Tonkotsu Ramen Recipe

Prep and blanch bones

Place pork bones in a large stockpot and cover with cold water. Bring to a vigorous boil for 10 minutes to remove impurities. Drain and discard the blanching water. Rinse bones and pot to remove scum.

Simmer long and hard

Return cleaned bones to the pot and add 5 liters of fresh cold water. Add halved onion, crushed garlic, smashed ginger, rinsed leek, and dried shiitake. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat, then reduce to maintain a vigorous simmer (a steady bubbling is desirable for tonkotsu to emulsify fat). Skim any surface foam for the first 30–60 minutes.

Cook time

Simmer uncovered for 6–8 hours, occasionally stirring and skimming. For an extremely milky broth simmer up to 12 hours; add water as needed to keep bones submerged. The broth should turn opaque and rich.

Season and strain

About 30 minutes before finishing, season the broth with 2 tbs kosher salt, 3 tbs soy sauce, and 1 tbs mirin. Remove large solids and strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth into a clean pot. Keep hot.

Combine 4 tbs soy sauce, 2 tbs mirin, and 1 tbs sake in a small saucepan. Add kombu and bring just to a gentle simmer (do not boil), remove kombu after 5 minutes. Add bonito flakes, simmer for 1 minute, then remove from heat and steep for 5 minutes. Strain out bonito flakes. Taste and adjust — this concentrated tare will be used to season each bowl (about 1–2 tbs per bowl).

Roll and sear (optional)

If your pork belly is not already rolled, roll it tightly and tie with kitchen twine. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and sear all sides until browned to develop flavor (2–3 minutes per side).

Braise

In a pot large enough to hold the rolled belly snugly, combine 1 cup soy sauce, 1 cup mirin, 1 cup sake, 1 cup water, 2 tbs sugar, 4 smashed garlic cloves, ginger slices, and green onion pieces. Add the seared pork belly, bring to a simmer, then cover and cook gently for 1.5–2 hours, turning occasionally, until very tender.

Cool and slice

Remove pork from braising liquid and let cool in the liquid if time allows (this helps flavor). Chill until firm (30–60 minutes) so it slices neatly. Slice into 1/4-inch rounds when ready to serve. Reserve some braising liquid to warm the slices or add a splash to bowls.

Ajitsuke Tamago (marinated soft egg)

Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil and carefully lower large eggs. Boil for 6:30 to 7:00 minutes for jammy yolks (adjust by altitude). Immediately transfer eggs to an ice bath with 1 tsp rice vinegar to stop cooking. Once cool, peel gently. Place peeled eggs in a zip-top bag or container with 1/2 cup soy sauce and 1/2 cup mirin (or use reserved chashu braising liquid thinned 1:1 with water). Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Cook noodles

Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil. Cook fresh ramen noodles according to package directions (usually 90–120 seconds) or dried noodles per package until al dente. Drain and rinse briefly under hot water if needed to remove excess starch. Keep warm and portion into bowls just before serving.

Warm bowls by filling with hot water for a minute, then discard water. Place 1–2 tbs tare in the bottom of each bowl (adjust to taste). Ladle about 2 cups (480 ml) of hot tonkotsu broth into each bowl over the tare and stir gently to combine.

Add drained cooked noodles to each bowl. Arrange 2–3 slices of chashu on top, halve a marinated soft egg and place it cut-side up, add menma, a sheet of nori tucked into the side, and scatter sliced green onions. Drizzle 1 tsp sesame oil and sprinkle toasted sesame seeds and a small pinch of white pepper. Add pickled ginger if desired.

Serve immediately while hot. Provide extra tare, chili oil, or chili paste at the table for seasoning.