Yuzu Miso — Kyoto Tamba

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A sweet-savory miso from Kyoto — Ayabe yuzu meets fermented rice miso in a four-ingredient paste. Glaze, marinade, dressing base, or finishing spread.

Yuzu miso draws on the dengaku tradition — fermented miso balanced by the bright acidity and floral aroma of yuzu. The result is savory, slightly sweet, citrus-bright: a paste that holds under heat and cuts through fat and richness.

Four ingredients: rice miso, sugar, yuzu, and mirin. The mirin provides restrained sweetness and fermented depth. The Ayabe yuzu adds bright acidity and a floral aroma. Together they produce a paste with enough body to hold as a glaze and enough brightness to lift richer proteins.

The miso base gives it umami weight that yuzu juice or yuzu kosho alone cannot replicate. The citrus is present without being aggressive. The sweetness is real without being cloying. Brush it on fish before broiling, thin it for a cold noodle sauce, or whisk it into a dressing.

Kyoto Tamba Yuzu Miso is made by WAIRA TAMBA in the Tamba region, a mountainous area north of Kyoto known for its black soybeans, chestnuts, and citrus. The yuzu comes from Ayabe, a city within Kyoto Prefecture with a long tradition of local cultivation. The miso base is Obata miso — a rice miso made from Koshihikari rice grown in the Obata district, brewed during the cold season using a method practiced for generations.

Ayako, Umami Curator at The House of Umami, visited the WAIRA TAMBA production site in the Tamba mountains. Surrounded by the same terrain that produces the yuzu and the miso at the center of this paste, she tasted the yuzu miso on-site and toured the factory where it is made. She came back certain of what separates this from anything she could source elsewhere. Carrying it is her answer to that.

Rice Miso, Sugar, Yuzu, Mirin (Sweet Cooking Rice wine).

**Contains:** Soybean.

Product of Japan.

#Per 100g
Calories: 289 kcal
Total Fat: 4.0g
Sodium: 3,150mg
Total Carbohydrate: 56.1g
Protein: 6.9g

*Values are supplied by the producer. Items not listed (e.g. Total Sugars, Dietary Fiber) have not been independently tested.*

Net Wt. 3.5 oz (100g)
Single jar
2-jar set

**Professional buyers:** single unit (trial) and sets of 6 available after login.

This version keeps that dengaku-style balance intact while staying flexible enough for non-Japanese kitchens.

The paste coats and clings. As a glaze, the mirin and sugar caramelize quickly under dry heat — watch the heat closely as the paste can burn before it sets. As a dressing base or marinade, thin with dashi, rice vinegar, water, or sesame oil.

#Pairing notes
Fatty proteins take well to the yuzu's acidity and the paste's caramelizing sugars — black cod, salmon, duck breast, pork belly. Dense vegetables (eggplant, cauliflower, mushrooms) absorb the paste cleanly. Dairy preparations (cream, butter, béchamel) welcome the citrus as a counterpoint.

#Application by dish
・**Black cod or sea bass:** marinate 24 to 48 hours, then broil at high heat until lacquered and lightly caramelized; watch closely to prevent burning. A classic preparation.
・**Eggplant dengaku:** halve and score, brush generously, broil until the miso chars at the edges and the flesh collapses; finish with toasted sesame and a pinch of yuzu zest.
・**Duck breast:** brush the resting breast and caramelize briefly under a salamander or high broiler; the fat renders into the miso and the yuzu cuts the richness at the table.
・**Chicken thighs or whole roasted chicken:** apply as a wet rub; the mirin sugars develop a lacquered skin; rest before carving and spoon the pan juices over to serve.
・**Yuzu miso beurre blanc:** reduce 100ml of dashi with a minced shallot until nearly dry, add a spoonful of yuzu miso, mount with cold butter off heat; serve over white fish, scallops, or asparagus.
・**Cold noodle tsuyu:** thin with dashi and rice vinegar to a pourable consistency; serve as a dipping sauce for cold soba or shabu-shabu, or as a dressing for glass noodles.
・**Grilled mushrooms (shiitake, oyster, maitake):** brush at the grill; direct heat opens the yuzu aroma, and the miso adds structure to the mushroom's earthiness.
・**Firm tofu:** sear on both sides until golden, glaze in the final two minutes; serve as a clean small plate with minimal additional seasoning.
・**Compound butter:** beat a tablespoon into softened butter; melt over grilled fish, steak, or roasted vegetables; the yuzu comes forward as the butter melts.
・**Vinaigrette:** thin with rice vinegar and sesame or neutral oil; dress bitter greens, raw fish preparations, or composed salads where a warm miso note is wanted.
・**Yakitori tare:** thin with sake; use as a basting sauce throughout cooking on chicken skewers, brushing repeatedly so each pass builds lacquer.
・**Pasta or risotto:** stir a teaspoon off-heat into a butter-mounted pasta or warm risotto; the yuzu acidity cuts through dairy, and the miso adds depth without dominating.

*Seasoning note: Yuzu miso is sweet as well as savory. In glazes and braises, it adds sweetness to the dish — account for this before adding additional sugar or salt.*

Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight (unopened).
Refrigerate after opening.

**Best before:** 8 months from production date.

#What is yuzu miso?
Yuzu miso is a Japanese condiment made by blending fermented rice miso with yuzu, a floral Japanese citrus. This version from Kyoto Tamba also includes mirin and sugar, producing a sweet-savory paste used as a glaze, marinade, or dressing base.

#What's the difference between yuzu miso and yuzu kosho?
Yuzu kosho is a fermented paste of yuzu zest, chili, and salt — spicy and used sparingly as a condiment. Yuzu miso is built on rice miso with yuzu, mirin, and sugar — sweet-savory rather than spicy, and used in larger amounts as a glaze, marinade, or dressing base.

#Is yuzu miso vegan?
The ingredients — rice miso, sugar, yuzu, and mirin — contain no animal products. The rice miso is fermented from soybeans, rice, and salt; the mirin is a rice-based sweet cooking wine.

#Can I substitute yuzu miso for regular white miso in a recipe?
Yes, though the result will be sweeter and more citrus-forward. Because yuzu miso already contains sugar and mirin, reduce or omit any added sweetener in the original recipe and taste before adjusting salt.

#How long does yuzu miso keep after opening?
Refrigerate after opening. For the best yuzu aroma, use promptly after opening, as the citrus fragrance gradually fades with time and heat exposure.