Shoyu Ramen with Pork Chashu and Soft-Boiled Egg
A slow-braised pork belly and soy broth built around fresh noodles — the kind of dinner that eats an afternoon and is worth every hour of it.
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 2 hr 30 min
- Written
Method
-
Combine the soy sauce, mirin, sake, and brown sugar in a wide pot with the garlic and ginger; bring to a simmer and stir until the sugar dissolves.
-
Add the pork belly skin side down, pour in enough water to submerge it, and simmer gently, turning once, until a skewer slides through the center with no resistance, about 2 hours.
-
Lift the pork onto a plate to cool, then strain and reserve the braising liquid.
-
Lower the eggs into simmering water and cook until the whites are set but the yolks still wobble, about 7 minutes, then shock in ice water and peel.
-
Submerge the peeled eggs in ½ cup of the reserved braising liquid and refrigerate until the whites have taken on a deep amber color, at least 4 hours.
-
Bring the chicken stock to a simmer, whisk in the remaining braising liquid and the sesame oil, and taste until the broth reads savory rather than watery.
-
Slice the cooled pork belly thin and sear the slices in a dry skillet until the edges char.
-
Boil the ramen noodles until just tender, divide among bowls, and ladle the hot broth over top.
-
Top each bowl with the seared pork, a halved marinated egg, scallions, nori, and chili oil if using.
Notes
The braising liquid does double duty — it’s what makes the eggs taste like ramen-shop eggs instead of plain soft-boiled ones, and a splash of it seasons the broth so a basic stock doesn’t come off thin. Don’t skip the sear at the end; a few minutes in a hot dry skillet is what turns simmered pork belly into chashu instead of just boiled pork.
Fresh ramen noodles keep this from tasting like instant soup — look for them in the refrigerated section, or use fresh lo mein noodles in a pinch. A spoonful of chili oil at the table lets whoever wants it spicy make it so without pushing that on everyone else.