Shoyu Ramen Broth Recipe

Ingredients

  1. Kombu dashi and tare:
    • 2 pieces dried kombu
    • 1/2 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
    • 2 tablespoons dry sake
    • 1 tablespoon mirin
  2. Pork and stock:
    • 1 1/2 pounds boneless pork shoulder
    • Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
    • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
    • 2 pounds chicken necks, backs, and/or wings
    • 1 pound pork spareribs
    • 2 bunches scallions, chopped
    • 2 carrots, peeled, cut into pieces
    • 1 head of garlic, halved horizontally
    • 1 1″ piece ginger, peeled, sliced
  3. Ramen and garnishes:
    • 6 5-ounce packages fresh thin and wavy ramen noodles (or six 3-ounce packages dried)
    • 1/2 cup menma (fermented bamboo shoots)
    • 6 scallions, thinly sliced

Preparation

  1. Two days ahead
    1. MAKE KOMBU DASHI AND TARE
      The stock’s complexity comes from two elements: kombu dashi (a broth) and tare (a soybased mixture).* For the dashi, combine kombu and 4 quarts cold water in a large bowl. Cover and let sit at room temperature at least 8 hours and up to 12 hours. For the tare, combine soy sauce, sake, and mirin in a small bowl; cover and chill.
  2. One day ahead
    1. PREP PORK SHOULDER
      Season pork shoulder with salt and pepper. Roll up and tie with kitchen twine at 2″ intervals. (This helps keep the meat intact while cooking and makes for round, compact slices.).
    2. COOK PORK SHOULDER AND MAKE STOCK
      Heat oil in a large heavy pot (at least 8 quarts) over medium-high heat. Cook pork shoulder, turning, until brown all over, 10-12 minutes. Add chicken, spareribs, scallions, carrots, garlic, ginger, and bonito flakes. Add kombu from dashi. Add as much kombu dashi as will fit in pot once liquid is boiling (reserve remaining dashi). Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, skimming the surface occasionally and adding remaining dashi as liquid reduces, until pork shoulder is tender and stock has reduced to about 2 quarts, 2 1/2-3 hours.
    3. CHILL PORK SHOULDER AND STOCK
      Remove pork shoulder from stock and let cool. Wrap tightly in plastic and chill until ready to use. (Chilling pork will make meat easier to slice.) Strain stock through a fine-mesh sieve into another large pot or a large bowl or container; discard solids (including ribs and chicken). Cover and chill.
  3. Day of
    1. SLICE PORK
      Remove string and thinly slice pork; cover and set aside.
    2. REHEAT STOCK AND COOK NOODLES
      When ready to serve, bring stock to a simmer; it should be very hot.
    3. At the same time, cook noodles in a large pot of boiling water according to package directions until al dente; drain (no need to salt the water, as ramen noodles contain more salt than pasta).