This homemade miso recipe is one of the finest food ferments you will ever taste and smell, if you like the salty, savory taste of miso paste that is! This recipe comes straight from our superfood kitchen to yours, so that you can also experience homemade miso for yourself!
Making aged miso is easy, and with patience and time, develops a savoriness that explains why it ranks as one
Why not begin the tradition of making your own homemade miso recipe year after year? If you love using miso, give it a try! I will show you how (step by step) and you can go to my page on miso decanting to see the end results!
Making Your Miso
Making a homemade miso recipe is an art, like making fine wine. The Asian cultures have mastered this art, using many different methods, tools and ingredients that date back thousands of years.
The more you become acquainted with this fermented art form, the more you can incorporate different recipes and use different methods for your own personalized homemade miso recipe. But, you have to start somewhere. This is a good recipe to start with because its so easy and doesn't take a lot of "know how" to begin the process.
Miso takes roughly one year to ferment. Miso years are calculated by the number of summers it has aged. So, if you have gone through one summer of fermentation, then you have one year old miso.
Once you get it started, and get an idea of how much you consume in a year, you will be well on your way to the abundant, rich taste of custom, homemade miso in your life. The longer you ferment it, the richer and more developed the flavor becomes. Usually, 1 year is enough to give you a great product.
We discovered the art of making homemade miso many years ago. The most exciting part for me was to realize that I can make miso out of any legume, not just soy bean!
Soy beans are notorious for flatulence, contain enzyme inhibitors beyond the average bean, and I just plain don't like them as much as other legumes.
We love garbanzo bean for its taste. It also seems to be one of the legumes that digests well after the fermentation process, when making miso or homemade tempeh.
I suggest you use a bean that works for you. It should be one that you love and that digests well. I have also used pinto and black bean combinations that are very delish!
Basics To Making A Homemade Miso Recipe:
1) Choose a bean, we recommend you start with garbanzo.
2) Buy Koji - koji is a grain that has been inoculated with the Aspergillus oryzae spore. This is what "ferments" the miso. You can order it online from the South River Miso Company or find it in your local health food store.
3) You will need a few tablespoons of miso starter. This is basically any unpasteurized miso you can get in the store or you can use some from your own batch, after you've made it.
4) The type of salt we recommend is a high quality salt, like Celtic sea salt or pink Himalayan rock salt.
Equipment:
1 gallon ceramic crock or glass jar
Lid or object that fits snugly inside the opening of vessel
Cheese cloth
Heavy weight: like a scrubbed rock
Cloth to cover
Homemade Miso Recipe:
5C dried garbanzo beans
1C sea salt
3T unpasteurized miso
5C koji
1C cooking liquid
The Steps
Soak the beans overnight.
Cook until soft.
Strain and save 1C cooking liquid.
Allow beans to cool and dry in a strainer for a good hour or two.
Dissolve 3/4C sea salt into 1C cooking liquid to make brine.
Process beans in a food processor for desired texture.
Mash the 3T unpasteurized miso into 1C brine.
Mix brine (containing salt and 3T miso) with koji.
In a big bowl, add processed beans to this brine mixture.
This is your miso!
Packing for Fermentation:
I often do this part first, while the garbanzos are cooling.
Wet the sides of the jar slightly with hands dipped in water.
Place some salt inside the side of jar, put the lid on, and shake it around, coating all sides and bottom of jar or crock.
Pack the miso into the crock/jar with hands, press down firmly.
Spread a generous layer of salt over the top.
Place a flat object on top and put the weight on top of that. We also put a small jar on top when using a gallon jar to hold the weight.
Cover with cheese cloth and rubber band.
Place a heavy weight on top.
It is important that your miso is packed tightly, free from oxidation and protected by the salt layer. The cloth will also help to keep out impurities and unwanted bacteria.
Cover with a cloth.
Label with the date.
Store in a cellar, basement or bottom cupboard that is cool and dark.
Ferment for one year.
Open, scrap off top layer and celebrate with family and friends... your very first batch of homemade miso!!
It should smell rich and savory like tamari. Pack it in clean, glass jars with plastic lids (or metal lids with wax paper) and refrigerate or store in a cool place.
You have the option to continue the fermentationprocess, and like with fine wine, it only gets better with time.
You if decide to continue the fermentation for another year (or another summer in "miso time"). It is good to test it out after the year and repack it again with salt.
Like I previously stated, miso years are calculated by the number of summers it has aged. So, if you have gone through one summer of fermentation, then you have one year old miso. I like to start my miso projects in the spring time, so they are ripe and ready to experience the warmer temps of summer when they tend to be more active.
You can expand on your homemade miso recipe as you get down the process, adding even grains and other beans. But, it is good to start with a basic, simple recipe to get you started.
It is a wonderful thing to share with friends and family as holiday gifts.
Packing for Fermentation:
It is important that your miso is packed tightly, free from oxidation and protected by the salt layer. The cloth will also help to keep out impurities and unwanted bacteria.
You have the option to continue the 
Like I previously stated, miso years are calculated by the number of summers it has aged. So, if you have gone through one summer of fermentation, then you have one year old miso. I like to start my miso projects in the spring time, so they are ripe and ready to experience the warmer temps of summer when they tend to be more active.
