Fermentation

Koji Marinade

Coat meat in shio-koji and leave it overnight. Enzymes soften the meat and add umami.

Difficulty: 2

Heat: none

Key Points

Use ten percent of the meat weight. Stop at twelve hours. Wipe the koji off before it touches the pan.

Leaving the koji on the surface burns it before the meat cooks. Marinating two days breaks the meat down until it falls apart.

Spread shio-koji over the meat in a bag. Press the air out. Rest it in the fridge for eight to twelve hours.

Protease cuts protein into amino acids and many of those taste of umami. Amylase makes sugar, so the surface browns faster.

Skip it for thin slices. The enzymes reach the middle in an hour and the texture turns soft and pasty.

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