check early.

Part One
The Ingredients — and where to get them
Black cod fillets
Sablefish; its high fat handles the sugar without drying. Wild-caught has the best texture.
2
Source it →
White miso
Mild sweet shiromiso for the marinade base. A real fermented miso has more depth.
1/4 cup
Source it →
Sake
Rice wine to thin the marinade; boil off the raw edge. Local.
1/4 cup
Local / market
Mirin
Sweet rice wine for gloss and body.
1/4 cup
Source it →
Sugar
Balances the salt of the miso. An unrefined sugar deepens the color.
3 tbsp
Source it →
One list, with a link to where to buy each one.
Part Two
The Method
  1. Cook off the alcoholBoil the sake and mirin briefly to burn off the raw alcohol.
  2. Make the glazeWhisk in the miso and sugar over low heat until smooth, then cool completely.
  3. MarinateCoat the cod in the cooled glaze and refrigerate two to three days.
  4. BroilWipe off the excess and broil until deeply caramelized and just flaking.
Part Three
The Toolkit

Saucepan · Baking sheet · Fish spatula

No ads. No life story. Just dinner.
This is recipe No.803 — the real method, ingredients first, and exactly where to buy the best version of every one. See all the recipes →

Some ingredient and tool links are affiliate links — if you buy through one, 5best2buy may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It never costs the maker anything, and it never decides who we recommend. The list is the list.
© 2026 5best2buy · Worth The Hunt · Recipe No.803