Salmon Kasuzuke (Sake Lees Marinated Salmon)

1. Before You Start: Please note that this recipe has a marination time of 6–24 hours.
2. Gather all the ingredients. For the ingredient list, instructions, and step-by-step photos of how to make homemade kasudoko (sake lees marinade), see my Kasuzuke (Sake Lees Pickling) recipe post.
3. Sprinkle 2 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt on both sides of 4 skin-on salmon fillets and set aside for 30 minutes.
4. Remove the excess moisture from the salmon with a paper towel.
5. Place the salmon in the Homemade Kasudoko. Cover all sides of the salmon completely.
6. Place in the refrigerator and marinate the salmon for 6–24 hours.

To Prepare for Cooking

1. Take out the salmon and wipe off as much of the kasudoko as possible. Some recipes may say to rinse off the marinade with water, but I do my best to remove it by hand or a paper towel.
2. Place the salmon skin side up on top of a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

To Broil (Recommended)

1. Preheat the broiler* for 5 minutes with a rack placed in the center of the oven about 6 inches (15 cm) away from the top heating element. When broiling, you don‘t control the temperature in the oven; instead, you control the distance between the broiler and the surface of the food. It‘s similar to using hotter and cooler zones on your grill. *Broiler settings: Low (450ºF/232ºC), Medium (500ºF/260ºC), and High (550ºF/288ºC). I usually use Medium (6 inches away) or High (8 inches away).
2. Broil the salmon at Medium or High for 8–10 minutes until the edges are browned and caramelized. Please remember the cooking time varies depending on the thickness of the fish and the distance between the broiler and the food. You do not need to flip it.

To Bake (Optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F/218ºC with a rack placed in the middle. For a convection oven, reduce cooking temperature by 25ºF (15ºC). Bake the salmon on parchment paper for 10–12 minutes.

To Serve

1. Transfer to individual plates and serve immediately.

What To Do with the Leftover Kasudoko

1. You can reuse kasudoko for up to 6 months. If it gets watery, I recommend discarding it. Make sure to refrigerate and reuse it for salmon or another type of fish. I do not like to mix with meat. You can NEVER use this kasudoko to pickle vegetables or any food that you eat raw.