Ramen

Tonkotsu Ramen with Chashu and Soft Egg

A deeply savoury bowl of springy noodles in a rich, creamy pork broth, topped with meltingly tender chashu, a marinated soft egg and fresh scallions. This home version uses a simplified but authentic tonkotsu-style broth.

Prep

30 min

Cook

240 min

Total

270 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Hard

Recipe ingredients

• •1.2 kg (2 lb 10 oz) pork neck bones or trotters, saw into 5 cm pieces by the butcher
• •500 g (1 lb 2 oz) chicken carcass or wings, chopped into large pieces
• •1 whole onion, halved
• •1 whole leek, white part only, halved lengthwise
• •6 cloves garlic, smashed
• •5 cm (2 in) fresh ginger, sliced
• •3 L (3 quarts) cold water, or as needed to cover
• •500 g (1 lb 2 oz) pork belly, skin on, rolled or whole
• •100 ml (3½ fl oz) soy sauce, for chashu marinade
• •100 ml (3½ fl oz) mirin, for chashu marinade
• •50 ml (1¾ fl oz) sake, for chashu marinade
• •50 g (1¾ oz) granulated sugar, for chashu marinade
• •2 whole green onions, white parts only, for chashu marinade
• •4 whole large eggs, at room temperature
• •100 ml (3½ fl oz) soy sauce, for egg marinade
• •100 ml (3½ fl oz) mirin, for egg marinade
• •50 ml (1¾ fl oz) sake, for egg marinade
• •4 portions fresh ramen noodles, or 400g dried ramen noodles, cooked per packet
• •8 whole nori sheets, cut in half crosswise
• •100 g (3½ oz) menma (fermented bamboo shoots), optional, or use drained canned bamboo shoots
• •4 whole scallions, thinly sliced
• •1 tbsp white sesame seeds, toasted, for garnish
• •1 tsp chili oil (rayu), for serving, optional

Steps

1. 1 Make the chashu: place the pork belly in a large pot with the soy sauce, mirin, sake, sugar, green onion whites and enough water to cover by 2 cm. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a bare simmer and cook, partially covered, for 2–2½ hours until fork-tender. Remove the pork from the liquid, discard the solids, and let the pork cool completely. Refrigerate the marinade liquid for later use. Slice the cooled pork into 1 cm thick slices.
2. 2 Make the broth: rinse the pork bones and chicken carcass under cold water well. Place them in a large stockpot, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil for 5 minutes, then drain and rinse the bones thoroughly. Clean the pot, return the bones, and add the onion, leek, garlic, ginger, and the 3 L of cold water. Bring to a rolling boil, then reduce to a vigorous simmer (not a gentle bubble) and cook uncovered for 4 hours, skimming foam and fat occasionally. The broth should look cloudy and creamy. Add more water if it reduces too much. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, discard solids, and keep the broth hot.
3. 3 While the broth simmers, make the soft eggs: bring a small pot of water to a rolling boil. Gently lower the eggs in on a spoon and boil for 6½ minutes (for a set white and runny yolk). Immediately transfer to an ice bath and cool completely. Peel carefully. Combine the soy sauce, mirin, and sake for the egg marinade in a small container. Add the peeled eggs and let them marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours, turning occasionally. Store in the marinade until ready to use.
4. 4 Cook the noodles: bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the fresh ramen noodles according to the package instructions (usually 1–2 minutes for fresh, 4–5 for dried). Drain and divide among 4 large bowls.
5. 5 Assemble: reheat the chashu slices in the reserved marinade liquid (just a minute per side) and place 3–4 slices on each noodle bowl. Halve the eggs lengthwise and place 2 halves on each bowl. Add the menma (if using), a few nori sheets leaning against the bowl, and a generous scattering of scallions. Pour 700 ml of hot broth over each bowl (adjust to taste). Sprinkle with sesame seeds and add a drizzle of chili oil if desired. Serve immediately.
6. 6 Safety note for soft eggs: if you are concerned about salmonella, use pasteurized eggs or cook the eggs for 7 minutes to fully set the yolk. The eggs are safe for healthy individuals when the white is fully set, but the yolk remains soft.