Iburigakko (Smoked Daikon Pickle)
Quick answer
- Total time
- 60 min
- Level
- Hard
- Servings
- 48 servings
- Ingredients
- 6
About this dish
Iburigakko is an Akita preserve made by hanging whole daikon in hardwood smoke for several days, then maturing it for about two months in a bed of rice bran, steamed broken rice, salt, sugar, and turmeric.
Read more
Smoking removes moisture and gives the radish an amber surface, while the cool winter fermentation develops its firm texture and savory flavor. This is a large traditional batch that requires a dedicated outdoor smoker, a sanitized food-safe vessel, and careful packing so every radish remains in contact with the pickling mixture.
Ingredients
As an Amazon Associate, we may earn from qualifying purchases.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Prep
Remove soil and root hairs from 12kg whole daikon and wash thoroughly in cold water.
Do not use bruised or soft radishes for long preservation.
- 2Step
Tie the radishes in groups of about 10 and hang them in a dedicated outdoor smokehouse.
Maintain steady smoke from oak, cherry, or another hardwood for 4 to 5 days. Never do this in an enclosed indoor space because of fire and carbon monoxide hazards.
- 3Finish
Finish smoking when the surface is evenly amber and the radishes have lost enough moisture to bend.
Rinse soot and dust off quickly with cold water and dry with a clean cloth.
- 4Season
Mix 1.5kg steamed broken rice, 1.5kg rice bran, 1.5kg salt, 1kg coarse sugar, and 5g turmeric evenly to make the pickling bed.
- 5Control
Spread a thin layer of mixture in a sanitized, fully dried food-safe vessel.
Pack one tight layer of smoked radish, cover with mixture, and repeat. Bury the top completely, then add a clean drop lid and weight.
- 6Finish
Mature for 50 to 60 days in a cool, dark winter location.
Rinse the rice bran quickly from a finished radish and slice thinly. Discard the batch if mold, offensive odor, or abnormal slime develops.
Practical Cooking Checks
The cues that matter most while cooking.
- Key technique
- Four to five days of hardwood smoking
- Finish cue
- Do not use bruised or soft radishes for long preservation.
Cooking decision evidence
Calculated Charim data and applicable official cooking and food safety guidance.
This recipe
60min, 6 ingredients
Category median
32min, 7 ingredients
Based on 163 recipes
Use-up ingredient planner
Turn these ingredients into two more meals
The overlap excludes basic seasonings. Open the next recipe and your selected dishes will stay with you.
Poha (Indian Spiced Flattened Rice Breakfast with Peanuts)
turmeric powder
Paneer Tikka (Indian Spiced Yogurt-Marinated Grilled Cheese Skewer)
turmeric powder
Khao Mok Gai (Thai-Muslim Spiced Chicken Biryani)
turmeric powder