Shoyu Ramen Broth Recipe

Prepare kombu and mushrooms

Wipe kombu with a damp cloth (do not remove all white powder). Place kombu and dried shiitake in a large stockpot with 4 l cold water. Let soak 30 minutes to 1 hour to rehydrate and draw out umami.

Blanch bones (optional, for cleaner broth)

Put chicken wings/carcasses and pork bones in a separate pot, cover with cold water, bring to a rolling boil for 5 minutes, then drain and rinse bones under cold water to remove scum. This step reduces off-flavors and clarifies the final broth.

Combine and simmer

Add the blanched bones to the kombu/shiitake pot. Add ginger, halved onion, halved garlic cloves (no need to peel), and tied scallion whites. Gently bring to just under a simmer over medium heat. As soon as small bubbles form around the edges, remove the kombu (after ~40–50°C / 104–122°F or about 20–30 minutes of heating) to avoid bitterness.

Skim and maintain low simmer

After removing kombu, increase heat briefly to bring to a light boil, then reduce immediately to maintain a gentle simmer. Skim any scum that rises to the surface for the first 30–45 minutes. Continue to simmer gently, uncovered, for 3–4 hours to extract gelatin, collagen, and flavor from the bones.

Finish stock

About 20 minutes before finishing the stock, add the soaked shiitake back in if you removed them with the kombu; otherwise they can remain. After simmering 3–4 hours total, strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth into a clean pot or bowl. Press solids gently to extract liquid, then discard solids. Cool slightly, refrigerate to let fat rise if desired, and skim fat off the top, leaving behind a glossy, slightly gelatinous broth.

Combine tare ingredients

In a small saucepan, combine 100 ml water, dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, mirin, sake, granulated sugar, dried niboshi, and bonito flakes. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.

Simmer and steep

Simmer the mixture gently for 8–12 minutes to meld flavors. Do not boil vigorously. After simmering, remove from heat and let steep 10–15 minutes to extract maximum umami from the bonito and niboshi.

Strain and adjust

Strain the tare through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing on solids to release liquid. Taste and adjust: if too salty, dilute with a little hot water; if lacking depth, add 1–2 tsp additional dark soy or a pinch more sugar. The tare will be concentrated; a typical serving uses about 30–45 ml tare per bowl depending on desired saltiness.

Storage

Cool tare to room temperature and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or freeze in portions. Warm slightly before using so it blends smoothly into hot broth.

Assemble broth

Reheat strained stock to a gentle simmer. If stock is gelatinous from refrigeration, warm slowly until it becomes liquid and skim any excess separated fat if desired. Season the broth base with salt (start with the listed 10 g, adjust to taste) and the white pepper and sesame oil if using — remember tare contributes most of the salt and umami, so final seasoning is balance between tare and broth.

Build a bowl (serving guidance)

Place 30–45 ml shoyu tare into each serving bowl (adjust to taste). Ladle 450–500 ml hot broth over the tare and stir to combine. Taste and add additional tare, salt, or a few drops of sesame oil if needed. Garnish as desired with noodles, chashu pork, soft-boiled egg, menma, sliced scallions, nori, and toasted sesame seeds.