Halibut Recipe with Honey-Soy Glaze
My halibut with honey-soy glaze is sesame crusted on one side, pan seared until golden, and finished with a sticky sauce made from soy sauce, honey, fresh ginger, and garlic. It is ready in 15 minutes and is the fastest impressive dinner I know how to make.
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon peeled and finely grated fresh ginger
- 1 finely minced garlic clove
- 2 8- ounce fresh skinless halibut fillets
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon unsalted butter
- Sliced green onions for garnish
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a small bowl whisk together the soy sauce, vinegar, honey, ginger, and garlic until combined. Set aside.
- Season the halibut on both sides with salt and pepper.
- Next, press one side of the halibut fillet down into the sesame seeds to encrust the fish.
- Add some oil to a large frying pan and heat over high heat until it begins to lightly smoke.
- Place in the halibut, turn the heat down to medium to medium-high, add in some butter and cook for 3 to 3 ½ minutes per side or until golden brown and cooked throughout. Make sure to not burn the sesame seeds. Set aside.
- Pour in the sauce and cook over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes or until it has slightly thickened up.
- Serve the fish with the sauce and garnish with sliced green onions.
Notes
My best tip after making this recipe many times at home for my family and friends is to pay close attention to the sauce balance. I rely on the soy sauce for salt and umami, the honey for sweetness, the vinegar for sharpness, and the ginger for warmth. When I get those 4 elements in balance, the sauce coats the dish with the right mix of savory, sweet, sharp, and warm notes without letting any one part take over.
Watch the sesame seeds: They go from perfectly toasted to burnt in about 30 seconds. If you notice them getting too dark too fast, pull the pan off the heat briefly to cool it down, then return to medium heat. This happened to me the first time I made this and I learned to keep the heat lower than I would for a plain sear.
Grate the ginger, do not chop it: Grating on a Microplane releases the juice and pulp, which dissolves into the sauce. Chopped ginger leaves chunks that do not integrate and can overpower a single bite.
Sesame oil has a lower smoke point: It burns faster than neutral oils, so I start on high to get the initial sear going but immediately drop to medium-high. If I see the oil smoking heavily, I pull the pan back.
The sauce thickens on its own: I do not add corn starch. The honey and the natural reduction from cooking concentrate the sauce in about a minute. If it gets too thick, a splash of water loosens it right back up.
Season lightly before searing: The soy sauce glaze is salty, so I go lighter on the salt when seasoning the raw fish than I would for the other halibut recipes. I can always adjust at the end.
Try this glaze on other proteins: I have used this exact same sauce on salmon, chicken thighs, and pork tenderloin. It works on anything that benefits from a sweet, savory, sticky coating.
Make-Ahead: You can keep warm covered in a pan for up to 15 minutes before serving, but this recipe is meant to be eaten as soon as it is done being cooked.
How to Store: Cover and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. This will freeze covered for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for 1 day before reheating.
How to Reheat: Place the desired number of halibut with sauce in a pan and heat in the oven at 350° for 5-6 minutes or until hot.
Nutrition
Calories: 439kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 32gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 8gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 75mgSodium: 2259mgPotassium: 763mgFiber: 1gSugar: 27gVitamin A: 158IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 101mgIron: 2mg