How to Make Soy Sauce and Miso at Home

WARNING!!! After less than 2 weeks, I have mold growing in my soy sauce. :( I didn't put in enough salt. Will consult my mother and make corrections for my next batch which I'm starting today. A smaller batch and I'll measure everything out this time around. :p
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May 16, 2010-I gave a friend of bottle of this soy sauce from this very batch. Hers didn't mold. She's kept it in her frig. She used it a couple of days ago and there wasn't a mold smell or off taste. She's enjoying it greatly since she has Celiacs and it's hard for her to find soy sauce without wheat. Just something else to consider.
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I had put this project off for some time now. I grew up with my mother making this every winter. She made these bricks that really smelled bad and they took a long time to dry and each day the smell got worse. So it was not something I wanted to do to my family or our cats or myself or my home. Since I made these wafers/cookies instead of brick, there was very little odor and it wasn't bad. Plus it was much faster. Having more surface area, they released their goodness to the water faster, too. I think my mother was a bit impressed by that. Lol. Shes hard to impress, BTW. Lol.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• Soy Sauce
• Miso
• Permaculture
• Self Sufficiency

[mksboysal]

Hey, if you use a pressure cooker you can the job done in 2 hours.

[VivianRinSC]

@mksboysal I just got an electric pressure cooker for Christmas. It so fast to cook any dry beans but with this recipe, I have to wonder if it might change the outcome somehow. The beans have to be very overcooked for this process... Not sure if I'll try it this way or not.

[therealvirginiawind]

Mamasan had a big kimchi pot stored on a balcony near my room when I lived in Korea. I got curious what was in it and lifted the lid. It was full of black liquid and floating on top was a bit of natural charcoal and a couple of very withered looking carrots. I was later told it was soy sauce and the charcoal and carrots were for flavor. Tasted great when served with food, but didn't look too appetizing in the pot.

[VivianRinSC]

@therealvirginiawind I'm sure the smell wasn't too great either. Hmm... charcoal and carrots... So many experiments, so little time and money. :)

[bluemoondiadochi]

thank you! :)

[mksboysal]

@VivianRinSC, aren't you fortunate to get a gift like that. :-) I would say cook them in your pressure cooker in a low setting 2 hrs or so, if that option is available. Make sure you add plenty of water. Probably something like: 1 cup of beans 8 cups of water, so you get the most out of these beans... I hope you know what to do afterwards, right.? If you use little bit of brown rice too, then you'll make great: Tamari/soy souce and a great Miso. Keep us posted how it goes... Will you. :-)

[VivianRinSC]

@qutoobe Please link it here or some how let me know. :) More family health issues. My mother broke her arm today and I'll be taking her to doctors tomorrow and Wednesday while prepping for Tday at my home for so far at least 12. My to-do list hasn't really changed but things like this keep bumping down project like this I want to do. :sigh: Can't wait to see what you do! :)

[qutoobe]

@qutoobe Thanks for responding! Yeah, I kind of got the feeling that it was done by "feel," and that's fine by me-I just didn't know if there were any specifics. I don't mind botching up a batch or two in the interest of perfecting it because it seems like such a low cost product to make in the first place. When I try this-and I will-I will let you know how it turns out. I am stoked! Thanks for the recipe!

[VivianRinSC]

@qutoobe I didn't give measurements because I didn't have any to being with. My mother just did everything by feel/sense. I tried to do the same but didn't use enough salt. The slow cooker was on low. My mother did it over fires and on the stove stirring often so I'm grateful for the crock pot! lol. I've been meaning to try this again but not had the time. Now that it's getting colder, I think I'll try it again. This time, I'm not gonna make the wafers but bricks. Sorry it's taking me so long.

[qutoobe]

I want to do this so badly, but You didn't give quantities-how much soy beans, water, salt, etc. Also, slow cook on what? high? low? does it matter? Thanks for any response. Looks fantastic!