Miso Glazed Salmon or Steelhead
Why Miso Deserves a Spot in Your Fridge
Elevate grilling season with sweet, salty, umami magic
The first grilled meal of the season always feels like a celebration, don’t you think?
This past Saturday, as I fired up my charcoal grill for the inaugural BBQ of spring, I decided to go all out with a dish that combines three perfect elements: smoky heat from real charcoal, the buttery richness of steelhead trout, and the complex umami magic of a miso glaze. There's something about that combination—sweet, salty, and deeply savoury—that creates a restaurant-worthy meal with surprisingly little effort. My Miso-Glazed Steelhead (recipe below) with grilled Brussels sprouts and peppers wasn't just dinner—it was the perfect welcome back to the outdoor cooking season!
Steelhead is perfect for the grill
In Saskatchewan, Canada, we farm steelhead trout, and it’s absolutely perfect for the grill. Many assume steelhead will taste like lake trout—which, to be honest, is my least favourite fish—but it doesn’t. Not even close. Steelhead looks and acts like Atlantic salmon. Heart-healthy fats give it lots of moisture, which makes it very forgiving on the grill. Unlike wild sockeye, which is very lean and needs to be watched like a hawk—a few seconds too long and it’ll be dry—steelhead is a great option if you’re not super confident cooking fish. A minute too long and it will still be delicious.
The real star of the dish? Miso
Miso paste will be a new ingredient for many readers. Most people only know miso as the base for that little bowl of soup you get before sushi, but it’s so much more. Miso is a fermented paste made from soybeans, often with rice or barley added. It comes in a range of colours: white, yellow, and red.
Available in small plastic tubs, jars or pouches, the texture is thick and a little grainy. The flavour is rich, salty and instantly craveable. Depending on the variety, it can range from sweet and creamy to bold, pungent, and earthy. There’s often a subtle fermented tang, similar to aged cheese or sourdough. It doesn’t compare to much else in our Western pantry, but once you try it, you’ll start to imagine using it in everything from roasted vegetables to salad dressings.
Once it’s opened, I keep it in the fridge—it lasts a long time. A spoonful adds instant depth to just about anything. It’s the kind of quiet pantry staple that makes you a better cook without even trying.
The second star of the dish? Patience
With the grill properly heated, I brushed the dried fillet with the miso glaze and placed it directly on the hot grill, slightly away from the coals. Then came the true test of grilling mastery: patience.
Even off to the side, some of the fat from the skin dripped onto the coals and flared up. It's easy to panic when you see fire! Our first instinct is to move the fish—but doing so too early can cause the skin to stick and tear. The better option is to take a deep breath, close the lid, and wait. Starved of oxygen, the flames die down, and the smoke softly surrounds the fish, infusing it with flavour. The skin crisps and gradually releases from the grill.
When it's done, the fish lifts off easily. The flesh will be tender and moist, with just a few crispy edges. At serving time, it separates cleanly from the skin and is both beautiful and delicious.
Brussels on the grill
Making a meal entirely on the BBQ makes cleanup so easy. To keep things simple, I rounded out the Miso-Glazed Steelhead with grilled Brussels sprouts and sweet bell peppers.
Here’s a great tip for grilling up some magic with Brussels sprouts: pre-cook them first. Trim the bottoms, place in a casserole dish with about 1/8 to 1/4 cup water in the bottom, cover, and microwave for about seven minutes until just tender. Drain and let them dry—it’s OK if they cool down. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and toss. Place in a grill basket before setting it on the grill (trust me—if you preheat the grill basket first and then toss in the prepped veggies, the oil will drain over hot coals and create a dangerous flare-up!). Grill directly over the coals, stirring often until fork tender. They’ll char beautifully without burning. Just before serving, toss with fresh snipped chives and a few gratings of parmesan. Yum!
For the peppers, I tossed them in oil and added a shake of my trusty Be a Kitchen Hero Rusty Sled Use-It-With-Everything BBQ Rub. And just for fun, I grilled up a few shrimp skewers that I’d picked up at my local fish shop.
And here is the result—a beautiful one platter meal!
🌱 Your Action Steps This Week
🌱 Host a mini backyard grill night—even if it’s just for you
Pick one night this week to take dinner outdoors. Set the mood: pour a glass of something, light a candle or two, and grill a whole meal. Miso-glazed steelhead or eggplant or tofu, grilled sprouts or zucchini, and a skewered surprise (shrimp? pineapple? mushrooms?). Make it festive, whether you're solo or feeding your crew.
🌱 Glaze something unexpected
Use your miso glaze on something you wouldn’t normally think of:
Sliced tofu, roasted and broiled until golden
Zucchini, charred on the grill
Even a portobello mushroom cap—rich and meaty without the meat
🌱 Swap your usual marinade or dressing with a miso vinaigrette
Mix miso with a splash of vinegar, a touch of honey or maple syrup, a bit of oil, and whisk. Use it to:
Dress grilled veg or a salad
Drizzle over a grain bowl
Marinate chicken, tofu, or shrimp
Miso can open up your cooking
Miso is all about building layers of flavour—introducing that elusive fifth taste known as umami to your dishes. Miso paste is often available in the tofu section of some supermarkets, or go to your local Asian grocery store. Stir it into soup, mix it into mashed potatoes, whisk it into vinaigrettes or gravies, or brush it onto roasted veg. Once you start using it, you'll wonder how you ever cooked without it.
Let me know if you give this recipe a try! And for paid subscribers, tune in to Fresh Take Wednesday this week, where I'll share additional recipes using this simple miso glaze, plus more cooking tips you won't want to miss. It's my weekly bonus content that builds on Monday's column with exclusive recipes and kitchen secrets!
Happy eating!
CJ
xo
Recipe: Miso-Glazed Steelhead or Salmon
Serves 4
Ingredients
whole steelhead or salmon fillet, skin on
4 tbsp red miso paste
2 tbsp mirin (available in the Asian section of most supermarkets)
2 tbsp sake or shaoshing wine (white wine will also do)
2 tsp maple syrup or sugar
2 tsp light soy sauce
2 tsp Asian sesame oil
1 clove garlic minced
Grilling Instructions
Preheat BBQ.
In a small bowl, combine the glaze ingredients. Microwave about 30 seconds, and whisk well.
Place salmon fillets on a clean baking sheet, skin side down. Dry with a paper towel. Brush generously with the glaze. Save any extra glaze for another use—it’s delicious on vegetables.
Grill until cooked through. Using two metal spatulas, lift the fish to a platter. Serve hot.
Oven Instructions
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with foil. Grease the foil.
In a small bowl, combine the glaze ingredients. Microwave about 30 seconds, and whisk well.
Place salmon fillets on the foil lined baking sheet, skin side down. Brush generously with the glaze. Save any extra glaze for another use—it’s delicious on vegetables.
Once the oven has reached 400°F (200°C), switch to broil mode. Place the baking tray about 8” from the broiler element. Don’t place the fish directly under the broiler - it will burn and cause potential flare-ups from the oils in the fish. Cook for about 8-10 minutes, depending on thickness, until almost fully cooked. Remove from oven. The residual heat will continue to cook the fish to completion. Serve hot.
Umami explosion! Love this