Shōgayaki (生姜焼き), literally means “grilled with ginger” and is a super simple, fabulously flavorful way to prepare your favorite protein. In Japan, it’s usually made with thin pork chops (I’ve used both rib and shoulder chops), but this marinade will work equally well with lamb chops, chicken thighs or even tofu. Savory, aromatic, and pleasantly sweet, the marinade caramelizes around the outside of the meat, giving it a magical mahogany glaze that’s redolent of ginger and earthy miso. But this pairing is about more than just harmonious flavors. The enzymes in both miso and ginger help tenderize meat. That’s why this ginger pork is ready to cook in minutes rather than hours. Because the pork chops are thin, it’s important to cut slits into the meat to break up the connective tissue, otherwise the chops will curl as they fry making it difficult to cook evenly. Another option is to use thick cut pork chops. If you’re using chicken thighs, you can skip the slitting, but you’ll need to make sure it’s filleted to an even thickness so it cooks evenly. You’ll also want to start off with a cool pan , otherwise the marinade will burn before the chicken is cooked through. As for tofu, use a firm tofu and dry it thoroughly with paper towels before marinating it to keep the marinade from getting watery. Serve with finely shredded cabbage and a bowl of Japanese short grain rice.
📖 Recipe
