Shoyu Ramen with Chashu

My homemade shoyu ramen is a combination of chicken broth and dashi — a broth made from kombu (dried kelp) and dried shitake mushrooms — for a real umami flavor. The melt-in-your-mouth chashu (braised pork belly) is my favorite topping.  Putting this together at home is a seemingly daunting task, but with a little planning and help from a pressure cooker, it could be easier, faster, and entirely possible.

Yield: 6 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes 

EQUIPMENT

Measuring cups and spoons
Pressure cooker or stockpot & heavy-bottomed pot
Fine-mesh strainer
Saucepan
Skillet
Large bowl

INGREDIENTS 

6 portions ramen noodles, fresh or dried (see notes)

For the Chashu:

2- 2 ½ pounds pork belly, boneless (see notes)
Oil, for searing
1-inch ginger, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, smashed
⅔ cup soy sauce
⅔ cup sake
⅓ cup brown sugar
3 scallions

For the Broth:

2 pounds chicken wings
2-inch ginger, sliced
1 garlic head, peeled and smashed
1 onion, quartered
2 carrots, large chunks
10 dried shitake mushrooms
12 cups water
2 sheets dried kelp (about 8x5-inch each)
3 scallions
⅓ cup soy sauce

For the Toppings:

Soft-boiled eggs
Shitake mushrooms
Spinach
Seaweed
Scallions
Chili garlic oil

NOTES

THE BASE

Ramen varieties can be classified according to their broth. It is the most important element in a bowl of ramen. Shoyu ramen is made with a clear, brown broth seasoned primarily with soy sauce. I made it by combining the flavors of chicken and dashi, a soup stock made from dried kelp and shitake mushrooms. Refrigerate it long enough so the fat from the chicken can solidify and be scooped out for a clearer, healthier broth. Or if pressed for time, just make sure to skim the thin layer of fat on top. The broth can be made days in advance. Reheat the broth when ready to serve and add the tare — the seasoning agent — to the stock. I used the chashu sauce as the tare. Adjust to taste. 

THE NOODLES

Ramen noodles are wheat noodles that are yellow and chewy in texture. It is advisable to use fresh ramen noodles when available.  However, you can also us packaged instant or dried ramen noodles, discarding the seasoning packets that came with it. In a pinch, you can also use Chinese thin egg noodles.

CHASHU

Chashu is a dish where pork belly is braised in a sweet and savory sauce until it's super tender and flavorful. Sliced thinly, it is a classic ramen topping and a favorite of mine. You will often see chashu made by rolling pork belly into a log. You can always go that route as you prefer, but I wanted to eliminate the extra work. Although it is commonly made from pork belly with its layers of fat that add to the taste and texture, you may also use a well-marbled pork shoulder. Braising it in a pressure cooker reduces the cooking time by a whole lot. You can also do it over a stovetop or in the oven. 

Leftover chashu, together with its sauce, can be used in various ways. You can add it in stir-fries, serve it with noodles, or cook with rice dishes. You can also make ramen eggs where boiled eggs are marinated in the sauce overnight. In this recipe, we are using the sauce as the tare — the seasoning — for the ramen. Tare is typically added to the bottom of the bowl of ramen, but instead, I am going to add it directly to the broth, allowing it to meld with the rest of the flavors. Chashu is best when made in advance, where the meat can absorb all the flavors and firm up for easy slicing.

OTHER TOPPINGS

The two most essential components of ramen, for me, are the broth and the noodles. The topping is cherry on top, although I highly suggest you make the chashu for a more substantial, almost authentic ramen experience.  I have also added soft-boiled eggs, sliced shitake mushrooms from making the broth, some spinach, seaweed, scallions, and chili garlic oil.  You can keep it as elaborate or as simple as you like.

INSTRUCTIONS

MAKE THE CHASHU:

Prepare the ingredients: 

1. Season the meat with a little salt and pepper. Cut it in half to fit in your pot or pressure cooker and for faster cooking.
2. Slice the ginger and smash the garlic.
3. Get the rest of the ingredients ready.  

For the electric pressure cooker:

1. Set your pressure cooker to sauté setting. Add a little oil and place the pork belly skin side down. Sear until nicely browned. Flip and sear the meat side. You may have to do this in batches to avoid overcrowding. Transfer to a plate.
2. Sauté the ginger and garlic for a minute.
3. Place the pork belly back in, skin side down.
4. Add the soy sauce, sake, and brown sugar. Stir to combine.
5. Add the scallions in, whole or cut.
6. Pressure cook for one hour, until very tender.
7. Transfer to a container with the meat side down this time, allowing it to get some color from the sauce.
8. Refrigerate, ideally overnight, to firm up the meat for easier slicing. The fat will then solidify and can be easily scooped out. If pressed for time, skim as much fat off the top as you can. You can also do this by gently laying a paper towel over the surface to absorb the fat. Repeat until the fat is gone.
9. When ready to serve, slice thinly. You may either heat it in a pan with a little bit of its sauce or use a blowtorch to char the surface nicely. 
10. Save the marinade to use as your tare (see notes).

For the stovetop:

1. In a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat, add a little oil and place the pork belly skin side down. Sear until nicely browned. Flip and sear the meat side. You may have to do this in batches to avoid overcrowding. Transfer to a plate.
2. Sauté the ginger and garlic for a minute. 
3. Place the pork belly back in, skin side down.
4. Add the soy sauce, sake, brown sugar, and one cup of water. Stir to combine.
5. Add the scallions in, whole or cut.
6. Simmer for 2-3, until very tender. You may need to add more water as needed.  
7. Transfer to a container with the meat side down this time, allowing it to get some color from the sauce.
8. Refrigerate, ideally overnight, to firm up the meat for easier slicing. The fat will then solidify and can be easily scooped away. If pressed for time, skim as much fat off the top as you can. You can also do this by gently laying a paper towel over the surface to absorb the fat. Repeat until the fat is gone. 
9. Save the marinade to use as tare (see notes).

MAKE THE BROTH:

Prepare the ingredients: 

1. Rinse and pat dry the chicken wings with paper towels.
2. Slice the ginger and smash the garlic.
3. Ge the rest of the ingredients ready.  

For the electric pressure cooker:

1. Set your pressure cooker to sauté setting. Add a little oil and sear the chicken on both sides. Do this in batches to avoid overcrowding. Transfer to a plate.
2. Sauté the ginger, garlic, and mushrooms for a minute.
3. Add the onions and carrots.
4. Bring the chicken back in.
5. Add the water, kelp, scallions, and soy sauce. Stir to combine.
6. Pressure cook for 1 hour. 
7. Remove the scum that accumulated on the top or sides of the pot.
8. Pour the broth through a fine-mesh strainer into a container. Save the shitake mushrooms to use as a topping. 
9. Refrigerate, ideally overnight, to solidify the fat to be easily scooped away. If pressed for time, skim as much fat off the top as you can. You can also do this by gently laying a paper towel over the surface to absorb the fat. Repeat until the fat is gone.

For the stovetop:

1. In a stockpot over medium-high heat, add a little oil and sear the chicken on both sides. Do this in batches to avoid overcrowding. Transfer to a plate.
2. Sauté the ginger, garlic, and mushrooms for a minute. 
3. Add the onions and carrots.
4. Bring the chicken back in.
5. Add the water, kelp, scallions, and soy sauce. Stir to combine.
6. Simmer for 3 hours, occasionally skim the fat and scum that rise on the surface. 
7. Pour the broth through a fine-mesh strainer into a container. Save the shitake mushrooms to use as a topping. 
8. Refrigerate, ideally overnight, to firm up the meat for easier slicing. The fat will then solidify and can be easily scooped away. If pressed for time, skim as much fat off the top as you can. You can also do this by gently laying a paper towel over the surface to absorb the fat. Repeat until the fat is gone.

PREPARE & ASSEMBLE THE RAMEN BOWL:

Prepare the toppings: 

1. To make the soft-boiled eggs, bring enough water (enough to cover the eggs entirely when submerged) to a boil over medium-high heat. When it starts to boil, carefully lower the eggs. Cook for 6 minutes. Transfer to a bowl with very cold (or iced) water. After about 2 minutes, carefully peel the eggs. You may also marinate the eggs in the chashu sauce to make ramen eggs or seasoned eggs.
2. Slice the shitake mushrooms and scallions thinly.
3. Wilt the spinach in a pan with a little oil. Turn the leaves as they wilt. 
4. Make the chili garlic oil by combining crushed red pepper flakes, minced garlic, and neutral oil. Heat until the garlic gets lightly browned. I made this by combining store-bought chili oil and fried garlic.
5. When ready to serve, slice the chashu thinly. You may either heat it in a pan with a little of its sauce or use a blowtorch to char the surface nicely. 

Reheat the broth:

1. Reheat the broth. Season with tare, the sauce from the chashu. Adjust to taste.

Cook the noodles:

1. Cook the noodles separately in a pot of boiling water according to package instructions. Drain completely.

Assemble:

1. Place the drained noodles in a bowl.
2. Ladle the broth over the noodles.
3. Place 2-3 slices of chashu on top.
4. Add your toppings as desired.
5. Serve immediately.