Japanese Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. 
Serving Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Miso Gindara (Black Cod)
Black cod marinated in a sweet miso mixture and broiled to perfection.
Contains common allergens
In the app, Listahan checks these against your household automatically.
Good to know
- Ready in under 30 minutes
Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: 30-minute meals
Instructions
6 steps- 1
Prepare the marinade: In a small saucepan, bring the sake and mirin to a boil for 1 minute to evaporate the alcohol. Lower the heat and whisk in the white miso and sugar until smooth. Let the marinade cool completely.
- 2
Pat the black cod fillets perfectly dry with paper towels. Lightly salt the fillets, let them sit for 30 minutes, then wipe away any expelled moisture.
- 3
Place the fish in an airtight container or ziplock bag and coat completely with the cooled miso marinade. Refrigerate and let it cure for 2 to 3 days.
- 4
When ready to cook, use your fingers to gently scrape off all the excess miso marinade from the fish (do not rinse). If left on, the miso will burn instantly.
- 5
Preheat the broiler. Line a broiler pan or baking sheet with aluminum foil and brush lightly with oil.
- 6
Broil the fish 6 inches from the heat source for 8-10 minutes. Watch it like a hawk; the sugars in the miso caramelize quickly. The fish is done when the edges are beautifully charred and the meat flakes effortlessly.
Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Listahan Family Score™
65/100
Works for many families
Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.
Nutrition
per serving75
Calories
2 g
Protein
11 g
Carbs
1 g
Fat
Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.
Listahan cooking guide
Chef notes & practical guide
Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.
Cultural context
Miso gindara is black cod marinated in sweet Saikyo miso and broiled until caramelized, a refined dish made world-famous by chef Nobu Matsuhisa. The buttery sablefish and the days-long sweet-miso cure produce a flavor far beyond its short ingredient list.
Listahan note
This version commits to the multi-day miso cure, the step that defines the dish, and warns about the one thing that ruins it: leaving miso on the fish under the broiler.
Technique cues
- Boil the sake and mirin briefly before mixing the marinade to cook off the alcohol so the cure tastes mellow, not sharp.
- Cure the fish 2 to 3 days; the time is what transforms the texture and flavor, so it is not a step to rush.
- Scrape off all the miso before broiling but do not rinse; leftover miso burns to black in seconds.
Kitchen flow
- Parallel prep
- The cure is the work and it happens days ahead; the day of, it is just scrape and broil.
- Make-ahead
- This dish is inherently make-ahead, since the 2-to-3-day cure is the point; broil fresh when ready.
- Leftover move
- Flake leftover miso cod over rice for ochazuke or into a rice ball.
- Cleanup rhythm
- Line the broiler tray with foil; the caramelized miso is otherwise hard to scrub off.
Ingredient brief
Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.
Black cod (sablefish)
The fish
Purpose: Its high fat content makes it silky and forgiving, perfect for the sweet miso.
Handling: Salt 30 minutes and wipe dry before curing for the cleanest flavor.
Adaptation: Salmon, sea bass, or a thick white fish work, though none match sablefish's richness.
Saikyo (sweet white) miso
The cure
Purpose: This mild, sweet Kyoto miso is the classic, gentle base of the marinade.
Handling: Whisk into the cooled sake-mirin and coat the fish fully.
Adaptation: A mild white miso with a little extra sugar approximates it; avoid sharp red miso here.
Sake and mirin
Marinade liquid
Purpose: They loosen the miso into a coating and add depth and a touch of sweetness.
Handling: Boil briefly to cook off alcohol, then cool before adding miso.
Adaptation: A splash of water with extra mirin can stand in for sake.
Sugar
Sweetness and caramelization
Purpose: It balances the miso and gives the signature charred-sweet surface.
Handling: Dissolve into the warm marinade.
Adaptation: Adjust to taste; Saikyo miso is already quite sweet.
Technique notes
- Watch the broiler constantly; the sugars caramelize and then burn within a minute.
- Scrape, do not rinse, the cured fish; rinsing washes away flavor, but leaving thick miso on guarantees burning.
- Do not skip the cure time; one rushed day will not give the texture or flavor that defines the dish.
Ingredient swaps
- Different-fish direction
- Use salmon or sea bass with the same cure; reduce the broil time for thinner fillets.
- Soy-free note
- Miso is a soy product, so this dish is not soy-free; there is no close substitute that keeps the character.
- Lower-sugar direction
- Reduce the added sugar slightly, leaning on the natural sweetness of Saikyo miso.
Serve alongside
- Steamed rice
- Miso soup
- Pickled ginger
- Quick cucumber sunomono
- Chilled sake
- Green tea
- Barley tea
Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.
Storage & reheating
- Cured (uncooked) fish keeps in the marinade up to 3 days, which is the intended window.
- Refrigerate cooked fish up to 2 days; reheat gently in a low oven.
- Freeze cured uncooked fillets up to 1 month; thaw in the fridge, then broil.
Equipment
- Small saucepan
- Airtight container or zip bag
- Broiler with a foil-lined tray
- Fish spatula
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