Dry Aged Steak with Koji Rice

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Koji is a rice grain that has been introduced with a live culture (Aspergillus oryzae for those of you in the know, bless you) and is one of the main ingredients in making soy sauce and miso paste. When koji is mixed with cooked beans like soy, the live culture helps break down the carbohydrates, amino acids, simple sugars, and proteins in the soybeans

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Rub all sides of the meat (like sirloin or something thin and grainy like skirt or flank steak) generously and then let it sit uncovered on a wire rack in the fridge for 2-3 days. Don’t go too long or the meat starts to get too tough and begins to almost cure. After 12 hours, the meat starts to look like a moist, snow-covered slab of steak (see top photo). The scent is just as rich, nutty, and acorn-like as a steak that’s been dry-aging for over a month, with a touch of sweetness. Before cooking, rinse the meat thoroughly in cold water to remove all the koji rub that has become a paste, then pat dry. Next, season the meat with salt and sear it in a cast-iron pan. I often will sear the steak quickly and finish it in the oven—basting the steak with melted butter never hurts. You will notice that the steak will caramelize and pick up color much faster than a normal steak.

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