Delicious Japanese Style Beef Steak with Shio Koji

There is nothing like a juicy rib-eye steak, properly cooked and properly seasoned now is there? I don’t eat meat as often as I used to so when I do I make it special. Today, we’re making Japanese style beef steak with shio koji. To finish it all off, we’ll be serving it with a homemade Japanese style dipping sauce. Are you ready to get hungry?

What is shio koji (塩麴)?

Shio koji literally translated is salt-koji.

Shio koji is made with mold (called kojikin, or Aspergillus Oryzae) which is added to rice, salt, and water and allowed to ferment. Kojikin is also used to make miso paste, soy sauce, and sake.

Shio koji is a magical ingredient because it has enzymes that break down proteins. This does not only bring out the additional flavor and umami (glutamic acids) but also tenderizes meats and fish.

The enzymes also break down starches into sugars. Which is why your meat can burn easily if you’re not careful.

Here’s an analogy.
Think of shio koji as a busload of construction workers. All those construction workers get unloaded on your food (vegetables and for this instance steak meat) and bring out the best of those raw ingredients.

Building flavor upon flavor making it a completely new and refined edible product. All you have to do is eat it!

But again, like any other dishes, if you overdo it, the flavor will turn bad.

What can you make with Shio koji?

There is a variety of dishes you can make using shio koji apart from Japanese steaks.

You can use it for vegetables, cooked and pickled.

Dressings or sauces and even marinade. I have made a salad using shio koji as dressing before and it’s also very easy to make.

Of course use it for fish and meat.

Sweets.

It’s extremely versatile. In fact, I have an entire playlist of video on my Youtube channel with all the wonderful dishes you can try at home with shio koji.

Curious? Have you tried shio koji before? Do you have a favorite dish?

Where to Get Shio Koji?

Unless you live by a Japanese market, shio koji may be difficult to find.

Fortunately, there is this store called Amazon which sells two popular brands! I used nama, which means raw. It also comes in a liquid form.

What to Eat With The Steak?

As with many other meats, I like rice and potatoes and a few vegetables.

The rice and potatoes will fill you up and the vegetables will help balance out your meal.
Miso soup is also a must!

Garnish ideas: daikon oroshi (grated daikon radish), a little shiso (perilla), and lemon wedges!

Here is the live replay of me making Japanese style beef steak with shio koji. (the bonus recipe is shio koji asparagus!)

See you next week @ All Day I Eat like a shark on Youtube !

Here are 7 Tips for Cooking Japanese Style Beef Steak With Shio Koji

1. Choose the right cut of steak: Different cuts of steak have different levels of fat and tenderness, so choose the one that best suits your taste and budget. Some common cuts include ribeye, sirloin, filet mignon, and flank steak.

2. Bring the steak to room temperature before cooking: Remove the steak from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before cooking to allow it to come to room temperature. This will help it cook more evenly.

3. Preheat the grill, stovetop, or oven: Preheat your cooking surface to the appropriate temperature before adding the steak. For a grill, heat to medium-high heat; for a stovetop, use a cast iron skillet and heat to medium-high; for the oven, preheat to 400°F (200°C).

4. Season the steak: Season with pepper, or your preferred seasoning blend, on both sides before cooking – minus any salt of course (because shio-koji has plenty of salt already!)

5. Cook the steak to your desired level of doneness: Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the steak as it cooks. For medium-rare, the temperature should be 135°F (57°C); for medium, the temperature should be 145°F (63°C); for well-done, the temperature should be 160°F (71°C).

6. Let the steak rest before slicing: After cooking, let the steak rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing. This will allow the juices to redistribute and prevent the steak from drying out.

7. Slice the steak against the grain: To ensure that the steak is tender, slice it against the grain, which means slicing perpendicular to the lines in the meat. This will help to break down the fibers and make the steak more tender.

       

Japanese Style Steak with Shio Koji

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There is nothing like a juicy rib-eye steak, properly cooked and properly seasoned now is there?  I don’t eat meat as often as I used to so when I do I make it special. Today, we’re making Japanese style  steak with shio koji. To finish it all off, we’ll be serving it with a homemade Japanese style dipping sauce. Get hungry!!

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: 2 people 1x
• Category: Main Dish
• Cuisine: Japanese

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Shiokoji steak

• 2–4 Tbsps of shiokoji
• 1 pound of ribeye steak (or whatever cut you prefer)

steak dipping sauce

• 2–4 Tbsp Onion (grated)
• 1–2 cloves garlic (crushed)
• 3 Tbsps soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp sake
• 1 Tbsp mirin
• 1 Tbsp water
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• shiso (chopped 1/8in thick to garnish)
• grated daikon radish (to garnish)

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Japanese style steak with shiokoji

1. Spread the shiokoji on the steak in a very light layer, it does not need to be completely covering the surface. Allow to marinate at least 20 minutes.
2. After steak has marinated, use a large pan and preheat using medium heat. Add 2 Tbsps olive oil and when shimmering add the steak.
3. After about a minute or so check the bottom to ensure it’s not burning. Check frequently and when it looks like it’s getting dark, flip. Turn down the heat to medium-low to prevent burning and allow to cook covered for at least 4-6 minutes. Use a thermometer to check for doneness (medium rare is 145F).
4. When your desired level of doneness is reached, remove from pan and allow to rest at least 10 minutes. Serve with dipping sauce and enjoy!

Japanese steak dipping sauce

1. While the steak is marinating, grate the onion and crush the garlic. Measure out all the other ingredients and place everything in a small sauce pan.
2. Using medium heat, bring the mixture to just a boil and turn off the heat. Mix once or twice and remove from heat.
3. Set aside until steak is ready. Serve with steak!

Notes

if you can’t find shiokoji at your local store, amazon sells the same shiokoji I use