Tonkotsu Ramen (Japanese Pork Bone Ramen)
An authentic Japanese tonkotsu ramen made with a rich, milky broth simmered for hours from pork bones, topped with sweet-savory braised chashu pork and a soft-boiled egg. No instant soup base — just bones and aromatics deliver deep, savory umami.
Ingredients
Main
- Pork belly400 g
- Soft-boiled egg2
Broth
- Pork bones1 kg
- Green onion1 stalk
- Garlic5 cloves
- Ginger1 piece
- Bay leaves2 slices
- Whole peppercorns1 tsp
- Cooking wine2 tbsp
- Miso paste1 tbsp
- SaltA little
Toppings
- Ramen noodles2 servings
- Onion1/2
- Cheongyang chili peppers1
- Enoki mushrooms1 handful
- Bean sprouts1 handful
- ChivesA little
Chashu Sauce
- Soy sauce4 tbsp
- Sugar2 tbsp
- Cooking wine2 tbsp
- Black pepperA little
- Ginger powderA little
- Garlic2 cloves
- Cheongyang chili peppers1
- Green onion1 stalk
Directions
- 1
Soak the pork bones in cold water for at least 1 hour to draw out the blood and impurities.
- 2
Bring a pot of water to a boil and blanch the bones briefly, then discard the cloudy water and rinse the bones clean.
- 3
Refill the pot with fresh water, add bay leaves, ginger, garlic, whole peppercorns, cooking wine, and green onion, and simmer gently for about 2 hours to make the broth.
- 4
After about 2 hours you'll have a rich, milky-white broth. Skim off the fat floating on top to keep the flavor clean.
- 5
Prepare the ingredients for the chashu: pork belly, garlic, cheongyang chili peppers, and green onion.
- 6
In a pan, combine cooking wine, black pepper, ginger powder, soy sauce, sugar, and water to make the chashu braising sauce.
- 7
Add all the chashu ingredients to the sauce and simmer gently over low heat.
- 8
Turn the pork occasionally so it browns evenly and doesn't burn.
- 9
Once it's glossy and well seasoned all the way through, the chashu is ready.
- 10
Prepare the ramen toppings — onion, cheongyang chili pepper, enoki mushrooms, bean sprouts, and chives — and boil the eggs until soft-boiled.
- 11
Transfer the finished pork bone broth to a pot.
- 12
Stir in the miso paste and season with salt to taste.
- 13
Add the onion to the broth first and bring it back to a boil.
- 14
Once the onion has softened a bit, add the cooked ramen noodles and cheongyang chili pepper.
- 15
About a minute before turning off the heat, add the enoki mushrooms and bean sprouts to keep their crisp texture.
- 16
Ladle into a bowl and top with the chashu, chives, and a soft-boiled egg to finish.
Tips
Soak the pork bones in cold water and give them a quick initial blanch to remove impurities — this is the key to a clean-tasting, milky-white broth. Simmer the chashu slowly over low heat so it doesn't burn and the seasoning soaks all the way through.