Back-Fat Tonkotsu Shoyu Ramen

Instructions

1. 1

   Roll and tie the chashu

   Roll the pork shoulder into a compact cylinder and secure it with kitchen twine.

2. 2

   Braise the chashu

   Place it in a saucepan with the water, soy sauce, sake, mirin, sugar, garlic, ginger, and scallions. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover partially, and cook for 75 to 90 minutes, turning the pork every 20 minutes.

3. 3

   Chill the chashu

   Remove from the heat and let the pork cool in the braising liquid. Refrigerate until firm, preferably overnight, then slice thinly.

4. 4

   Boil the eggs

   Bring a saucepan of water to a boil. Carefully lower in the eggs and cook for 7 minutes.

5. 5

   Shock and peel the eggs

   Transfer them immediately to ice water. Peel once cold.

6. 6

   Marinate the eggs

   Strain 1 cup of the chashu braising liquid and combine it with 1 cup water. Marinate the eggs in the mixture for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.

7. 7

   Blanch the bones

   Place the pork bones, pork feet, and chicken in a large pot. Cover with cold water and bring to a hard boil. Boil for 10 minutes, then drain.

8. 8

   Scrub the bones

   Rinse the bones thoroughly, scrubbing away any dark blood or gray residue. Wash the pot before continuing.

9. 9

   Pressure-cook the bones

   Place the cleaned bones and chicken in an 8-quart pressure cooker with 10 cups water. Do not fill the cooker beyond its maximum line; work in two batches if necessary. Cook at high pressure for 90 minutes, followed by a 20-minute natural release.

10. 10

    Boil the broth

    Transfer the broth and bones to a large stockpot. Add the onion, garlic, ginger, and scallion whites. Boil uncovered for 40 to 50 minutes, stirring occasionally and breaking up the softened bones where possible.

11. 11

    Keep the boil vigorous

    Keep the boil fairly vigorous. The agitation helps the rendered fat and collagen combine with the liquid, producing the cloudy, creamy broth.

12. 12

    Strain the broth

    Strain through a fine-mesh sieve. You should have approximately 6 cups. Add water if you have less, or continue boiling if the broth is too diluted.

13. 13

    Simmer the back fat

    Place the fatback in a small saucepan and cover it with water. Simmer for 75 to 90 minutes, until extremely soft.

14. 14

    Mince the back fat

    Drain and mince it finely, leaving a few small pieces about the size of coarse breadcrumbs. The softened fat creates the small, rich granules floating across the surface of the broth.

15. 15

    Make the tare

    Combine the soy sauce, mirin, sake, salt, sugar, MSG, and white pepper in a small saucepan.

16. 16

    Cook the tare

    Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

17. 17

    Make the garlic-soy paste

    Combine the garlic, soy sauce, mirin, miso, sugar, and optional chili flakes in a small saucepan.

18. 18

    Cook the garlic-soy paste

    Cook over low heat for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring constantly, until thick and slightly darkened. Do not let the garlic burn.

19. 19

    Warm the bowls

    Warm four serving bowls by filling them with boiling water. Let them stand while you cook the noodles, then empty and dry them.

20. 20

    Cook the noodles

    Bring the broth to a full boil. Cook the noodles according to their package instructions and drain thoroughly.

21. 21

    Season each bowl

    Add 2 tablespoons shoyu tare, 1 to 1½ tablespoons minced back fat, 1 teaspoon garlic-soy paste, and 1½ cups boiling broth to each bowl.

22. 22

    Combine and taste

    Whisk briefly to combine. Taste the broth and add another teaspoon or two of tare if needed.

23. 23

    Finish the bowls

    Add the noodles, then arrange the chashu, half an egg, menma, nori, and scallions on top. Finish with black pepper and another small spoonful of back fat for a richer bowl.