Why This Recipe Works?
Ginger contains proteolytic enzymes such as zingibain, which breaks down protein. This naturally tenderized these Japanese pork chops. By dividing up the ginger sauce, you’re able to marinate the meat in the ginger (to get it tender) without adding other ingredients that will burn as you cook the pork. Shogayaki is traditionally made with thinly sliced meat (like the stuff used for hot pot), but using pork chops yields more juicy and tender meat and doesn’t take much longer to prepare. Applying a thin layer of potato starch to the pork chops helps the savory glaze cling to the meat, giving them a gloriously shiny appearance while ensuring they’re well seasoned.
Shogayaki Ingredients
Pork - Shogayaki is traditionally made with thinly sliced pork so that it marinates and cooks through quickly, but making it with pork chops is more satisfying, and it only takes a few additional minutes to cook. I don’t recommend using pork loin because it’s so lean it will tend to dry out. I used a ¾-inch thick boneless rib chop, but other thick cuts of pork will work; you’ll just need to adjust the cooking times to account for any differences in thickness. Thicker chops will take longer and should be fried over lower heat to prevent burning. Thinner chops will cook faster, so you’ll want to increase the heat to get them to brown more quickly. Another option is to use a totally different kind of meat such as chicken or beef. Ginger - Ginger gives Shogayaki its trademark flavor and contains enzymes that help tenderize the meat by breaking down the connective tissue. I use a generous amount of grated ginger to marinate the meat and then scrape off the excess pulp before frying it, but you can also grate the ginger and squeeze out the ginger juice. Potato starch - A thin coating of potato starch helps set the glaze on the exterior of the chops. I like using potato starch because it doesn’t get as gummy as corn starch, but other starches will work in a pinch. You could also use wheat flour, but this prevent your glaze from getting as shiny. Sake - Sake is an alcoholic beverage made with rice, but it’s also an essential ingredient in Japanese cuisine because it contains a high concentration of amino acids. These compounds are responsible for creating the taste of umami in your mouth. The alcohol burns off when you cook it, leaving just the flavor and umami in the sake. I generally don’t like to use mirin because most mirin sold outside of Japan is not brewed (its just alcohol with corn syrup and flavorings), but if you want to use it, you can substitute half the sake and eliminate the honey. Soy sauce - Shogayaki can be seasoned with either miso or soy sauce. I’ve chosen soy sauce for this recipe to give the pork chops a glossy appearance, but you can substitute miso 1:1 if you’d like. Honey - Ginger pork is not supposed to be as sweet as a dish like chicken teriyaki, but it’s important to add a little sugar to the sauce to balance out the saltiness of the soy sauce and the sharpness of the ginger. Garnish - I like to sprinkle on some chopped scallions, but Shogayaki is also delicious, sprinkled with some toasted sesame seeds, freshly cracked black pepper, or fresh ginger cut into thin strips.
How to Make Shogayaki (Ginger Pork Chops)
You first want to marinate the pork chops with ginger and salt by rubbing them into both sides of the meat. You’ll want to let this marinate for at least an hour to let the enzymes do their thing and tenderize the meat, but you can also do this in the morning, so the ginger pork is ready to cook at dinnertime. Add the sake, soy sauce, and honey to a bowl and whisk the ingredients together. To make the Japanese ginger pork chops, pat them dry with paper towels and remove any large clumps of grated ginger (leaving a little is okay). Next, sprinkle the potato starch over the marinated pork and pat the chops against each other to give them a thin, even coating. Heat a skillet over medium heat and add the oil and pork. Pan-fry on one side until it starts to brown. This should take about two to three minutes. Flip the shogayaki over and brown the second side for another two minutes or so. Once the second side is browned, flip them back over and use a paper towel and tongs to remove as much excess oil from the pan as possible. This keeps the glaze from becoming cloudy or greasy. Turn up the heat and add the sauce to the pan. Glaze the pork chops by flipping them over repeatedly in the sauce until it forms a thick, shiny coating on the outside. You can serve these whole with steak knives immediately. If you want to slice them up before plating, I recommend letting them rest for a few minutes to give the protein time to relax, so all the meat juices don’t leak out. Garnish the shogayaki with chopped green onions.
Serve it With
Shogayaki is traditionally served with a shredded cabbage salad, Japanese Short-grain Rice, and Miso Soup. These Japanese pork chops also pair well with side dishes like Japanese Potato Salad or a fresh green salad with sesame dressing. Leftover ginger pork is a fantastic addition to bentos so you can save any leftovers to pack with rice and vegetables in a bento box for your lunch the next day.
📖 Recipe
