Serves 10 to 12
Kombu Dashi
2 4 inch-by-4 inch sections kombu
12 cups water
1 cup katsuobushi
Roasted Pork Bone broth
9 quarts water
1 lb shiitake mushrooms
15 peppercorns
2 lb parsnips, peeled
3 leeks, cleaned
2 onions, peeled and halved
1 finger ginger, peeled
1 head garlic
6 lb pork ham bones sawn into 4-inch pieces
1½ lb pork neck bones
3 Tbsp olive oil
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 lb chicken backs
2 lb chicken wings and tips double-fermented soy sauce
chile oil
chicken schmaltz (optional)
Tonkotsu Ramen Broth
Preparation – Kombu Dashi:
Gently wipe kombu with a damp cloth, place in large saucepan and cover with water. Heat until simmering, then remove from heat. Add katsuobushi, cover and let rest for 15 minutes. Strain and reserve.
Preparation – Roasted Pork Bone Broth:
Fill stockpot with kombu dashi and water, and bring to a simmer over high heat. Add mushrooms, peppercorns and parsnips. Char leeks, onions and ginger over flame on a grill, then add to the water. Preheat oven to 400°F. Arrange head of garlic and pork bones on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Remove garlic after 20 minutes, then bake remaining bones for 1 hour. After 1 hour, remove mushrooms, peppercorns, parsnips, leeks, onions and ginger from the pot and discard. Separate roasted garlic from skins and add to the pot. Add chicken backs, wings and roasted pork bones to the pot. Top off with water, then bring to a rolling boil. Season aggressively with salt. Spoon off any foam
or scum that rises to the surface as needed. Remove chicken after 90 minutes. Cover pot tightly and maintain a rolling boil for at least 12 hours, topping off as needed with water for the first 8 hours. If planning a 12-hour boil, allow the liquid to reduce by a third to one half. Adjust seasoning to taste. Strain liquid before using.
Traditional Tonkotsu – To Serve:
In a wide and deep bowl, add 1 tsp each of soy sauce, chile oil and chicken schmaltz (if desired), then ladle
enough broth to fill the bowl by half. Add prepared noodles (per their cooking instructions) and toss in broth with chopsticks, then add enough broth to cover. Top with marinated 8-minute egg (recipe below), sliced roasted pork belly, mushrooms, scallions and corn.
Midwest Tonkotsu – To Serve:
Prepare in the same manner as traditional tonkotsu, but top with marinated 8-minute egg, sliced smoked pork belly, a chicken thigh “rib,” scallions, Brussels sprout leaves, pickled peppers and chile-garlic sauce.
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Marinated 8-Minute Egg
6 large eggs
1 cup dark soy sauce
1 cup mirin
1 cup water
3 Tbsp honey
Preparation:
Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water, then place over high heat until boiling. Cover and remove pan from heat. Remove eggs after 8 minutes and place into an ice bath. In a bowl large enough to hold all 6 eggs, mix soy sauce, mirin, water and honey to combine. Peel eggs, then place into the marinade. Allow eggs to marinate for 12 hours, turning occasionally.
To Serve:
Remove eggs from marinade and slice in half. Top noodles with egg before serving.
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Roasted Pork Belly
3 lbs pork belly, skin on
1 Tbsp Chinese five-spice powder
1 Tbsp salt
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Rub pork belly with spice and salt, place on baking sheet and roast for 90 minutes, basting belly regularly with its own fat and juices to crisp pork skin. Rest before slicing.
To Serve:
Slice pork ½-inch thick, and fan atop noodles before serving.
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Smoked Pork Belly
smoking wood
3 lbs pork belly, skin on
1 Tbsp salt
1 Tbsp freshly ground black pepper
Preparation:
Arrange coals and smoking wood in charcoal grill or smoker for indirect cooking. Rub pork belly with salt and pepper, and smoke indirect for 90 minutes at 250°F. Remove from grill, place on baking sheet and
roast in oven for an additional 60 minutes at 350°F, basting belly regularly with its own fat and juices to crisp pork skin. Rest before slicing.
To Serve:
Slice pork ½-inch thick, and fan atop noodles before serving.
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Shichimi-Rubbed Chicken Thigh “Ribs”
chicken thighs
shichimi seasoning
salt
2 Tbsp olive oil
black sesame seeds
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Season chicken thighs with shichimi and salt. Add olive oil to a frying pan and cook over medium-high heat. Place thighs into pan skin-side down and fry until skin is crisp and golden brown. Remove thighs from pan and finish skin-side up in the oven, about 15 minutes. Repeat process as needed. Strain and reserve rendered chicken fat (schmaltz). Rest thighs before slicing.
To Serve:
Place thighs skin-side down on a cutting board. Using a butcher’s knife, slice thighs along the bone to create a “rib,” leaving crisped skin intact. Place atop noodles before serving, garnishing sparingly with black sesame seeds and chile-garlic sauce (recipe below).
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Pickled Peppers
3 medium fresno peppers, thinly sliced (leave ribs and seeds)
4 cloves minced garlic
1 finger ginger, peeled and sliced into thin coins
¼ cup ponzu
¼ cup sushi vinegar
¼ cup water
1 Tbsp honey
¼ tsp salt
Preparation:
Combine ingredients, seal in a ½-pint mason jar and refrigerate overnight.
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Chile-Garlic Sauce
3 medium fresno peppers, ends trimmed
2 small Thai peppers, ends trimmed
½ red pepper
1 head garlic, peeled
1 Tbsp fresh ginger
2 Tbsp light soy sauce
1 Tbsp distilled vinegar
½ tsp sesame oil
1 tsp salt
Preparation:
Combine ingredients in a food processor and pulse until combined. Reserve in a ½-pint mason jar and refrigerate overnight.