Measuring roasting conditions with household equipment

What differs between hojicha roasters: sand, direct fire or far-infrared?

Sand roasting, direct fire and far-infrared heat do not belong to the same layer. A roaster description mixes three of them: the vessel that holds the tea, the way heat is delivered, and the contact with the flame. Read them separately and they stop looking like three alternatives to choose between.

The words sort into three layers. A rotating drum names the vessel and its movement, far-infrared names the way heat is delivered, and direct fire names the contact with the flame. Because these are different layers, one machine can combine them, as in sand roasting that uses far-infrared heat from warmed stones. And a machine’s name alone does not settle the taste: leaves or stems, how the material is handled and how the heat is adjusted all belong in the reading.

A rotating drum describes the vessel holding the material and its movement. Far-infrared describes a way of delivering heat, while direct fire describes the relationship to the flame. “Rotating drum or far-infrared” is therefore not necessarily an either-or choice; some machines use both.

It is similar to thinking separately about a frying pan’s shape and the appliance heating it. When reading a product description, distinguish what holds the material, how heat reaches it, and how it moves. This helps organise the differences behind similar-sounding names.

Sand roasting passes heat from warmed stones

The accounts quoted below are published by the companies themselves: Chaho Furyu, Yanoen, Yamamasu, Marubishi and Minocamo Chaho. All five set out the method they use and the finish they are after with it. They share no common set of temperatures or times, so the same method name can serve different intended finishes.

Chaho Furyu describes sand roasting as a traditional method using far-infrared heat from warmed stones. The shop aims to heat the tea evenly and draw out sweetness without scorching it. Look beyond “sand” in the name to the explanation of how stones carry the heat.

Yanoen uses both a sand roaster and an infrared finishing machine in the stage where blended tea receives further high-temperature heating. One shop does not necessarily use just one method. Read the choice of equipment in relation to the finish the producer wants.

Roasting hojicha at home: a horoku or a frying pan?

There are two ways to roast tea at home. With a horoku, you hold it by the handle over the flame and swing it from the wrist so the contents roll. With a frying pan, you dry the tea over medium heat, let it cool, then roast it over high heat. Pick one and follow it from start to finish.

The procedure comes down to three things. In Fujita Chaen’s horoku method, the horoku is preheated over medium heat for 30 seconds to one minute, the suggested amount of tea is 5–10 grams, and smoke signals that the roast is nearing its end. In Chakoizumi’s frying-pan method, drying is separated from roasting, with cooling in between. And roasting continues through residual heat after the tea leaves the flame, so cooling belongs to the same procedure.

According to Chakoizumi, a horoku is a tool held by its handle over a flame to roast what is inside. To roast evenly, swing it from the wrist so that the contents roll around.

Rather than setting it down and waiting, hold and move it while managing its distance from the flame. Get a feel for the grip and movement before adding tea.

Four steps for roasting hojicha in a horoku

The steps and figures below are the methods published by Chakoizumi and Fujita Chaen. The 30 seconds to one minute is preheating time, and the end of roasting is judged by smoke, appearance and your preferred roast rather than by a clock. Equipment and heat differ from kitchen to kitchen, so these are not settings to transfer unchanged.

Fujita Chaen gives four steps. First, warm the horoku over medium heat for 30 seconds to one minute. Add the tea and keep it moving so it does not scorch. When smoke appears, the tea is nearing its finish. Once it reaches your preferred roast, pour it out through the handle.

The suggested amount of tea is 5–10 grams. The 30 seconds to one minute is the preheating time; the end of roasting is judged by smoke, appearance, and your preferred degree of roast. These amounts and times are guidelines for this horoku method.