Black Miso Glazed Sablefish (Nobu-Style, Made Simple)

The finished dish — deeply caramelized miso-glazed sablefish resting on charred broccolini, finished with a scallion garnish and pickled cucumber ribbons.

---

Table of Contents

• Why This Recipe Works

• Ingredient Notes

• How to Make It (Step by Step)

• Pro Tips for the Best Caramelization

• What to Serve With It

• Storage & Make-Ahead

• FAQ

---

If you've ever had Nobu's black cod, you know the dish that made an entire generation of home cooks fall in love with miso. It's the kind of plate that looks impossible to recreate at home — until you realize it's really just three ingredients and one seriously good marinade doing all the work.

I made this one myself using wild Alaska sablefish from a Sitka Seafood Market delivery box (Publix has the sake, in case you're wondering), and it's exactly the kind of dish I love bringing to HomeCookVibe: restaurant technique, home-cook doable. As a Food Network "100 Cooks" finalist, I've learned that the dishes that impress people most aren't the complicated ones — they're the ones where a simple technique is executed right. This is one of those.

---

Why This Recipe Works:

Sablefish (black cod) is naturally high in fat, so it self-bastes as it cooks and caramelizes beautifully. The miso marinade seasons the fish over a few days and creates that signature lacquered glaze at high heat — no breading, no complicated technique.

It's also genuinely good for you — sablefish carries as much omega-3 as wild salmon, so this isn't just a special-occasion indulgence, it's a nutrient-dense one too.

---

Ingredient Notes:

• Sablefish (black cod): Wild Alaska sablefish gives that rich, buttery texture. Mine came from Sitka Seafood Market — great option if your local seafood counter doesn't carry it.

• Miso paste: White (milder, sweeter) or red (deeper, more savory) — both caramelize beautifully.

• Mirin & sake: Usually in the international aisle; Publix carries sake near the wine section.

• Sugar: Drives the caramelization — don't skip or reduce it.

Fresh wild Alaska sablefish fillets, straight from the Sitka Seafood Market box, ready to be marinated.

---

How to Make It:

1. Make the marinade — reduce mirin and sake, whisk in sugar and miso, cool completely.

2. Marinate 24–48 hours in a sealed ziploc bag.

3. Sear to set the surface, then broil until deeply caramelized.

4. Plate, finish with scallions and sesame seeds.

---

Pro Tips:

• Pat the fish fully dry before searing.

• Watch closely under the broiler — it can go from perfect to burnt in under a minute.

• No working broiler? A hot skillet or 450°F oven both work.

• Marinated longer than planned? Fine — just watch closer, it browns faster.

---

You'll see recipes ranging from a 2-hour marinade to a full 3-day cure. The longer you go, the deeper the flavor and the darker the caramelization — I did close to 3 days and it was worth every minute.

Sablefish fillets fully coated in the mirin-sake-miso marinade, ready for the fridge.

---

What to Serve With It:

Charred broccolini and quick pickled cucumber cut the richness without competing. Steamed white rice is the classic Nobu pairing.

---

The fish sealed in a ziploc bag with the miso marinade, ensuring even coverage during the 24–48 hour marinate.

---

Storage & Make-Ahead:

Marinade keeps up to a week refrigerated. Marinated fish is best cooked within 48 hours (up to 3 days is fine). Leftovers keep 2 days in the fridge — reheat gently in a low oven.

---

---

FAQ:

• Is sablefish the same as black cod? Yes — same fish, different market name.

• Can I use salmon instead? Yes, though caramelization timing may shift slightly.

• Is sake the same as wine? Not quite — it's rice wine, brewed more like beer, but plays the same culinary role.

• Do I need a broiler? It's traditional, but a hot oven or skillet finish both work.

---

Print

Black Miso Glazed Sablefish with Charred Broccolini & Pickled Cucumber

Yield 4

Author Kim Alexander

Prep time

20 Min

Cook time

9 Min

Total time

29 Min

Cook modePrevent screen from turning off

Ingredients

For the fish:

• 4 wild Alaska sablefish fillets
• 3/4 cup white or red miso paste
• 1/2 cup mirin
• 1/2 cup sake
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• 1 scallion, thinly sliced (garnish)
• 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds (garnish)

For the charred broccolini:

• 1 bunch broccolini, ends trimmed
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt

For the pickled cucumber:

• 1 English cucumber, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

Instructions

1. Pickle the cucumber: Whisk vinegar, sugar, and salt until dissolved. Toss with cucumber, let sit 15–20 minutes, drain before plating.
2. Make the marinade: Boil mirin and sake 1 minute to cook off alcohol. Reduce heat, whisk in sugar until dissolved, then whisk in miso until smooth. Cool completely.
3. Marinate the fish: Pat sablefish dry, seal in a ziploc bag with the cooled marinade, refrigerate 24–48 hours.
4. Sear: Wipe excess marinade off fillets. Heat oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium-high, sear 1–2 minutes to set the surface.
5. Broil: Transfer skillet directly under a high broiler, 6 inches from heat. Broil 4–6 minutes until deeply caramelized and watch closely.
6. Char the broccolini: Heat oil in a dry skillet over high heat. Add broccolini, char 4–5 minutes, tossing occasionally. Finish with lemon juice and salt.
7. Plate: Fan broccolini along one side, char-side up. Place fish slightly off-center, glaze-side up. Tuck pickled cucumber near the fish. Scatter scallions and sesame seeds over the fish only.

Notes

Kim's Note: No working broiler? Finish in a 450°F oven (12–15 min) or a hot skillet, glaze-side down, for 1–2 minutes.

The deep mahogany color on the glaze is your cue it's done, don't wait for a specific time, watch the color.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

477

Fat

11 g

Sat. Fat

1 g

Carbs

53 g

Fiber

4 g

Net carbs

49 g

Sugar

32 g

Protein

35 g

Sodium

3116 mg

Cholesterol

80 mg

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @HomeCookVibe on instagram and hashtag it #homecookblog