Hairy Bikers Miso Salmon

Hairy Bikers miso salmon is thick salmon steaks marinated in white miso, sake, garlic and ginger, baked at 200°C then grilled until caramelised. It serves 4, takes 10–12 minutes to cook, and needs at least 2 hours of marinating.

This recipe comes from the Hairy Bikers Go Local series on BBC 2. The headnote says to marinate up to a day ahead for “an easy, flavour-packed supper, ready in 30 minutes.” That make-ahead marinade is what makes it so practical for a weeknight.

The finishing step is what gives this restaurant-level results at home. After baking, Si and Dave spoon the remaining marinade over the salmon and flash it under a hot grill until golden brown. The miso caramelises under the heat, creating a sticky, savoury glaze that you can’t get from baking alone.

Hairy Bikers Miso Salmon

Recipe by Pinch PerfectCourse: DinnerCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

2

hours 

10

minutes

Cooking time

12

minutes

Calories

490

kcal

Total time

2

hours 

22

minutes

A Japanese-inspired salmon dish from the Hairy Bikers Go Local TV series on BBC 2. Just four ingredients in the marinade, two hours of hands-off soaking, and 12 minutes of cooking. Si and Dave suggest serving with stir-fried greens and sticky white rice.

Ingredients

• 4 x 200g thick salmon steaks

• vegetable oil, for greasing

• 2 limes, halved

• For the marinade:

• 4 tbsp white miso paste

• 6 tbsp sake

• 2 garlic cloves, finely grated

• 10g fresh root ginger, peeled and finely grated

Directions

• Make the marinade: Mix the miso paste, sake, garlic and ginger together and place in a non-metallic bowl. Add the salmon and leave to marinate for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight.
• Bake the salmon: Preheat the oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/Gas 6. Lightly oil a non-stick baking tray. Place the fish skin-side down on the tray and spoon over 2 tablespoons of the marinade. Bake for 10–12 minutes, until just cooked.
• Grill to finish: Preheat the grill to hot. Spoon the remaining marinade over the fish, then grill until golden brown. Alternatively, use a chef’s blowtorch.
• Serve: Place on plates with the lime halves to squeeze over the fish.

Notes

• Calories: Salmon 4 × 200g (~1,664) + miso paste 60g (~120) + sake 90ml (~100) + garlic (~8) + ginger (~8) + limes (~40) + oil for greasing (~20) = ~1,960 kcal total ÷ 4 servings = 490 kcal per serving. Sides not included. No calories listed on the official site.

FAQs

What is white miso paste and where do I buy it?

White miso is a fermented soybean paste with a mild, sweet flavour compared to the darker, saltier red or brown varieties. It’s the right choice here because it caramelises under the grill without turning bitter. You’ll sometimes see it labelled as “shiro miso” in Japanese grocery shops.

Most large supermarkets stock it in the Asian or world food aisle, usually near the soy sauce. A tub lasts well in the fridge for months after opening. If you can only find red miso, use half the amount since it’s much stronger and saltier.

Can I marinate the salmon overnight?

Yes, and Si and Dave say overnight is preferable. The longer the salmon sits in the miso and sake, the deeper the flavour penetrates. Two hours is the minimum, but 12–24 hours gives the best result.

Use a non-metallic bowl or a sealed freezer bag so the acid in the marinade doesn’t react with metal. Keep it in the fridge while marinating. The miso acts as a gentle cure, so the texture of the fish firms up slightly overnight, which helps it hold together during cooking.

What does the sake do in the marinade?

Sake thins the miso paste so it coats the salmon evenly, and adds a clean, slightly sweet flavour that balances the saltiness. Without it the marinade would be too thick and too salty to spread properly.

If you don’t have sake, dry white wine is the closest swap. Mirin works too but it’s sweeter, so reduce it by a tablespoon. Don’t skip the liquid entirely or the miso will sit in a heavy paste on the surface instead of soaking into the fish.

Why bake first and then grill?

The oven cooks the salmon gently and evenly at 200°C for 10–12 minutes. If you put it straight under the grill, the outside would burn before the centre was done, especially with a thick 200g steak.

The grill step at the end is just for the glaze. Si and Dave spoon the remaining marinade over the cooked fish, then flash it under high heat so the sugars in the miso caramelise. A blowtorch does the same job and gives you more control over exactly where the browning happens.

What should I serve with miso salmon?

Si and Dave suggest stir-fried or steamed greens and sticky white rice. The rice soaks up the miso glaze, and the greens cut through the richness of the salmon. Tenderstem broccoli or pak choi tossed in sesame oil work well.

For a fuller spread, the Hairy Bikers sweetcorn fritters make a good starter before this. Both use Asian-leaning flavours, and the lime dipping sauce from the fritters echoes the lime halves served with the salmon.

Can I use a different fish?

Thick cod loin, sea bass or trout fillets all work well with this miso and sake marinade. The key is using a thick cut so it doesn’t overcook during the 10–12 minutes in the oven. Thin fillets will dry out before the miso glaze has time to set and caramelise properly.

Chicken thighs also take this marinade well if you want a non-fish option. Marinate them the same way and bake for 25–30 minutes at the same temperature. The Hairy Bikers chicken and spinach curry shows how well chicken handles bold Asian flavours.