Shio Koji-Marinated Flank Steak

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This super-easy reverse-seared steak recipe is just the thing for a flavor-packed tasty dinner. The list of ingredients is manageable, but one in particular, shio koji, may be unfamiliar to you.

To educate, Shio Koji is a fermented seasoning made from rice koji, salt, and water. The fermentation process of these three ingredients creates a creamy, paste-like condiment with a salty and sweet, umami-rich flavor. It contains enzymes like amylase and protease, which break down starches and proteins, making it a popular marinade and meat tenderizer. 

Shio koji, which can be made at home or purchased, is often used as a marinade because it is rich in protease enzymes (which break down proteins), so it can create an array of new flavors in protein-rich foods.

Here, shio koji gives marinated flank steaks the nutty, savory, blue-cheese-y flavors typically found in expensive dry-aged steaks. After wiping the marinade from the steaks, cook them in the oven with a gentle heat to keep their interiors juicy and rosy pink. Finally, quickly sear them on the stovetop to create a slightly charred crust.

This recipe contains three marinating options (see below), of which we chose the Red-Wine Shallot variation.

Shio Koji-Marinated Flank Steak

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

For the Steak

  • 1 (1½- to 1¾-lb.) flank steak, well trimmed
  • 3 Tbsp. shio koji
  • ½ tsp. pepper
  • 1 tsp. vegetable oil
  • Flaky sea salt (optional)
  • Lemon wedges (optional)

For the Butter

  • 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 1⁄2 ysp. shio koji
  • 1 tsp. minced fresh parsley (or other herb of your choice)
  • 1⁄8 tsp. kosher salt

Directions

For the Steak

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 275 degrees. While oven heats, set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet. 
  2. With damp towel, wipe koji from steaks (it’s OK if a few grains remain on steak). Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon pepper. Set steaks on prepared rack and transfer to oven. Cook until thickest part of largest steak registers 125 degrees, 25 to 30 minutes.  
  3. Heat 1 teaspoon vegetable oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add steaks and cook, pressing steaks gently into pan until browned and slightly charred in spots on both sides, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Cut steaks on bias against grain into ½-inch-thick slices. Serve, passing flake sea salt and lemon wedges, if using, separately.

For the Butter

  1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl. The butter mixture can be refrigerated for up to one week.

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Recipe by Lan Lam for America’s Test Kitchen

Simple Ways to Vary the Marinade

Shio koji creates plenty of complexity on its own, but it also enhances the flavors of additional seasonings. Try the following combinations, stirring the ingredients into 3 tablespoons of shio koji before applying the marinade to the steak.

WORCESTERSHIRE-GARLIC 

  • 3 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tsp. minced garlic
  • ½ tsp. pepper

BOURBON-SOY

  • 3 Tbsp. bourbon
  • 2 Tbsp. soy sauce
  • ¾ tsp. ground allspice

RED WINE–SHALLOT

  • 3 Tbsp. red wine
  • 2 Tbsp. minced shallot
  • 1 tsp. dried thyme
  • ½ tsp. pepper

Shio Koji Steak Primer

Shio koji works differently than other marinades. Here’s how to make the most of its special properties.

Shio-Koji-to-steak ratio: 1 tablespoon to 8 ounces

One tablespoon of shio koji per ½ pound of steak is enough to produce a broad range of flavors (and since commercially produced shio koji contains only 8 to 14 percent salt, that amount won’t make the meat overly salty.) Shio koji pairs beautifully with other seasonings too (see “Simple Ways to Vary the Marinade”).

Marinating time: 2 to 24 hours

The longer the steak marinates, the more intense its flavor will become. Four hours is a good place to start if it’s your first time using shio koji so that you can get to know how it changes the flavor of the meat.

Best cooking method: reverse searing

Both the simple sugars contained in shio koji and the amino acids that are liberated as the steak marinates facilitate browning, but the sugars are also prone to scorching. The most failproof cooking method, then, is reverse searing: gently bringing the steak to serving temperature in the oven and then quickly searing it in a skillet to develop a well-browned crust with a hint of char.

4 thoughts on “Shio Koji-Marinated Flank Steak”

  2. I remember using shio koji way back when – interesting, especially when combined with reverse searing which I also have not used for the longest time! Homework needed! The bourbon-soy also sounds like ‘me’ 🙂 !

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