SALMON SOUS-VIDE WITH MISO-MAPLE GLAZE

Posted in Seafood, Sous-Vide Cooking by

I am very picky about salmon, for my taste it should not be cooked even slightly past medium-rare. Our default method is grilling, and all credit should go to Phil for hitting it perfectly every single time.  I don’t even try to grill it myself, when it’s my turn to cook dinner and I happen to be craving a nice piece of salmon, I bat my eyelashes in his direction, and he cooks it for me…. Now let’s consider the sous-vide approach: you can choose the temperature that takes the fish to that exact point you love the most, seal a bag, press a few buttons, and call it a day. No need to bat eyelashes! HA!

Due to the popularity of seafood in sous-vide cooking, one can easily spend hours comparing methods, recipes, and finishing techniques. A gazillion recipes out there.  I did quite a bit of research on the subject before settling on this recipe.  It rewarded us with a perfectly cooked filet, topped with a salty-sweet glaze of miso and soy.   Of course, if you don’t have a sous-vide you can still cook it using other methods, roasting in the oven, grilling,  then spread the glaze and run the meat under the broiler to give it that healthy glow and intensify the flavors.

SalmonSousVide1

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SALMON SOUS-VIDE WITH MISO-MAPLE GLAZE
(slightly modified from Cooking Madly)
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450g (1 pound) fresh salmon
500g (2 cups) water
25g (3 tablespoons) salt
20g (1/4 cup) sugar
70g (1/4 cup) white miso
60g (1/4 cup) maple syrup
14g (1 tablespoon) red wine vinegar
1g (1/2 teaspoon) smoked paprika
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Whisk together water, salt, and sugar until dissolved. Prepare salmon by removing skin (optional) and pin bones and cover with brine. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
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While salmon is brining, whisk together miso, maple syrup, red wine vinegar, and smoked paprika in a small bowl.
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Discard brine and thoroughly rinse salmon. Place in a vacuum seal pouch with ½ of the miso sauce and seal. Cook sous-vide for 20 minutes at 122°F. Start broiler preheating at the same time.
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When salmon is cooked, open bag and discard liquid. Place salmon on a baking sheet, brush a small amount of sauce over the top, and broil until the top starts to brown.
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Finish with remaining sauce and serve.
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ENJOY!
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to print the recipe, click here
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ingredients

Comments:  At first I was a bit skeptical that brining would be necessary, since the main reason for it is retaining moisture. In my mind, that would not be a concern when cooking sous-vide. But in fact there is a rationale behind it.  Have you noticed that sometimes a white liquid forms on the surface of salmon as it cooks?  That is albumin,  a protein that sometimes gets pushed out during cooking. Some methods are more prone to this sipping of albumin, poaching being one of them.  There is nothing bad as far as taste is concerned, but if you want to avoid that, brining works best.
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Obviously, in the name of proper scientific conduct, I should have cooked two pieces of fish – one brined, one not – to compare the effect of brining on overall texture and taste. But sometimes it feels nice to leave the scientific approach at work, and not take cooking too seriously.  That’s what I did…   😉
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This marinade is spectacular, and I have also used it on pork tenderloin. I love how just a few simple ingredients can perform magic: miso is like nothing else, vinegar cuts the sweetness, smoked paprika heats things up, and maple makes my heart sing.  At the risk of repeating myself, if you do not have a sous-vide gadget, simply cook your salmon the way you like it, and use this marinade to brush the surface at the end of cooking. It caramelizes beautifully…  It might just make your heart sing too…  😉
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47 thoughts on “SALMON SOUS-VIDE WITH MISO-MAPLE GLAZE”

  2. This looks wonderful. I am motivated to get a sous vide machine now. Which one do you have and/or do you have any recommendations? Thank you.

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    • it’s a very nice cooking method, so far I’ve played with it exclusively on weekends, but with a little planning it can be a weeknight thing too…. there is a bit of a learning curve, as with anything new we try, right?

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  5. I am crazy picky about my salmon also and it must be just the perfect amount of medium-rare! Love the sous vide gets it right every time. And your marinade sounds so good! I’ve been on a miso kick lately.

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    • No, not at all your fault, it’s the salmon that is being naughty….. It is actually very interesting because lots of factors we cannot quite control are probably related to the sipping. It looks a bit unattractive, but it doesn’t affect the taste. I had zero sipping with the brining-sous vide combination…

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    • I have a couple more posts on sous-vide ready to go, but I am trying to space them out a little, as I don’t want the blog to turn into a sous-vide thing… 😉 I am sure your wife will come to her senses. Sooner or later… 😉

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  9. Beautiful post! I love the browning you got on the salmon, it’s a beautiful photo, and the idea of putting this sauce over pork tenderloin is fantastic. I’ve also started making this with a little cayenne pepper to add a little more heat, so if you’re a fan of additional spice, I’d suggest giving that a try.
    

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    • Oh yeah! Cayenne pepper to the party… I can very well see how it would be a nice touch!

      Thank you for the recipe, and the precise instructions! For a beginner sous-vide, it’s nice to have a tried and true recipe to go for… 😉

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    • I am very happy I got one, but I must also say the only reason I went for it was its small size. I could not imagine bringing one of those big water baths (like we have in the lab) to crowd the kitchen.. this water bath insert is perfect!

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  11. I am really jealous of your sous-vide apparatus. I’d have to sneak it past my husband though because I have way to many kitchen thingys. P.S. I’ve just started using miso. Oh Em Gee. So good! Beautiful salmon.

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    • Good luck with the sneak… 🙂 I am very glad that my beloved cannot resist a new tool (or a new golf club), so there you go… granted, he goes for ebay, and I had t face the “real market”, but still….

      the funny thing is that we have many water baths in the lab that would do a beautiful job with sous-vide, but we like to separate lab and home. Kind of a church and state thing, you know? 😉

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  12. Another one we’ll have to try! My kitchen is full of your recipes lately! The glaze sounds delicious and I like the idea of finishing it in the broiler. I also like the mashed sweet potatoes on the side…those have me drooling!

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  15. Have you considered using a “blow torch” for the browning/glazing? I use it on scallops with a miso-mirin glaze. It might alter the internal temp less than the broiler for the salmon, and give it a nice crust you can control.
    Can’t wait for the hearts salad post. I love them, but have yet to get a handle on what flavors compliment them to the best advantage.
    thanks!
    mac

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    • That is actually a very good idea, and chefs use it in restaurants often. I thought about it but was afraid f ruining the salmon on my first attempt, as the torch we have is very strong (not a sissy one sold for creme brulle, we have a big boy who is mean and nasty.. 😉

      but I am sure if I can get the right timing, proximity of the flame, it could be THE best way to finish this type of dish

      by the way, until I post the skewered concoction, you might want to take a look at these two recipes

      HEARTS OF PALM SALAD WITH CILANTRO VINAIGRETTE

      BRAZILIAN NOSTALGIA HITS THE HEART

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    • So we are complementing each other… I still haven’t tried any type of beef by the sous-vide method… today I made a nice chicken version, my second attempt at chicken. turned out excellent!

      I adapted a regular recipe for chicken in pipian sauce for the sous vide approach. Perfect texture!

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  17. It looks wonderful Sally, I am picky about my salmon too. It’s got to be cooked just right, not over cooked. Most people over cook salmon. I also like a good marinade and love it grilled! 🙂

    Did you see my post on Homemade Churned Ice Cream?

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    • Great minds are picky salmon eaters alike! Yes, I saw your post, Phil used to have an ice cream gadget like that one, but it was one of the things he sold in the last garage sale he had in Oklahoma…. I know he misses it…. it was a bit of a pain to use with all the rock salt… but interesting

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    • Oh, shoots! You know, I ALWAYS make this typo and have to corrected, so my heart missed a beat when I saw your comment, I looked everywhere in my post, and now I see where it is, in the TAGGED words, oh my! And on my replies… Ok, I will take care of that… why, oh, why do I do this every single time????? (no need to answer)

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      • under vacuum……..under vice……..sour vacuum

        S you’ve made my day……I needed a laugh AND some poetry….
        have a great weekend!
        m

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  20. I have just bought a sous-vide from Aldie. Fantastic fillet of beef as we like it rare. Will try the salmon as I can’t stand it overdone. In Australia the recipe book comes in C not F so here seafood rare is 45 C. Does that relate to you?

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    • Hello Rosemary! Yes, I grew up in Brazil, with temperatures in Celsius for everything, so I can relate to it for sure! I still have to cook beef sous-vide, that might happen this weekend, I just need to be sure it is a winner recipe, because the husband is not too wild about the combination of beef with sous vide… 😉

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    • You can’t go wrong with beef. No marinade. Just salt & pepper and rubbed with a little oil. I had a fillet that could feed three, cooked in 53C for two hours. Caramelise with butter on top of the stove. Absolute bliss.

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