My heart belongs to miso

There are certain flavors that just scream Japanese food. Miso is at the top of that list. It is probably the second most consumed ingredient in Japan, after rice. (This is my opinion. I do not have facts to back this up.) Miso soup is consumed as part of a healthy breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It does not discriminate based on the hour of the day.

Besides soup, miso is also used as an ingredient in some dishes. For example, miso pork is one of my favorites. Just mix miso and sugar to taste. Then marinate the pork chops or thinly sliced pork for up to a couple hours (sometimes I freeze the meat this way, so it marinates as it thaws). Cook in a hot skillet and serve.

Almost 2 years ago, I was fortunate to join a miso making class. It was so much fun and gave me the confidence to make miso at home. Since then, I’ve successfully made it by myself. This is, in my opinion, a true accomplishment because it takes MONTHS from start to finish. So, although easy to make, it is still scary not knowing if it will turn out or not.

Since taking the class, I’ve wanted to go visit the instructor’s miso company. It is a family business, currently operated by the 7th generation of the same family! In addition to this, they are the only company that makes miso in Tokyo prefecture. On top of these amazing facts, the miso is so delicious. My family enjoys it very much.

My husband recently took a day off of work to just spend the day together. We didn’t have any plans, just to hang out. Looking outside and seeing the weather was super nice, we decided to go for a ride. Always wanting a destination, he decided we should finally go to the shop. We both expressed a desire to see them making the miso, but knew it probably wasn’t in the cards.

After arriving, we found a table sitting in front of the building with a menu of miso for sale. We selected the miso we wanted and proceeded to chat with the owners. After a while, my husband asked about tours. They said we needed to pre-register, but they offered tours on Wednesday and Thursdays. He then signed me up for a tour two days later. Our son would be in school and he would be working, but I was available.

I arrived right at 9 am that Wednesday, eager to see how they made huge amounts of miso. I didn’t know what to expect, but I was still rearing to go. I was the only guest that morning, which meant I could ask as many questions as I wanted!

At first, my host showed me around the old building, pointing out the huge cauldrons used for boiling soybeans, the stacks and stacks of carefully weighed koji and salt, and the enormous grinder.

I was really intrigued by the koji room, where they allow the rice to ferment (it is actually a fungus) in small stacked trays. They use the traditional method of stacking trays with lots of space between them in a temperature and humidity controlled room (similar to a cheese cave). They let me enter the small room, which felt like such an honor. The koji room is the heart of the miso making process. Without it, there is no miso. After all, miso is made with three ingredients: soybeans, koji, and salt.

They were making white miso that day, meaning they were both boiling and steaming soybeans in a two part process to fully cook the beans. I learned that red miso is made from only steaming the beans - otherwise it is the exact same process.

I was a little nervous seeing such a huge pressure cooker doing it’s duty of steaming the beans, but it was also thrilling. When they were done, the owner’s son released the pressure. Steam came screaming out of the top just like my InstaPot, but much, much louder. The hot, moist air raced to the ceiling and escaped through open vents in the ceiling. I smiled as I thought of all the steam that has vacated the premises in the same route for generation after generation.

Once the pot was opened, they dumped the beans into a large cooling container. I got to help move the beans around with a paddle in front of big fans. It was fun to be a part of the finely choreographed dance that was taking place. While another woman and I cooled the beans, two guys were busy moving a second batch of beans from the boiler (cauldron) to the steamer/pressure cooker. Soon, the owner came out and rinsed the grinder with boiling water.

Then, the real dance began. I stood back as an observer, not wanting to get in the way of the seamless flow of motion.

One person weighed the beans. Another person added a bit of water. A third person put the beans in the grinder. Once the beans were all weighed, the first person left that station and started to put the ground beans into a mixer with koji and salt.  They also tossed in a scoop full of finished miso, as it helps jumpstart the fermenting process.  I will be trying this in future attempts at miso making.  Soon, the second (water) person joined them at the mixer.

After a bit of mixing a trap door near the bottom of the mixer was opened. A small amount of miso was let out and put back into the mixer on the top to ensure it was thoroughly mixed. They then filled buckets with the product and hauled to a huge storage tank in another room.

I didn't get to see the final part, but it was explained to me. Once all the miso has been put into this tank for fermenting, they would don special boots to stomp it down, similar to stomping grapes to make wine. It will then ferment for several months before it is ready to be packaged and sold.

I was so impressed with how everyone worked together, doing their part and constantly changing jobs in order to move everything along in the process.

My visit gave me insight into a much beloved part of Japanese cuisine. But instead of satiating me, it left me hungry for more! I loved participating in making this special ingredient. I want to go back again and again. Heck, I'd love to do an internship there!

Since the tour, I have been making so much miso soup. My husband and son are thrilled to eat it almost daily for breakfast and dinner! It never gets old because I use different vegetables every time.