Tonkotsu Ramen
A rich, cloudy pork bone broth simmered for hours becomes the soul of this bowl, topped with tender chashu pork, a jammy marinated egg, and springy alkaline noodles.
Ingredients
- 4 pounds pork neck bones and trotters, mixed
- 1 pound pork belly, rolled and tied
- 1 whole head garlic, halved crosswise
- 1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, sliced
- 2 scallions, plus more thinly sliced for garnish
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup mirin
- 1/4 cup sake
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 4 (portions) fresh ramen noodles
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 2 sheets nori, quartered
- 1 cup bean sprouts
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Place the pork neck bones and trotters in a very large stockpot, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil over high heat; boil hard for 10 minutes to release scum.
- Drain the bones in a colander and rinse them thoroughly under cold water, scrubbing off any grey residue - this step is what keeps the broth clean-tasting instead of gamey.
- Return the rinsed bones to the cleaned pot and cover with 5 quarts of fresh cold water.
- Bring to a rolling boil over high heat, then keep it at a hard, rattling boil (not a gentle simmer) for 6 to 8 hours, topping up with hot water as needed to keep bones submerged; this vigorous boil is what emulsifies the fat into the broth and turns it milky white.
- In the last hour, add the garlic and ginger to the pot.
- Meanwhile, make the chashu: combine the soy sauce, mirin, sake, sugar, and 1 cup water in a pot just large enough to hold the pork belly, bring to a simmer, and add the tied pork belly.
- Cover and simmer the pork belly gently over low heat for 2 hours, turning occasionally, until fork-tender and cooked to a safe internal temperature of at least 145 F (it will be well past this).
- Remove the pork belly, let it cool slightly, then slice into 1/2-inch rounds; reserve the braising liquid.
- Soft-boil the eggs by lowering them into boiling water and cooking for exactly 6 1/2 minutes, then transferring to an ice bath; once cool, peel and marinate them in the reserved chashu braising liquid for at least 2 hours.
- Strain the finished broth through a fine-mesh sieve, discarding the solids, and season with 1 tablespoon salt and toasted sesame oil, adjusting to taste; the broth should look pale, milky, and taste deeply porky.
- Cook the ramen noodles in a separate pot of boiling water according to package directions, about 1 to 2 minutes for fresh noodles, until springy but cooked through.
- Divide the hot broth among 4 large bowls, add a portion of drained noodles to each, and top with sliced chashu, a halved marinated egg, bean sprouts, nori, and sliced scallions.
- Serve immediately while the broth is piping hot.
Why You'll Love This
- Rich, milky-white broth from a full day of simmering pork bones
- Tender braised chashu pork and a jammy marinated egg
- An authentic ramen shop experience at home
The initial hard boil-and-rinse of the raw bones is not optional - it removes impurities that would otherwise make the broth taste gamey and look muddy instead of clean and white.
Keep the broth at a rolling boil, not a simmer, for most of the cook time; the vigorous agitation is what emulsifies the collagen and fat into that signature cloudy tonkotsu color.
Nutrition
| Calories | 780 |
| Protein | 42 g |
| Fat | 40 g |
| Carbs | 58 g |
| Fiber | 2 g |
| Sodium | 1850 mg |
Estimated per serving
