Tonkotsu Ramen

About This Recipe

Tonkotsu Ramen (豚骨ラーメン) is the richest and most intensely flavoured of Japan's regional ramen styles, born in Fukuoka (Hakata) on the southern island of Kyushu in the 1940s. Its defining feature is the broth: pork trotters and knuckle bones are boiled at a vigorous, rolling boil for many hours — unlike the gentler simmer used for clear broths — which emulsifies the collagen and fat into a rich, opaque, almost creamy liquid of extraordinary depth. Thin, straight Hakata-style noodles are served with the noodles cooked to a firm 'kata' (hard) texture, topped with slices of melt-in-the-mouth chashu braised pork belly, a soy-marinated soft-boiled egg (ajitsuke tamago), bamboo shoots, nori and a swirl of fragrant garlic-infused fat. Tonkotsu ramen has become globally beloved and spawned a worldwide ramen restaurant culture.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1.5 kgpork trotters or knuckle bones(blanched and cleaned)
• 500 gpork belly(for chashu)
• 400 gthin straight ramen noodles(Hakata-style)
• 4eggs(for soft-boiled marinated eggs)
• 4 tablespoonssoy sauce
• 2 tablespoonsmirin
• 2 tablespoonssake
• 1 tablespoonsugar
• 6 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 3 cmfresh ginger(sliced)
• 4 tablespoonstare (seasoning sauce)(soy sauce tare: combine 60ml soy, 30ml mirin, 30ml sake, simmered together)
• 2 tablespoonstoasted sesame seeds
• 4 sheetsnori seaweed
• 100 gmenma (bamboo shoots)(rinsed and drained)
• 4spring onions(finely sliced)

Instructions

1. 1

   Blanch and prepare the bones

   Blanch the pork bones in boiling water for 10 minutes. Drain, scrub off any black or dark matter under cold running water. This produces a cleaner-tasting final broth.

   Thorough cleaning of the bones after blanching is the most tedious but most important step — skip it and the broth will have an unpleasant gamey undertone.

2. 2

   Make the chashu

   Roll the pork belly tightly and tie with kitchen twine. Combine soy sauce, mirin, sake and sugar in a small saucepan and heat until the sugar dissolves. Sear the pork roll in oil until browned all over, then simmer in the tare liquid with enough water to half-submerge it, covered, for 1.5 hours until tender. Cool in the liquid and refrigerate. Slice when cold.

3. 3

   Simmer the broth

   Place the cleaned bones in a large pot. Cover with water and bring to a vigorous, rolling boil. Maintain this vigorous boil — not a gentle simmer — for 4–5 hours, adding more hot water as needed to keep the bones submerged. The broth will turn milky white and opaque. Add ginger and half the garlic after 2 hours.

4. 4

   Prepare the marinated eggs

   Soft-boil the eggs for exactly 6.5 minutes in boiling water, then refresh in ice water and peel carefully. Marinate in equal parts soy sauce, mirin and water overnight or for at least 4 hours.

5. 5

   Strain and season the broth

   Strain the finished broth through a fine sieve, pressing the bones to extract as much liquid as possible. Season with salt to taste. The broth should be thick, creamy and intensely porky.

6. 6

   Cook noodles and assemble

   Cook the ramen noodles for 1.5–2 minutes until just al dente (Hakata style is served firm). Place tare (1 tablespoon per bowl) in each serving bowl. Add hot broth and stir to combine. Add the noodles, 2–3 slices of chashu, a halved marinated egg, bamboo shoots, spring onions, nori and a sprinkle of sesame seeds.

Variations

• •

  Spicy tonkotsu (karaka ramen) adds a spoonful of karaka (spicy sesame paste) to the bowl.

• •

  Shio tonkotsu uses a salt-based tare for a cleaner, less soy-forward flavour.

Storage

The broth keeps for 5 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer. Chashu keeps for 5 days refrigerated. Assemble bowls fresh.

Frequently Asked Questions