# Authentic Shoyu Ramen > This authentic shoyu ramen recipe builds a deep, soy-rich Japanese broth over two days with rolled pork shoulder, jammy eggs, and springy noodles. Restaurant-quality at home! By David Kim for Nosh with David. Full page: https://noshwithdavid.com/recipes/authentic-shoyu-ramen/ - Cuisine: Japanese - Course: Main Dish - Time: prep 1 hr, cook 47 hr, total 48 hr - Serves: 6 ## Ingredients ### For the Kombu Dashi (Day 1) - 2 oz dried kombu (about 2 large pieces) - 4 qt cold water ### For the Tare (Day 1) - 1 cup soy sauce - 1/2 cup sake - 1/2 cup mirin ### For the Pork Shoulder - 2.5 lb boneless pork shoulder - Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper - Kitchen twine ### For the Stock (Day 2) - 2 tbsp neutral oil - 1.5 lb pork spareribs - 1.5 lb chicken wings - 1 bunch scallions (halved) - 2 carrots (roughly chopped) - 1 head garlic (halved crosswise) - 4- inch piece ginger (sliced) - 1 cup bonito flakes (katsuobushi) ### For Serving (Day Of) - 6 large eggs - 1.5 lb fresh ramen noodles (or 12 oz dried) - 1/2 cup menma (fermented bamboo shoots) - 3 sheets nori (halved) - 4 scallions (thinly sliced) - Chili oil, sesame oil, and shichimi togarashi for serving ## Instructions ### Day 1 — Build the Foundation 1. Wipe the kombu lightly with a damp cloth (do not rinse — you'll wash away the flavor). Place it in a large bowl with the cold water, cover, and let it steep at room temperature for at least 8 hours or overnight. 2. In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, sake, and mirin to make the tare. Cover and refrigerate. 3. Generously season the pork shoulder with salt and pepper on all sides. Roll it into a tight log and tie with kitchen twine at 2-inch intervals to hold its shape. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until tomorrow. ### Day 2 — Cook the Stock and Pork 4. Heat the neutral oil in a large heavy pot (at least 8 qt) over medium-high heat. Add the tied pork shoulder and sear, turning every few minutes, until deeply browned on all sides, about 10-12 minutes. 5. Add the spareribs, chicken wings, scallions, carrots, garlic, ginger, and bonito flakes to the pot around the pork. 6. Lift the kombu out of the dashi and discard it. Pour as much of the kombu dashi into the pot as will fit (reserve the rest to add later). 7. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a bare simmer. Cook gently, uncovered, skimming any foam or fat from the surface as it accumulates and topping up with the reserved dashi as the liquid reduces. Simmer until the pork shoulder is fork-tender and the stock has reduced to about 2 qt, roughly 2.5 to 3 hours. 8. Carefully remove the pork shoulder and set it aside to cool. Once cool enough to handle, wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate (chilling firms the meat so you can slice it cleanly). 9. Strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve into another large pot or container. Discard the solids. Cover the strained stock and refrigerate overnight — this lets the fat solidify on top for easy removal and deepens the flavor. ### Day Of — Cook, Slice, and Assemble 10. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Lower in the eggs one at a time and boil exactly 7 minutes. Immediately transfer to an ice bath. Once cold, peel carefully and set aside. 11. Remove the twine from the pork shoulder and slice it into thin rounds, about 1/4-inch thick. Set aside. 12. Skim the solidified fat off the top of the chilled stock (reserve a little if you like a richer bowl). Bring the stock to a hard simmer in a large pot. 13. While the stock heats, bring another large pot of water to a boil and cook the ramen noodles according to package directions until just al dente. Do not salt the water — ramen noodles already contain plenty. 14. Drain the noodles immediately and divide them among 6 deep bowls. 15. Spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons of tare into each bowl. Arrange a small fan of sliced pork to one side of the noodles, then ladle the hot stock over the top — the liquid should just reach the level of the noodles, not drown them. 16. Halve the eggs lengthwise and tuck them into the bowl next to a small pile of menma. Add sliced scallions, slip a half-sheet of nori between the noodles and the rim of the bowl so it peeks out, and finish each bowl at the table with chili oil, sesame oil, and a pinch of shichimi togarashi to taste. ## Notes #### RECIPE TIPS - Don't skip rinsing the kombu with a damp cloth — wiping is fine, but never wash or soak before steeping - Tie the pork shoulder tightly; loose twine means uneven, ragged slices - Skim aggressively during the simmer for a cleaner, clearer broth - Cool the pork fully before slicing for clean, restaurant-style medallions - Cook noodles right before serving — they go from perfect to mushy in under a minute - The tare is potent; start with 2 tbsp per bowl and add more to taste - A 7-minute egg is the sweet spot for jammy yolks; set a timer and don't guess #### SERVING SUGGESTIONS Serve with: - Gyoza or pork-shrimp dumplings on the side - A simple cucumber sunomono salad to cut the richness - Cold Japanese beer or barley tea (mugicha) - A small dish of pickled ginger or quick-pickled radish - Extra chili oil and shichimi togarashi at the table for customizing #### VARIATIONS - Use chicken thighs instead of pork shoulder for a lighter take - Add corn kernels and a pat of butter for a Sapporo-style finish - Swap menma for blanched bean sprouts or wilted spinach - Top with a drizzle of black garlic oil (mayu) for a deeper, smokier bowl - Substitute a mushroom-kombu dashi and crispy tofu for a vegetarian version - Add a thin slice of narutomaki (fish cake) for a more traditional presentation #### STORAGE - Strained stock keeps in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 3 months - Cooked pork shoulder, wrapped tightly, keeps for 3 days refrigerated - Tare keeps indefinitely in a sealed container in the fridge - Eggs are best cooked the day of serving, but can be made up to 1 day ahead (store unpeeled in cool water) - Do not store cooked noodles in broth — they will turn mushy. Cook noodles fresh for each serving. ## Nutrition per serving - Calories: 884 - Carbohydrates: 64 g - Protein: 52 g - Fat: 45 g - Saturated fat: 14 g - Fiber: 10 g - Sugar: 6 g - Sodium: 1831 mg