Ramen Recipe

Roast and blanch bones

Preheat oven to 220°C (430°F). Spread beef bones and beef chuck on a baking sheet and roast for 30–40 minutes until browned. Transfer bones to a large stockpot, cover with cold water and bring to a rolling boil for 10 minutes to release impurities. Drain and discard blanching water; rinse bones and pot to remove scum.

Start the stock

Return roasted bones and browned beef pieces to the clean stockpot. Add 5 liters of fresh cold water. Add halved unpeeled onion, carrot, celery, smashed garlic, smashed ginger, kombu (if using), dried shiitake (20 g), bay leaves and peppercorns. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.

Simmer and skim

Reduce heat to maintain a very gentle simmer (barely moving bubbles). Simmer uncovered for 6–8 hours, occasionally skimming surface foam and fat with a ladle or skimmer. During the last hour, add 2 tsp salt. If you prefer a clearer broth, strain through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth after simmering.

Finish and reserve

Strain the broth into a clean pot. Remove solids and discard or reserve any tender beef pieces for another use. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt. If broth is too weak, reduce by simmering uncovered until desired intensity. Reserve 500 ml of broth to use in the pork braise if desired.

Prepare pork belly

Cut the pork belly into 6–8 cm pieces (or leave as a slab). Pat dry and score the skin lightly if present. Season lightly with salt.

Sear

In a heavy skillet or pot, heat a small amount of neutral oil over medium-high heat. Sear pork belly pieces on all sides until golden brown and some fat renders, about 6–8 minutes.

Braise

Transfer seared pork to a saucepan large enough to hold pieces in a single layer. Add soy sauce (120 ml), mirin (60 ml), sake (60 ml), brown sugar (30 g), smashed garlic (4 cloves), sliced ginger (30 g), dried shiitake (6 pieces) and 500 ml water or reserved broth. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low and cover partially. Braise for 1.5–2 hours, turning once or twice, until pork is tender and the liquid has reduced to a glossy sauce. If using reserved broth, the pork will pick up more meat flavor.

Cool and slice

Remove pork from braising liquid and let rest 10 minutes. Slice into 6–8 mm slices. If making ahead, keep in braising liquid to stay moist and rewarm gently before serving.

Prepare shiitake

If using dried shiitake from stock or braise, rehydrate earlier in warm water and reserve soaking liquid (can be added to broth for extra umami). For fresh shiitake (200 g), heat 1 tsp sesame oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, add sliced shiitake and sauté until golden and tender, 4–6 minutes. Add 1 tsp soy sauce toward the end and toss. Remove and keep warm.

Prep garnishes

Thinly slice scallions, separate whites (to be cooked briefly in the broth) and greens (for garnish). Cut nori into strips, blanch bean sprouts if using, and prepare soft-boiled eggs (cook 6–7 minutes in boiling water then cool in ice bath and marinate if desired).

Prepare tare

Warm 80 ml light soy sauce tare (combine soy sauce with a touch of mirin or sake if you like). For miso variation, dissolve 40 g miso in a small amount of warm broth until smooth. Place about 1–2 tablespoons (15–30 ml) of tare in each serving bowl depending on desired saltiness and flavor intensity.

Assemble and finish bowls

Bring strained meat broth back to a rolling simmer. Cook fresh ramen noodles in a separate pot of rapidly boiling water according to package instructions (usually 1–3 minutes for fresh, 3–5 for dried). While noodles cook, ladle 500–600 ml hot broth into each bowl over the tare to dissolve it and flavor the soup. Quickly add drained noodles to the bowl.

Top each bowl with sliced braised pork belly (2–3 slices per serving), sautéed shiitake, scallion whites, nori strips, menma if using, blanched bean sprouts, toasted sesame seeds and one soft-boiled egg halved. Drizzle a few drops of chili oil or sprinkle shichimi togarashi if desired. Finish with a small drizzle of sesame oil or flavored oil (chicken oil) for richness.

Ensure all components are hot and taste the final bowl; adjust with a little extra tare or salt if needed. Serve immediately so noodles remain springy and toppings warm.