Following our success with Thunder Miso, we began experimenting with novel soy sauce and miso recipes. All a good sauce needs is a bean rich in protein and starch to fuel the fermentation. As proponents of prairie restoration and the revitalization of native species, we wanted to find a set of plants native to our region of the United States which could achieve this. We decided to make a "soy" sauce using the pre-Colombian Tepary Bean and Sunchoke as protein-bean and starch source. We invented a process to roast the input material and start the fermentation process much like traditional soy sauce and miso. In starting this process, we began a program of artificial selection of the tepary beans we grow to produce a cultivar well-adapted to our soil.
We named our cultural combination Oklahoma Mixer, in reference to a historical oddity where postwar American teachers introduced students to square dancing. A co-ed dance to Turkey in the Straw, the Oklahoma Mixer; オクラホマミキサー is something of a cultural meme which caught on like a wildfire (or perhaps a tsunami) in Japan. As we created a shared heritage after the war, so too did we wish to create something new and amazing. We ferment for 9+ months, followed by UV aging for at least a month. This sauce comes out much darker than our other sauces due to the natural color of the tepary beans we use and the level of roast on the sunchokes. The result has a surprisingly chocolately hint behind the savory sauce expected from miso.
Something extra exciting about this miso is that it is naturally soy- and gluten-free. While all miso contains soy, many people may not realize how important wheat is to the complex flavor profiles in a quality miso. By using a pre-Columbian bean as the protein source and a gluten-free starchy tuber, we can create something which should be a bit safer to folks with an allergy or intolerance.
We sell two grades of Oklahoma Mixer miso. The only difference between these grades is the particle size (and a fancier jar). Both taste delicious, but the ultra-fine miso is sold at a premium since it will be especially good for high-quality miso soups. Both taste great, and can be used for any dish that uses miso.
Label Text
This fermented bean paste was made with plants native to the Southwest US. This product is entirely gluten-free, vegan, and live. Use like miso.
Ingredients
Water, Tepary Beans, Sunchoke, Salt, Yeast, Koji Culture
Package Size
6 oz. (170 g)
Sales Price in-person
Standard - $15.00
Ultra-fine - $20.00
URL slug: oklahoma_mixer_miso
Originally published: 2026-03-05 13:00:02
Content last regnerated: 2026-03-05 23:33:27
