Buzz
If I had to choose my top ingredient of 2018, it would definitely be shio koji. This traditional Japanese paste, made from rice, salt, and water, adds a rich, savory depth and a miso-like umami to anything it touches. Letting your pork rest in this paste overnight works wonders for bringing out incredible flavor in your (uncured) meat.
“But Claire, didn’t you try this with pork chops, and think they were just okay?” Yes, but that was my mistake, not the fault of the shio koji. I didn’t let the paste work its magic long enough—four hours just wasn’t enough. When you give it a full 24 hours to tenderize, flavor, and infuse with its funky charm, you’ll get a piece of meat that’s perfectly seasoned from end to end with a delightful salty-sweet nuttiness. To put it simply—I marinated a pork tenderloin in a cup of shio koji, reverse seared it, and it was so delicious that I ended up eating a pound of pork in just 10 minutes. (To balance all that protein, I also had four kumquats.)
If you’re a pork fan, this is a must-try. You can easily find shio koji at most Asian markets, or you can make your own, though it takes about a week, depending on how cold your kitchen is. Once you’ve got your hands on this magical paste, all you need is a pork tenderloin (or any other uncured cut of pork).
For every two pounds of pork, take one cup of shio koji and spread it generously over the meat. Seal the pork in a freezer bag, refrigerate for 24 hours, and pass the time by finding something fun to do while the paste works its magic. Once the wait is over, wipe off the excess shio koji with a paper towel, preheat your oven to 250℉, and place the pork on a rack inside a baking sheet. Roast in the oven until the internal temperature is 15 degrees lower than your ideal pork doneness. (For me, I like my pork slightly pink at 135℉, so I pulled mine out at 120℉.)
Once the pork is out of the oven, melt at least half a stick of butter in a hot skillet until it starts to foam and brown. Place the pork in the skillet and sear it on all sides, continuously spooning the brown butter over the meat, until it reaches your desired temperature (135℉ is my ideal). Remove the pork from the pan, drizzle the hot butter on top, cover with foil, and let it rest for at least five minutes—ten minutes if you can wait that long.
