Baked trout with miso butter recipe
Baked trout with miso butter is tender, juicy, and full of savory flavor. An easy recipe with simple steps for a weeknight dinner or holiday table.
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1-1.25 lb center-cut steelhead or rainbow trout fillet about 1 inch at the thickest part, orange flesh, skin on or off
- 2 tbsp ghee or butter softened to room temperature
- 2.5 tsp white or yellow miso paste
- 0.21 oz garlic cloves grated (2 small)
- ½ tbsp sake or dry sherry
- ¼ tsp coarse sea salt
- ⅛ tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tsp brown sugar
For garnish:
- Fresh lemon juice for serving, not baked in
- 1 scallion bulb diced into small rounds
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Cut a large sheet of parchment paper.
- Make miso butter: In a small bowl, mash together ghee (or softened butter), miso paste, and garlic until smooth.
- Season fish: Place trout fillet in the center. Pat dry and drizzle with sake, then sprinkle with salt, black pepper, and brown sugar. Spread the miso butter evenly over the top.
- Wrap according to thickness:
- - For thick steelhead/ rainbow trout (about 1 inch at the thickest part, ~1 lb or larger): Use a candy-wrap style. Bring the parchment up around the fish and twist the ends tightly like a wrapped sweet. This forms a loose tent over the fish, letting a little steam escape so the fillet bakes gently without over-steaming.
- - For thin white-flesh trout fillets (smaller, delicate, leaner): Use a fully sealed parchment pouch (classic en papillote). Fold the edges all the way around to trap steam inside. This keeps thinner, leaner fillets moist and prevents them from drying out.
- Bake: Place the wrapped fish on a baking sheet and bake for 14–16 minutes (steelhead/rainbow) or 12–14 minutes (thin fillet trout). Look for opaque flesh that flakes easily, with just a faint blush in the middle.
- Serve: Carefully open the parchment (watch the steam). Spoon any melted miso butter from the packet over the fish. The skin will be soft rather than crispy — simply flake the fillet away from the skin and enjoy it with the buttery sauce. Finish with lemon juice and scallions. Serve warm.
Notes
- Steelhead trout is richer and fattier, so the looser “candy-wrap” method works best. It keeps the texture juicy without over-steaming.
- Thinner, leaner trout (white-flesh) benefits from a fully sealed pouch, which locks in steam and keeps the fish moist.
- The skin will not turn crispy with this parchment style of baking. The upside is that the fish stays incredibly moist and juicy. For crispy skin, pan-seared trout is a better option (recipe coming soon).
- Cooking temperature guide (with carryover heat):
- 125°F (52°C) – Pull the trout when it hits this temp. Carryover heat will raise it a few degrees as it rests, bringing it closer to 130°F. This leaves the fish moist, tender, and slightly pale pink in the center (chef’s choice).
- 135–140°F (57–60°C) – After resting, the fish will be closer to 138–142°F. The flesh will be fully opaque, flaky, and still juicy.
- 145°F (63°C, FDA guideline) – If you bake all the way to this temp, carryover will push it higher. The fish will be completely cooked through but more likely to be on the dry side.
- Visual cues: The trout should look opaque on the outside and flake easily with a fork at the thickest part. A faint pale pink in the very center (like salmon) is safe to eat and gives the juiciest results.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 215kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 86mg | Sodium: 321mg | Potassium: 561mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 74IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 82mg | Iron: 1mg
