Tonkotsu Ramen
A full from-scratch ramen build: long-simmered pork bone broth, chashu pork belly and chicken thighs braised in tare, marinated soft eggs, and whatever toppings you have. Serves 4–6. Plan for two days — broth and chashu the day before, assembly the day of.
Broth
A 12+ hour pork bone simmer. The longer it goes, the richer and more milky it gets from collagen emulsification.
Ingredients
| Amount | Ingredient |
|---|---|
| 2–3 lbs | pork bones (neck bones, knuckles, trotters) |
| 2–3 | chicken backs or wings |
| 4–5 slices | fresh ginger, thick (char in dry pan first) |
| 4–5 cloves | garlic, smashed |
| 1 piece (4–6 in) | kombu |
| 3–4 whole | dried shiitake mushrooms |
| 3–4 whole | dried porcini mushrooms |
| handful | green onion tops |
Method
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Blanch the bones first — cover pork bones and chicken with cold water, bring to a full boil for 10 minutes. Dump everything, rinse bones and pot. This removes blood and scum and is not optional.
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Return bones to the clean pot, cover with fresh cold water by a few inches. Add kombu, dried mushrooms, ginger, garlic, and green onion tops.
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Bring to a hard boil and keep it there for the first 1–2 hours — this is what makes the broth go milky white as collagen emulsifies. Then reduce to a strong simmer.
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Simmer 10–12 hours minimum, checking water level every couple of hours and topping up with hot water from a kettle (not cold — it shocks the broth). A splash of sake is welcome.
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Overnight option: set to the lowest simmer that still has visible bubbling, lid cracked (wooden spoon across the pot works). Electric stoves cycle on and off — check before bed that it’s still at a gentle bubble.
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Strain through a fine mesh strainer while hot. Skim fat, or refrigerate and lift the solid fat cap off the next day (easier and you can save the fat).
Notes on mushrooms
Dried porcini and shiitake together are complementary — shiitake is delicate, porcini is deeper and earthier. Both are loaded with glutamates. Dried mushrooms last years if kept dry and dark; they’re fine even if old.
Tare (Braising / Seasoning Liquid)
The tare is both the braising liquid for the chashu and the seasoning concentrate for each bowl (a few tablespoons in the bottom before ladling broth). It’s also the egg marinade. One batch does all three jobs.
| Amount | Ingredient |
|---|---|
| ½ cup | soy sauce |
| ½ cup | mirin |
| ¼ cup | sake |
| 2 tbsp | sugar |
| 1 cup | water |
| 3–4 cloves | garlic, smashed |
| 3–4 slices | fresh ginger |
| handful | green onion tops |
Combine everything and bring to a simmer before adding the chashu to braise.
Leftover tare keeps for weeks in the fridge and freezes well. Reuse as a glaze for chicken or salmon, stir fry sauce, or future chashu braises — it gets better each time (a perpetual “master tare”).
Chashu Pork Belly
| Amount | Ingredient |
|---|---|
| 1–2 lbs | pork belly, skin-on preferred |
| — | kitchen twine |
| — | tare (see above) |
Method
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Roll the belly tightly lengthwise, skin-side out. Tie with kitchen twine every inch, cinching it down firmly like a beef tenderloin.
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Sear all sides including the ends in a hot pan with a little oil until browned. Don’t skip — this builds flavor and helps it hold together.
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Add tare to the pan and bring to a simmer. Cover and braise on low, 2 hours, turning every 30 minutes.
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Let the belly cool in the braising liquid. Refrigerate overnight in the liquid — the cold belly slices much more cleanly and the flavor deepens.
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Next day: pull the belly out, slice cold into rounds (~8–10mm for ramen, thicker is more rustic). Put eggs in the liquid to marinate.
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Before serving, sear slices in a very hot dry pan — the tare sugars caramelize into a lacquered, crispy edge.
Chicken Thighs (Optional)
Boneless skinless thighs can braise alongside the belly in the same tare. Add them in the last 45–60 minutes of the belly’s braise — they cook faster and will get rubbery if overdone. Cool and refrigerate in the liquid same as the belly. Slice cold for topping.
Marinated Soft Eggs (Ajitsuke Tamago)
| Amount | Ingredient |
|---|---|
| 4–6 | eggs |
| — | leftover tare, diluted slightly with water |
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Bring a pot of water to a full boil. Lower eggs in gently and cook exactly 6½ minutes for a jammy yolk. Transfer immediately to an ice bath for 5 minutes, then peel.
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Place peeled eggs in the leftover chashu braising liquid. Marinate in the fridge 6–8 hours (overnight is fine). The whites will turn amber and the yolk will be seasoned through.
Assembly
Per bowl:
- Add 2–3 tbsp tare to the bottom of a warmed bowl.
- Ladle in hot broth and stir to combine — taste and adjust tare as needed.
- Add cooked ramen noodles.
- Arrange toppings: chashu slices (freshly seared), halved marinated egg, bok choy, corn, bean sprouts, nori, sliced green onion, shiitake mushrooms.
- Finish with crunchy garlic chili oil or a drizzle of sesame oil.
Do not season the broth directly — all seasoning is controlled through the tare at the bowl level. Every bowl can be adjusted individually.
Other Uses for the Broth
- Rice — cook in broth instead of water (50/50 with water so it’s not overpowering). Rich and slightly sticky.
- Udon or soba — season with tare, different noodle same great base.
- Braising — short ribs, pork shoulder, or chicken thighs. The collagen accelerates breakdown.
- Congee — rice cooked long and slow in broth until it breaks down into porridge. Top with a soft egg, green onion, sesame oil. Exceptional with tonkotsu broth.
- French onion soup — caramelized onion soup made with this broth instead of beef stock. Gruyère toast on top.
Canning the Broth
Pressure can at 11–14 PSI for 25 minutes (quart jars). Leave 1 inch headspace. Label Tonkotsu Broth — [month year]. Shelf stable 1+ year. Makes weeknight ramen a realistic option.