Easy and Delicious Japanese Ginger Pork (Shogayaki) Recipe for Everyone Abroad!

Hello, I’m Sakura living in Japan.

Today, I’ll introduce you to the recipe for “Giger Pork” (Shogayaki). Shogayaki is one of the staple dishes in Japanese home cooking. It’s simple to make and delicious, so once you learn how to make it, it’s sure to become a regular menu item for dinner.

Even though we refer to it as “Giger Pork,” there are various types of it in each household. Depending on the types of seasonings used and the thickness of the meat, each household has its own version of Shogayaki. This time, I’ll introduce a recipe that is easy for everyone living abroad to replicate.

Many people living abroad may find it challenging to find thinly sliced meat like in Japan, making it difficult to attempt this dish. Therefore, this time, I’ll introduce a method using thick-cut meat, which should make it more accessible for everyone.

Ingredients (for 2 servings)
Cooking Instructions
Summary

Ingredients (for 2 servings)

300g pork (pork loin)
2 tablespoons soy sauce…A
2 tablespoons mirin（If unavailable, you can omit it. You can also substitute a mixture of sugar and vinegar in a 1:1 ratio.）…A
2 tablespoons sake (Japanese rice wine)…A
1teaspoon~1tablespoon sugar（Adjust the sweetness to your taste preference.）…A
1teaspoon~1tablespoon honey（Adjust the sweetness to your taste preference.）…A
1 piece of ginger (finely chopped or grated)…A
Optional: black pepper to taste

**From left to right, it’s honey, garlic, ginger, mirin, sake, and soy sauce. At the back is sugar.**

Cooking Instructions

１．Make cuts on the side of the pork with fat. This helps prevent the meat from shrinking and curling up when cooked.

２．Marinate the meat with the seasonings（A）, making sure to flip it over to soak both sides and let the flavors seep in.

３．Let it sit for about 15 minutes or so.

４．Take the meat out of the marinade and cook it in a frying pan. Make sure not to pour the marinade into the pan at this point. We’ll add it later. Start by cooking the meat over high heat to get a nice sear on the surface. Once it’s slightly browned, reduce the heat to medium-low and flip the meat. After the surface is cooked, pour the marinade into the pan. Then, cook the meat and sauce together over medium heat, making sure they’re well combined.

５．When cooking the meat, it’s also tasty to sauté some thinly sliced onions in a crosshatch pattern on the edge of the frying pan.

６．Plate the dish and sprinkle with pepper to taste, if desired. Enjoy!

７．Adding shredded cabbage or torn lettuce as a side not only enhances the presentation but also makes the meal healthier by incorporating more veggies with your meat.