Katsuobushi Pork Ramen Recipe

Roast bones (optional but recommended)

Preheat oven to 220°C. Spread pork bones on a roasting tray and roast 30–40 minutes until browned to develop flavor. Transfer bones to a large stockpot.

Place roasted bones and pork trotters in a large stockpot. Add 5 liters cold water and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Skim foam and impurities frequently for the first 30–45 minutes to keep broth clear.

After initial simmer and skimming, add halved onion, leek, smashed garlic, and sliced ginger. Reduce heat to low and simmer very gently (barely bubbling) for 6–8 hours. Top up with water as needed to keep bones submerged.

30 minutes before finishing simmer, add kombu. Do not boil vigorously after kombu addition to avoid bitterness. Remove kombu after 10 minutes if desired.

Strain broth through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a clean pot, discarding solids. Return broth to a gentle simmer. Add soy sauce, mirin, sake, and 40 g katsuobushi. Simmer gently for 5 minutes, then remove from heat and let steep 5–10 minutes to infuse smoky bonito flavor.

Strain again to remove katsuobushi solids. Taste and season with salt (about 2 tsp) and additional soy/mirin if needed. Keep broth hot until serving. Estimated yield should be ~4–4.5 liters of finished broth.

Roll the pork belly into a tight log and tie with kitchen twine at 2–3 cm intervals to maintain shape (optional). Sear the pork belly in a hot skillet, browning all sides to develop caramelized flavor, about 6–8 minutes total.

Transfer seared pork belly to a pot. Add 120 ml soy sauce, 80 ml mirin, 80 ml sake, 400 ml water, 50 g brown sugar, smashed garlic, sliced ginger, and scallion pieces. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover partially and braise for 1.5–2 hours until fork-tender and the liquid is reduced and slightly syrupy.

Once tender, remove pork and let rest 20 minutes. Strain and reserve braising liquid. Chill pork (optional) to firm for neater slicing. Slice pork belly into 6–8 mm thick rounds for plating. Reheat slices briefly in warmed reserved braising liquid before serving to refresh glaze and heat through.

Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil. Lower 6 large eggs into boiling water and cook for exactly 6 minutes for jammy, set whites and soft-custard yolks. Adjust to 6:30 for slightly firmer yolks.

Prepare marinade by combining 100 ml soy sauce, 50 ml mirin, 50 ml water, and 1 tsp sugar in a container just large enough to hold peeled eggs submerged.

Immediately transfer cooked eggs to an ice bath to stop cooking for 5 minutes. Peel shells carefully. Place peeled eggs in marinade and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours, turning occasionally for even color. Before serving, remove eggs and slice in half lengthwise.

If using frozen or fresh ramen noodles, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Cook noodles according to package instructions (typically 1–3 minutes for fresh, 3–5 minutes for frozen), stirring to separate, until al dente. Drain and rinse briefly only if specified by noodle type; otherwise drain well and keep warm.

Warm bamboo shoots and corn: heat a small pan over medium heat with a tsp of neutral oil, add bamboo shoots and sauté 1–2 minutes, then add corn and warm through 1–2 minutes. Optionally season lightly with a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of the reserved braising liquid or soy for flavor.

Thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens. Toast sesame seeds lightly in a dry pan until fragrant (30–60 seconds). Cut nori into halves or quarters and keep ready for plating.

Reheat pork broth to a vigorous hot but not boiling temperature. Taste and adjust seasoning. If the broth separated or congealed, whisk briefly to homogenize.

Place approximately 100 g cooked noodles into each bowl (yielding about 6 servings from 600 g noodles). Ladle 500–700 ml hot pork broth over the noodles, enough to cover and create a good soup-to-noodle ratio.

Arrange toppings: 3–4 slices of braised pork belly per bowl, one halved marinated egg, 2–3 tablespoons bamboo shoots, 2–3 tablespoons corn, a small handful of scallion whites and greens, one piece of nori on the side, and a light sprinkling of toasted sesame seeds.

Finish each bowl with about 1–2 g (a pinch) of finishing katsuobushi on top so the steam will release smoky aroma. Drizzle 1/4 tsp sesame oil if desired and offer shichimi togarashi on the side for heat. Serve immediately.