How to thin miso without too much liquid
TL;DR. How to get thick miso paste to a the consistency of pesto.
I'm really new to miso paste. I just discovered it a few months ago. Forgive me if this is a dumb question.
I make bacon for sale. I made some miso bacon where miso is a major part of the cure. It was delicious. I've posted about it in the bacon and charcuterie forums.
My issue is that my miso paste is very thick, like Play-Doh. That makes it really difficult to mix with salt, sugar, and other spices used in curing. I need to thin it down so I can easily spread it over pork belly.
I can't get it too watery, or the bacon won't cure properly (it's a dry cure). But I can't have it as thick as clay (as it is now), because it won't spread evenly. I guess the thickness of pesto, or jelly, or at most baslamic vinegar.
I hope this vague description helps you find a good suggestion for me. Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.
Comments Section
Add a little bit of hot water a splash at a time as you whisk to break up the miso
I think a better idea would be to dry the miso in a low oven on a baking sheet to turn it into a powder/ granule like the rest of your rub.
http://heathergnutrition.com/2018/02/roasted-miso-powder/
This is great! I didn't know you could dry miso into a powder. I'll try it tonight!
You could probably just loosen it up with a stand or hand mixer. They would help evenly mix in the other ingredients too.
If you specifically don't want to add water, thin it out with fat. Either something neutral like vegetable oil or something with flavor like sesame oil. Just go a tiny bit at a time and mix thoroughly between additions and you'll be able to to control the consistency pretty easily.