Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Tonkotsu Broth Base
- 1000 g pork trotters (feet), split (ask butcher)
- 1500 g pork femurs (neck bones acceptable), cut into chunks
- 250 g pork back fat, solid block
- 2 yellow onion, whole, unpeeled
- 1 garlic head, halved horizontally
- 50 g fresh ginger, sliced thick
- 6000 ml water, cold
Rolled Chashu Pork
- 1000 g pork belly, slab, skin-on or off
- 250 ml soy sauce
- 120 ml sake
- 120 ml mirin
- 60 g sugar
- 4 green onions (scallions), rough chop
Spicy Miso Tare (Seasoning Base)
- 100 g red miso paste
- 40 g doubanjiang
- 15 ml sesame oil
- 10 g grated garlic, paste
Quick Rayu (Chili Oil)
- 120 ml neutral oil
- 20 g ichimi togarashi
- 5 g sichuan peppercorns, whole
Assembly
- 6 fresh ramen noodles, bundles
- 6 ajitama (marinated eggs), soft boiled
- 50 g wood ear mushrooms, dried
- 50 g green onions, finely sliced
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 2106 kcal
- Protein
- 43 g
- Carbohydrates
- 132 g
- Fat
- 164 g
- Fiber
- 13 g
- Sugar
- 26 g
- Sodium
- 3977 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 44 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 45 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 12 g
- Cholesterol
- 307 mg
- Potassium
- 1126 mg
- Calcium
- 189 mg
- Iron
- 18.5 mg
- Magnesium
- 176 mg
- Phosphorus
- 676 mg
- Zinc
- 5.8 mg
- Vitamin A
- 168 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 13 mg
- Vitamin D
- 1.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 2.7 mg
- Vitamin K
- 48 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 2.0 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.80 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.85 mg
- Niacin
- 9.6 mg
- Folate
- 57 mcg
- Water
- 1227 g
- Alcohol
- 3 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Prepare the bones (CRITICAL STEP): Place trotters and femurs in the large stockpot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil. Once boiling heavily, cook for 10 minutes to release scum and blood. Drain the pot completely. Scrub every bone thoroughly under cold running water to remove brown coagulated blood and marrow bits. Wash the pot.
Start the broth: Return clean bones to the clean pot. Add the pork back fat, onion, garlic, ginger, and the 6 liters of water. Bring to a high boil. Skim any remaining scum that rises in the first 20 minutes.
Emulsify the broth: Maintain a rapid, rolling boil for 10-12 hours. Cover the pot with a lid slightly ajar to reduce evaporation but keep heat high. Top up with boiling water periodically to keep bones submerged. The vigorous bubbling mixes the fat and gelatin, turning the broth opaque white.
Prepare Chashu: While broth boils, lay pork belly flat. Roll tightly into a log and secure with butcher's twine at 2cm intervals. Heat a pan and sear the log on all sides until golden brown.
Braise Chashu: Combine soy sauce, sake, mirin, sugar, and green onions in a pot just large enough to hold the pork. Add water if needed to mostly submerge. Simmer gently with a lid (or drop lid/parchment) for 2 hours until tender.
Make Spicy Tare: Mix red miso, doubanjiang, sesame oil, and grated garlic in a small bowl until a smooth paste forms. If too thick, thin with 1 tablespoon of chashu braising liquid.
Make Chili Oil: Place chili flakes and peppercorns in a heat-proof bowl. Heat neutral oil to 180°C. Carefully pour hot oil over spices. Let cool completely.
Finish Broth: After 12 hours, strain the broth through a fine mesh strainer. Discard solids. You should have a creamy white liquid. Keep hot.
Assemble: Boil noodles per package instructions (usually 2-3 mins). In each serving bowl, add 2 tablespoons Spicy Tare and 1 tablespoon Chili Oil. Pour in 350ml boiling broth and whisk to dissolve tare. Add drained noodles. Top with 2 slices chashu (torched if possible), half an egg, mushrooms, and green onions.
Chef's Notes
- The secret to a sticky, collagen-rich broth is the pork trotters. Do not substitute them with just leg bones or the broth will be thin.
- Real Tonkotsu is unseasoned. All the salt comes from the 'Tare' added to the bowl at the end. This allows you to adjust saltiness per person.
- If you have a pressure cooker, you can reduce broth time to 4 hours on high pressure, then boil open-lid for 1 hour to emulsify (whiten) it.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store broth and toppings in separate airtight containers. Fat will solidify on broth; reheat to re-emulsify.
Freezer: 3 months — Broth freezes perfectly. Chashu freezes well in its braising liquid.
Reheating: Reheat broth to a vigorous boil to re-emulsify the fat. Warm chashu gently in a pan or with a torch.
Troubleshooting
Broth is clear/brown, not white
Cause: Boil was not vigorous enough to emulsify fat
Fix: Take a portion of broth and fat, blend in a high-speed blender until white, return to pot.
Prevention: Maintain a heavy rolling boil
Broth tastes flat/watery
Cause: Not enough bones or boiled too short
Fix: Reduce broth volume by boiling longer to concentrate; add MSG or more tare.
Prevention: Use trotters/feet (high gelatin); boil longer
Chashu is dry/tough
Cause: Boiled too hard or removed from liquid while hot
Fix: Slice thin and let soak in hot soup before eating.
Prevention: Simmer gently; cool in liquid
Cultural Context
Tonkotsu (pork bone) ramen originated in Fukuoka (Hakata style) on the island of Kyushu. Traditionally served with thin, firm noodles and minimal toppings to highlight the rich broth.
