This delicious pork belly ramen recipe, will transport you to Japan. Pure comfort in a bowl, perfectly cooked chashu pork, served over noodles with an aromatic broth and delicious toppings, slurping goodness! Traditional ramen broth is developed over time in Japan, by ramen masters. Our homemade ramen doesn't take quite as long but allows time for the flavours to develop creating the all important delicious broth!
A perfect dish for enjoying with friends and family, let us walk you through how to recreate this Japanese classic.
Ramen soup is an amazing hearty Japanese soup dish, which is steeped in their history. It is extremely popular in Japan and now the rest of the world. When visiting Japan, wondering the many Ramen houses, the sights and smells coming from the kitchens were amazing. Back at home, I wanted to recreate a dish to share with you all, bringing these delicious flavours to your kitchen.
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Types of Ramen.
There are three types of traditional ramen, each one comes from a different region of Japan.
Tonkotsu, is made by boiling pig trotters, pig heads with ginger and garlic. Using the trotters and pigs head gives the broth a nice savoury gelatinous finished broth.
Shoyu, this ramen broth is usually chicken broth with the addition of soy sauce. This is the version most favoured by the Japanese.
Miso, originating from the Northern Hokkaido region of Japan where the weather is colder. With the addition of miso to the broth it develops heartier flavour and goes well with pork belly, mung beans.
Serve with a platter of homemade sushi, for a truly delicious Japanese feast.
Ingredients.
- Noodles, traditionally ramen uses a wheat based noodle. You can make your own, but for this recipe we used Hakubaku organic ramen noodles, as they are quick to cook and tasty. But use whatever ramen noodles are available to you, a great excuse to go exploring the aisles of your local Asian store.
- The broth needs to have plenty of flavour, you create this by cooking it slowly to allow the flavours to develop. For this broth you will need chicken stock, pork belly (skin on), onion, garlic, fresh ginger, spring onion (scallions), mushroom, light soy sauce and miso paste. I like the kick of flavour that comes from the miso paste. We use the yellow (shinshu) miso in this recipe, it has a medium taste and you can find it in most supermarkets.
- For the toppings, to finish off the perfect ramen add bok choy, soft boiled eggs and spring onions (scallions). We also like to add silken tofu, sweetcorn and mung beans/ bean sprouts, these are optional so play around with adding your favourites. Oh and don't forget your chilli paste or sauce if you like a bit of spice.
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Chashu pork.
Chashu pork is slow braised pork that is sliced and served over ramen. The pork is simmered low and slow in a Japanese stock, creating amazing flavour! Leftover chashu pork can be sliced and frozen for up to 2 months, ready for your next ramen dish.
4 simple steps to creating delicious pork ramen.
- Create the broth - To create a rich flavoured broth simmer the chicken stock, pork belly, onion, garlic, ginger, spring onion stalks mushrooms and soy sauce in a large pot for around 2 hours or until the pork belly is tender to touch. Remember, as the pot is simmering to spoon off any impurities that rise to the top of the broth. Once the meat is ready, remove from the pot. Then strain the broth through a sieve and into a clean pot, add the miso. Taste the broth and adjust is required.
- Prepare your noodles and topping ingredients - to cook the perfect soft boiled egg for ramen, boil for 5 minutes then place the egg under cold running water the cool quickly. Cook the noodles according to the packet instructions. Slice and/or prepare the tofu, sweetcorn, mung beans and spring onions. Wash and trim the bok choy, bring a pan of water to the boil and blanch the bok choy.
- Assemble - Re heat you broth to boil. Then grab your serving bowls and assemble the dish, start with the noodles pour over the broth, add pork belly slices then layer with additional ingredients and enjoy!!
How to create crispy pork belly skin.
Do you prefer the skin crispy? No worries, simple add a quick step before slicing the pork.
Heat a fry pan on a medium heat, then turn to low. Take the cooked pork belly and add to the pan skin side down to crisp up the skin. Do this slowly and press down gently on the pork, making sure to press all the skin onto the pan. This will help crisp all areas of the skin. Work slowly and carefully, as it can spit a little. Once crisp and warmed through you can slice. Then continue to assemble the remaining ingredients and serve.
Ready to bring some Japanese flavours to your kitchen, this pork belly ramen recipe is a delicious classic. And will be sure to have your friends and family coming back for more!
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Our goal is to share simple, tasty dishes created by Chef Shane and partner, Sara. Using Shane's understanding of flavours and knowledge of food, to teach and inspire you to create delicious food everyday and gain a new level of confidence in the kitchen. Sara understands what it's like preparing weekly dinners for a busy family of five and likes to create dishes that are easy, full of flavour and that the whole family will enjoy.
Happy cooking!
Originally posted 15th April 2021, updated 4th May 2022.
Recipe
Pork Belly Ramen
Ingredients
Ramen Broth
- 2 ltr Chicken stock
- 500 g Pork belly (skin on)
- 1 medium Onion (peeled and quartered)
- 8 cloves Garlic (peeled)
- 30 g Fresh ginger (peeled, sliced)
- 3 stalks Spring onion (Scallions)
- 6 Button mushrooms
- 50 ml Light soy sauce
- 40 g Miso paste
Toppings:
- 2 Bok choy, trimmed and washed
- 4 Eggs
- 1 ptk Ramen noodles
- Spring onions sliced Scallions
- 1 ptk Silken tofu Sliced(optional)
- 180 g Sweetcorn (optional)
- 1 ptk Mung beans (optional) Bean sprouts
Instructions
To make the broth
- Add the chicken stock, pork belly, onion, garlic, ginger, mushrooms, soy and spring onions into a large pot. Bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer. Simmer until the pork belly is tender which will be around two hours. While simmering, spoon off any impurities that rise to the top of the liquid.
- Once the pork is tender to touch, remove from the broth and place on a plate to cool and dry out a little.
- Strain your broth, through a sieve into a clean pot and add the miso paste, check the taste. (Your broth should be nice and savoury from the miso also with hints of the aromatics you infused during the cooking process.)
Prepare the other ingredients:
- Bring a small pot of water to the boil, once boiling add your eggs and boil for 5 minutes. (See note 1) Remove from the heat and place under cold running water to stop the cooking process, gently peel and set aside.
- Bring another pot of water to the boil, season with a pinch of salt and cook your noodles as per the packet instructions.
- Slice your spring onions into thin rounds, trim your bok choy into leaves and wash well.
- If you want to crisp your pork belly skin heat a fry pan on a medium heat, then turn to low. Take the pork belly and add to the pan skin side down to crisp the skin. Do this slowly and press down gently on the pork pressing all the skin onto the pan. Once crisp and warmed through you can cut into slices. (See note 2)
- Add the trimmed bok choy to a pot of boiling water to cook through.
- Re heat your broth until boiling.
Assemble the dish:
- Grab your bowls, add the noodles, pour over the broth. Arrange your bok choy, sliced tofu, pork belly, eggs cut in half, sweetcorn, spring onions and mung beans to your bowl.
- Serve and enjoy!
Natalie says
My dad told me about this dish while he was in Japan. I had to make it for him, and he loved it... We all did, thanks!
Heather says
I love homemade ramen and tried many versions...but never with decadent pork belly. Can't wait to try!
Michelle says
Had a chance to try it out last night and it was delicious! So much flavour! Thanks for sharing!