Experience the soul-warming comfort of authentic Japanese shoyu ramen, with its rich soy-based broth, perfectly tender noodles, and a harmonious blend of umami flavors. This classic dish features a deeply savory tonkotsu-inspired broth elevated by aromatic soy sauce, topped with succulent chashu pork, soft-boiled eggs, and fresh vegetables for a restaurant-quality meal that brings the bustling streets of Tokyo to your home.
⏱️285 min
📊Hard
👥4 servings
🍽️Soup
meatfamily
Ingredients
1500 gpork bones and joints
500 gchicken bones
150 mlsoy sauce (shoyu)
100 mlmirin
100 mlsake
10 gkombu seaweed
6 piecesdried shiitake mushrooms
50 gfresh ginger
6 piecesgarlic cloves
4 piecesgreen onions (scallions)
600 gpork belly
4 pieceseggs
400 gramen noodles (alkaline)
4 piecesnori seaweed sheets
100 gmenma (bamboo shoots)
15 gsesame seeds
Instructions
1PREPARE THE BONES: Blanch the pork and chicken bones in boiling water for 5 minutes to remove impurities, then drain and rinse thoroughly under cold running water until the water runs clear. Pat the bones dry with paper towels. This crucial step ensures a clean, clear broth rather than a cloudy one. Remove any remaining meat scraps or blood clots carefully.
2BUILD THE BROTH BASE: In a large stockpot, add 3 liters of water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the cleaned bones, kombu seaweed, and dried shiitake mushrooms, then reduce heat to medium-low and maintain a gentle simmer. Add smashed ginger pieces and garlic cloves for aromatic depth. Skim off any foam or impurities that rise to the surface every 30 minutes during the first hour of cooking. Simmer uncovered for 4-5 hours minimum, allowing the bones to release their collagen and create a rich, gelatinous broth.
3PREPARE THE CHASHU PORK: While the broth simmers, pat dry a 600g pork belly and sear it skin-side down in a hot skillet for 8-10 minutes until the skin is deeply caramelized and crackling. Flip and sear the meat side for another 4-5 minutes until golden brown. Transfer to a separate small pot and add enough broth from the stockpot to cover the pork halfway. Add 50ml soy sauce, 50ml mirin, and 50ml sake, then bring to a simmer and cook for 90 minutes until the meat is fork-tender and the glaze reduces to a glossy coating.
4CREATE THE SHOYU TARE: In a small bowl, combine 150ml soy sauce, 100ml mirin, 100ml sake, and 2 tablespoons of the hot broth, whisking until fully incorporated. Taste the mixture and adjust seasoning to balance saltiness with the natural sweetness of mirin—it should be intensely flavorful as it will be diluted in the final bowl. This concentrated flavor base is what gives shoyu ramen its signature taste.
5PREPARE THE SOFT-BOILED EGGS: Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil and carefully lower 4 large eggs into the water using a spoon. Cook for exactly 6.5 minutes for jammy, runny yolks with set whites, or 7 minutes for slightly firmer yolks—timing is critical for achieving the signature ajitsuke tamago texture. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the eggs to an ice bath immediately to stop the cooking process. Once cooled, carefully peel under cool running water and halve them lengthwise.
6COOK THE NOODLES AND ASSEMBLE: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the ramen noodles according to package directions, usually 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Drain the noodles in a colander and rinse briefly with warm water to remove excess starch. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth into a clean pot, discarding the solids. Heat the broth to just below boiling and divide the shoyu tare among four large ramen bowls, then ladle approximately 750ml of hot broth into each bowl.
7FINAL PLATING AND GARNISHING: Distribute the cooked noodles evenly among the four bowls, allowing them to nestle into the broth. Slice the chashu pork into ¼-inch thick pieces and arrange 2-3 slices on top of each bowl, draping them artfully. Top each bowl with a soft-boiled egg half, a small handful of menma bamboo shoots, a piece of nori seaweed rolled slightly, thin slices of green onion, and a light sprinkle of white and black sesame seeds. Serve immediately while the broth is still steaming hot, as ramen is best enjoyed at peak temperature.