Miso Ramen with Pork Belly
Rich, umami-forward ramen with tender pork belly and a silky miso-based broth. This showstopper is easier than it looks when you break it into manageable components.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Servings
- 2
- Calories
- 718
- Protein
- 38g
Ingredients
- ¾ lb pork belly slab
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons mirin
- 2 tablespoons ginger, sliced into coins
- 3 count garlic cloves, crushed
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 3 tablespoons white miso paste
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon mirin
- 1 teaspoon ginger, minced
- 8 oz ramen noodles
- 2 count green onions, sliced
- 2 count soft-boiled eggs, halved
- ½ sheet nori seaweed sheets
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
Instructions
- 1
Place the pork belly skin-side up on a cutting board and pat it completely dry with paper towels, so the skin will get crispy later.
- 2
Using a sharp knife, score the skin in a crosshatch pattern by cutting 1/8-inch deep lines spaced 1/2-inch apart, first in one direction, then perpendicular.
- 3
Place a 12-inch skillet over medium heat and wait 1 minute, then lay the pork belly skin-side down in the dry pan, pressing gently to keep skin flat.
- 4
Cook skin-side down without moving for 12–15 minutes until the skin is golden-brown and crispy, rendering the fat; you'll hear a steady, gentle sizzle.
- 5
Flip the pork belly meat-side down in the same skillet; it should have about 1 tablespoon of fat pooled in the pan.
- 6
Pour in 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons mirin, and scatter 2 tablespoons ginger coins and 3 crushed garlic cloves around the pork.
- 7
Cook meat-side down for 8–10 minutes until the liquid reduces by half and smells deeply savory, stirring the ginger and garlic once halfway through.
- 8
Transfer the pork belly to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes, then slice it crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick pieces.
- 9
Pour 4 cups of stock into a 3-quart pot and bring it to a boil over high heat; bubbles will rapidly break the surface, about 6–8 minutes.
- 10
Reduce heat to low so the surface barely trembles; place a small bowl next to the pot.
- 11
Scoop 3 tablespoons miso paste into the small bowl and pour 1/2 cup of the hot broth into it, then stir until the miso dissolves completely with no lumps.
- 12
Pour the dissolved miso back into the pot of broth and stir constantly for 30 seconds to distribute evenly; do not boil, or the miso will turn bitter.
- 13
Add 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon mirin, and 1 teaspoon minced ginger, then stir once and taste; adjust salt if needed.
- 14
Fill a separate 3-quart pot with water and bring it to a rolling boil over high heat, then add 8 oz ramen noodles and stir once.
- 15
Cook noodles for the time listed on the package, usually 3–4 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until they are tender but still slightly firm.
- 16
Drain the noodles in a colander and shake off excess water, then divide them equally between two deep bowls.
- 17
Carefully pour the hot miso broth equally over the noodles in each bowl until filled 3/4 of the way up the sides.
- 18
Arrange half the pork belly slices in a single overlapping line on top of the noodles in each bowl.
- 19
Place one halved soft-boiled egg (yolk-side up) on top of the pork in each bowl, then scatter half the green onion slices over the surface.
- 20
Tear half a sheet of nori seaweed into thin strips and scatter over the top of each bowl, then sprinkle 0.5 teaspoon sesame seeds on each.
- 21
Serve immediately while the broth is steaming hot.
Tools you’ll need
- 12-inch skillet with lid
- 3-quart pot
- second 3-quart pot or large saucepan
- cutting board
- sharp chef's knife
- paper towels
- wooden spoon or spatula
- small bowl for miso paste
- colander
- two deep ramen or noodle bowls
- measuring spoons
- measuring cups
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