Homemade ramen broth – an authentic staple of Japanese cuisine

This recipe offers a rich and flavorful ramen broth that serves as the perfect base for Japanese noodle dishes. The preparation involves roasting pork bones and parts of the whole animal (nose-to-tail), long slow cooking with aromatic ingredients, and the ability to adjust the flavor to your own preferences. The broth is suitable for making larger quantities and freezing for later use.

Raw materials:

• 1–1.5 kg pork bones and other parts (nose-to-tail)
• 1 onion, quartered
• 1 head of garlic, halved crosswise
• 1 piece of ginger (about 7.5 cm), sliced
• 2–3 green onions, chopped
• 15 ml vegetable oil
• 15 ml soy sauce
• 15 ml mirin
• 15 ml sake
• Salt to taste

Procedure:

1. Roasting pork parts:
   Preheat the oven to 230°C. Spread the pork pieces in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for 30–40 minutes until browned and deep-colored.
2. Preparing the base:
   In a large pot, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the quartered onion, garlic, and ginger and sauté briefly for 3-4 minutes, until aromatic.
3. Cooking the broth:
   The browned pork parts are added to the pot and enough water (about 2.5–3 liters) is poured in to completely submerge them. The mixture is brought to a boil, then the temperature is reduced and the broth is left to simmer for 6–8 hours. During cooking, the foam is occasionally removed from the surface.
4. Seasoning:
   About 30 minutes before the end of cooking, chopped green onions, soy sauce, mirin, and sake are added to the pot.
5. Completion:
   After cooking, strain the broth through a fine sieve to remove all bones and meat remnants. Finally, season the broth with salt to taste.
6. Editing options:
   For a more complex flavor, dried shiitake mushrooms or konbu (dried seaweed) can be added to the broth during cooking. For a creamier version, a little cream can be added at the end.

Storage:
The prepared broth can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

This recipe represents a traditional approach to preparing ramen broth, which, thanks to long cooking and carefully selected ingredients, is characterized by a rich and balanced flavor.