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This miso butter cod may seem like an odd flavor combination but it actually is one of those flavor combinations that make you go, “wow, that really did work.”
The miso is salty and the butter gives it a smooth, milky flavor. Together, they make this miso butter cod so much more than what you typically get from a piece of cod.
It’s perfect for a delicate fish like cod because since cod is light in flavor, it can take the miso butter on top.
I have always been intrigued with miso and using it in recipes.
Besides using it in the classic miso soup, there are a multitude of ways to use miso and I’m still exploring more ways!
It has a nutty and complex flavor and there are many varieties of it.
I really love that this miso butter cod comes together in a foil packet.
Literally your entire dinner can be made in this foil packet in the oven.
Incredibly easy clean up, too!
What is cod?
It’s a lean, delicate, and flaky white fish.
Cod has a somewhat sweet flavor but not like dessert sweet.
It just doesn’t taste as fishy as other fish.
Can I use another type of fish?
I would highly recommend cod but you can use another light, flaky white fish if you can’t find cod.
Can I use frozen?
You can, but just thaw it beforehand.
How do you know the cod is done cooking?
Cod takes virtually no time to cook. Generally about 10 minutes.
Once you see the top of the cod start ‘flaking’ or breaking up, that is when it’s done.
What is the texture of cod?
Flaky, delicate, soft, and buttery smooth.
What is miso?
Miso is a salty and savory traditional Japanese seasoning produced by fermenting soybeans with other ingredients. It gives food a lot of umami!
Is there a substitute for miso?
There is no substitute for miso.
Can I use white miso?
Yes, but the flavor of white miso vs. red miso can be drastically different so just understand that when making this dish. It will still taste awesome but it will be different than what I intended the dish to be.
Can I use salted butter?
No. Unsalted butter is best in this dish because the miso is already so salty that adding unsalted butter will make your dish saltier.
Is there a substitute for butter?
Not for this particular dish.
I don’t like cooking with foil, is there an alternative?
You can use parchment paper but you might want to use several layers since the fish will have a lot of liquid and your parchment paper may tear and leak out.
What do you serve with this?
You can serve this with whatever vegetable you like but I really like serving this with asparagus because it’s one of the relatively quicker and easier vegetables to cook in 10 minutes.
Since the vegetable should cook with the cod in the foil packet, asparagus is the best choice!
Miso Butter Cod Foil Packets
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon red miso paste
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon dark brown sugar
- 2 pounds (907 g) fresh cod
- ¾ pound (340 g) fresh asparagus, washed and ends trimmed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 °F (204 °C) and prepare two large pieces of aluminum foil and a baking sheet.
- In a small bowl, mix together miso, butter, and dark brown sugar.1 tablespoon red miso paste, 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon dark brown sugar
- Pat dry cod then place each piece on its own piece of foil.2 pounds (907 g) fresh cod
- Place miso butter mixture on top of cod and gently spread around with your fingers (see photo).
- Put asparagus next to the cod, sprinkle salt on the asparagus then wrap the foil so the ends are sealed and so is the top (see photo).3/4 pound (340 g) fresh asparagus
- Repeat for the other piece of cod and remaining miso butter and asparagus.
- Place the foil packets onto the baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes then remove from oven. Let the foil packets rest for 5 minutes, wrapped.
- Carefully open the foil packets and serve directly from the foil packets on a plate!
The Reynolds corporation would have you believe that aluminum foil is safe for cooking but there is not acceptable level of aluminum in our diets. *NEVER* allow it in contact with your food. Parchment-steamed fish packets are found across all culinary traditions. Put your ingredients in a generous piece of parchment and roll it up. Place the packets on a rimmed baking dish. When they are done baking, slide each one to your plates with a spatula. Easy-peasy. Everyone gets the chance to open the packet and enjoy the escape of vapor from the food within. Joyous and nontoxic.
Unfortunately, this recipe didn’t work for us. I made it 100% following the recipe instructions and other than the higher quality cod and organic asparagus being delicious, the seasoning (miso sauce) was not good. It tasted off and very bland. I also had to add 10 minutes to the cooking time, but likely just because the cod was quite thick even though it was 2lbs. I also have to agree with another reviewer that 2 lbs of fish is WAY too much for two people! I made for a family of four and had leftovers. Typically, a serving of fish is 1/2 lb per person. With that said, I just didn’t like the miso spread which is what my rating is based on. Definitely won’t make again.
I had no idea what I was going to make for dinner and then these popped into my feed and oh my gosh, they were so amazing! Absolutely loved!
2 pounds of fresh cod is an outrageous amount for just two people. I substituted two 6oz fillets and cooked exactly according to the directions and the cod was overdone and the asparagus was under done. The sauce tasted good but the fish needed a bit of lemon or it was just too fishy. I would not recommend this.
@Linda Stevens, So you changed the ingredients drastically and followed the recipe exactly? you substitute loin with fillets and expect it to cook the same??? I’m confused. Did you adjust for anything? I haven’t made this yet but I will use what the recipe calls for. I’m calling operator error not recipe failure.
@Linda Stevens, cod is never, ever fishy. If it was fishy it was because it was past its fresh date. Pre sliced cod is never the same thickness as fresh cod. All ovens are different know if your oven runs hot or cold. Please don’t blame a recipe if you make changes.
Really good! I doubled the sugar because I like things a tad sweeter! It was great, but next time I’ll probably add 2 minutes cook time. The asparagus was cooked but a little al dente for my tastes. Thank you, I will be making this often
Julie, you hit this out of the park— absolutely delicious!! I could tell it was going to be great when I tasted the miso, butter, brown sugar mixture! The fish was perfectly cooked (so moist) with amazing umami flavor. The asparagus was perfectly cooked as well! How do two totally different food groups cook together so beautifully in a foil packet?! YUM!! Thank you, thank you!!
Wonderful to hear!! Yes, it’s so interesting to me the different flavor combinations creating such a flavor bomb. I’m so glad you got to try it!