Japanese · main

Miso Glazed Salmon

Miso Glazed Salmon reads umami 8.2, salinity 6.1 and richness 6.1 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Japanese main, about 39 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 8.2 · Salinity 6.1 · Richness 6.1 · Funk & Ferment 4.6 · Nutty 4.2 · Marine & Briny 3.7 · Sweetness 3.7 · Allium 2.5 · Herbaceous 2.0 · Warm Spice 1.9 · Earthy 1.2 · Floral 1.1 · Smoke 1.0 · Sourness 0.9 · Bitterness 0.8

What's in it (11)

Time & effort: about 39 min (7 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 118.4 kcal, 13 g protein, 4.4 g fat, 6.6 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains seafood — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (8 steps)

  1. Pat the salmon fillets completely dry with paper towels and season all over with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Let stand at room temperature 10 minutes — pulling moisture to the surface now is what lets the glaze caramelize instead of steam.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk the miso paste, mirin, brown sugar, soy sauce, ginger, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt until smooth and no lumps of miso remain.
  3. Spoon out 3 tablespoons of the glaze into a separate small bowl and set aside for finishing. Brush the fillets on both sides with the remaining glaze and let marinate at room temperature 15-20 minutes (up to 1 hour, refrigerated).
  4. Position an oven rack 6 inches from the broiler element and preheat the broiler on high for 5 minutes. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and brush lightly with the neutral oil.
  5. Use a paper towel to wipe most of the marinade off the fillets — a thin film only; leaving it thick is what makes miso glazes burn under a broiler — then set them skin-side down on the sheet.
  6. Broil until the glaze is deeply caramelized and charred in spots at the edges and the salmon is opaque and flakes easily, 6-8 minutes (an internal temperature of 125-130 F for medium).
  7. Remove from the broiler and immediately brush the fillets with the reserved glaze and the toasted sesame oil — the residual heat sets it into a glossy lacquer without burning.
  8. Let rest 2 minutes, then scatter with the scallions and sesame seeds and serve.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

Keep reading: what umami, salinity, richness mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

See how this dish fits your palate — take the short taste test →

Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.