Tonkotsu Ramen
Rich, creamy pork bone broth ramen with tender chashu pork, soft-boiled egg, and traditional toppings. A deeply satisfying Japanese noodle soup that requires patience but rewards with complex flavor.
- Total time
- 720 min
- Servings
- 2
- Calories
- 680
- Protein
- 52g
Ingredients
- 3 lbs pork bones (neck, spine, ribs)
- 1 lb pork shoulder
- 1 whole chicken carcass
- 4 quarts water
- 2 inch piece ginger, sliced
- 6 whole garlic cloves, smashed
- 3 whole scallion, white parts
- 1 piece (4 inch) dried kombu
- 1.5 lbs pork belly slab
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup mirin
- ¼ cup sake
- 1 cup water
- 1 inch piece ginger, sliced
- 3 whole garlic cloves
- 1 whole scallion
- 7 oz fresh ramen noodles
- 2 whole eggs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons tare (tonkotsu seasoning)
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
- ½ cup menma (bamboo shoots), sliced
- 1 whole nori seaweed sheets
- 2 tablespoons fresh scallion, sliced
- 1 pinch bonito flakes
Instructions
- 1
Blanch pork bones and chicken carcass in boiling water for 3 minutes to remove impurities. Rinse thoroughly under cold water.
- 2
In a 12-quart stockpot, add 4 quarts fresh water and bring to a boil. Add blanched bones, pork shoulder, and ginger slices.
- 3
Reduce heat to a simmer and skim foam off the surface for 20 minutes. Add smashed garlic, scallion whites, and kombu.
- 4
Simmer uncovered for 12 hours, maintaining a gentle bubble. Do not stir. Top up water if needed to keep bones covered.
- 5
Strain broth through cheesecloth into a clean pot. Discard solids. Season with salt to taste. Skim fat from surface or chill to remove solidified fat.
- 6
Score pork belly skin in a crosshatch pattern. Bring a Dutch oven of water to boil and blanch pork belly for 5 minutes. Drain and pat dry.
- 7
In the same Dutch oven, combine soy sauce, mirin, sake, 1 cup water, ginger, garlic, and scallion. Bring to a simmer.
- 8
Add pork belly skin-side up. Cover with a drop lid (or parchment paper) and simmer over low heat for 3 hours, basting occasionally.
- 9
Remove from heat and let cool in the braising liquid. Slice into 0.5-inch thick slices before serving. Reserve braising liquid.
- 10
Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Gently add eggs and cook for 6.5 minutes for a jammy yolk.
- 11
Transfer to an ice bath immediately. Once cooled, peel carefully under cool running water.
- 12
Marinate peeled eggs in a mixture of 1:1 soy sauce and mirin for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- 13
Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil. Cook fresh ramen noodles according to package directions, usually 3-4 minutes. Drain and rinse briefly.
- 14
Heat 2 large bowls and add 1.5 tablespoons tare and 0.25 teaspoon sesame oil to each.
- 15
Heat tonkotsu broth to a boil and add to bowls, whisking to combine with tare.
- 16
Divide cooked noodles between bowls. Top each with chashu pork slices, halved soft-boiled egg, menma, nori strips, scallion, and bonito flakes.
- 17
Serve immediately while broth is hot.
Tools you’ll need
- 12-quart stockpot
- Dutch oven (5.5-quart)
- cheesecloth
- fine-mesh strainer
- drop lid or parchment paper
- thermometer (optional)
- chef's knife
- cutting board
- small pot
- ice bath (large bowl)
- 2 large ramen bowls
- ladle
- wooden spoon
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