Shio Koji “bacon” (video-style Easy Koji Bacon

• active time: 2 hours
• total time: 3 days

Ingredients

What this is?

A bacon-style pork belly made by curing with shio koji (salted rice koji) and then baking at low temperature. Shio koji tenderizes the meat and boosts umami.

Note: This is not the same as “pink cured” smoked bacon made with curing salts.

Ingredients (makes 500g–1kg)

Pork belly block: 500g to 1kg

Shio koji: ~10% of the meat weight

500g pork → 50g shio koji

1kg pork → 100g shio koji

Coarsely ground black pepper: to taste (generous, like the video)

Black tea leaves (dry): a handful (about 2–3 tbsp) for aroma

Optional) Smoking chips / smoker / smoke gun for extra smoke

Directions

Quick cure (about 3 minutes)

Pat the pork belly dry.

Rub shio koji over all surfaces (or add both to a bag and massage well).

Press out air and seal tightly.

Refrigerate for 3 days

Cure in the fridge for 3 days.

Flip the bag once a day for even curing.

Wipe off the shio koji (do not rinse)

Remove pork from the bag.

Thoroughly wipe off the shio koji with paper towels.

Wiping (instead of rinsing) keeps umami on the surface and helps it dry.

Season with black pepper

Place pork on a rack and coat all sides with black pepper (including the fat side).

Bake with tea aroma: 120°C for 70 minutes

Scatter black tea leaves on a baking tray.

Place a rack over the tray (so the pork does not touch the tea leaves).

Put pork on the rack.

Bake at 120°C (250°F) for 70 minutes.

Ventilate well—tea leaves can create aroma and light smoke.

Optional: extra smoke

The video adds extra smoking after baking.

If you have a smoker/smoke gun, add a short smoke session (5–15 minutes) for aroma.

Cool, then slice

Cool to room temp, then chill in the fridge for clean slicing.

Slice thin or thick as you like.