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Tonkotsu Ramen
4.7 from 64 votes

Tonkotsu Ramen

Tonkotsu Ramen is a rich Japanese noodle soup characterized by its creamy pork bone broth made from pig trotters, pork bones, and chicken bones. This recipe includes making a deep-flavored tonkotsu stock, black garlic oil (mayu), and a soup blend with tahini and other seasonings. Served with fresh ramen noodles, chashu pork, and scallions, the soup has a thick, luscious texture and balanced savory notes.

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
2 hrs 45 mins
Total Time
3 hrs
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: Japanese

Ingredients

Tonkotsu Base ( makes 10-12 cups of stock)
  • 2 pig trotters (cut in half lengthwise)
  • 1.5 pounds pork bone cut into several pieces, leg bone
  • 1.5 pounds chicken bones
  • 2 inch knob ginger sliced thin, fresh
  • 1 small head garlic (trimmed but whole)
  • 1 large onion (sliced thinly)
  • 1 teaspoon white peppercorns
Mayu (black garlic oil)
  • ¼ cup sesame oil toasted
  • 5 cloves garlic grated
For soup
  • 3 cups Tonkotsu base (from recipe above)
  • 1 tablespoon tahini
  • 1 tablespoon braising liquid strained from chashu
  • 2 cloves garlic finely grated (not pressed)
  • 1 - 2 teaspoons kosher salt (to taste)
  • 1 teaspoon mirin
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground white pepper
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds coarsely ground, toasted
  • 2 tablespoons fatback finely minced (salted pork fat)
To serve
  • ½ batch ramen noodles fresh
  • 2 teaspoons mayu (from recipe above)
  • chashu sliced
  • 2 scallions finely chopped

Instructions

Tonkotsu Base
    Cup of Yum
  1. Fill a pressure cooker ⅔rds of the way with water and bring to a boil. Add the pig trotters to the boiling water and cook until you stop seeing red blood come out of the bones (about 10-15 minutes). The idea is to draw out as much of the gunk as possible into this first batch of water. Transfer the trotters to a bowl of cold water then repeat with the leg bones and chicken bones (you can use the same water).
  2. Dump the now very dirty water down the drain and wash the pot. Scrub any dark brown scrum off all the bones and rinse them thoroughly. Return the cleaned bones to the pot and cover with water (the water should come up an inch above the top of the bones). Bring the pot to a boil and skim off any chunks or foam that floats to the surface. Keep doing this until you don't seen any more foam or scum floating up. This will take about 30 minutes.
  3. While the bones are going, Heat ½" of oil in a pot over medium heat and add the head of garlic and ginger. Fry this until they are browned and shriveled up. Use a slotted or wire mesh to transfer the ginger and garlic to a bowl. Add the onions to the oil and fry these until caramelized and shriveled. Add the fried onions to the ginger and garlic and set aside.
  4. Once the stock is scum-free, add the caramelized ginger, garlic, and onions, along with the white pepper to the stock. Affix the pressure cooker lid and cook on high pressure for 1 hour and 45 minutes. If you don't have a pressure cooker, cover with a lid and cook at a boil for 5-6 hours (you may need to check and add water periodically, the bones should be mostly covered in water).
  5. Once the pressure is released use tongs to remove and discard all the bones. Remove any chunks of pork and set aside for another use. Strain the stock into a bowl and skim off any excess fat.
Mayu (black garlic oil)
  1. To make the black garlic oil, add the sesame oil into a small saucepan along with the grated garlic. Put the pan over medium low heat and let the garlic cook stirring occasionally until it is very dark brown. When the garlic is very dark, turn the heat down to low and let it cook until it is black.
  2. As soon as it hits black, turn off the heat and transfer the hot oil and garlic to a heatproof bowl. Let this mixture cool down completely. Add the cooled oil to a blender or food processor and blitz until there are no visible garlic particles left and the oil is uniformly black.
  3. It will taste burnt and slightly bitter, but this is okay as you only add a little bit to each bowl. Put it the oil in a container and refrigerate until you are ready to use it.
Tonkotsu Ramen
  1. Heat the tonkotsu base in a sauce pan. In a bowl whisk together the tahini, chashu liquid, grated garlic, salt, mirin and white pepper. Add this to the hot broth and whisk to combine. Taste and adjust salt as needed. Bring to a simmer, then add the sesame seeds and pork fat and whisk to combine.
  2. Split the cooked noodles between two bowls. Pour the tonkotsu soup over the noodles. Top with chashu, scallions and whatever else you want to add. Finish the ramen with a drizzle of mayu on each bowl.

Notes

  • Use pig trotters and pork leg bones to achieve the creamy white tonkotsu broth due to their marrow and collagen content.
  • Don't omit fatback; whisking small bits into the broth at the end creates a creamy emulsion without greasiness.
  • Brown the onions deeply but avoid burning; adjust heat for even color.
  • Tahini used should be light beige and pourable; sesame paste is not a substitute.
  • Salt types vary in saltiness; start with specified amount and adjust to taste carefully.
  • Fresh ramen noodles and sliced chashu pork complete the authentic serving.