Shoyu Ramen From Scratch

1) Blanch the bones

1. Add pork bones and chicken wings to a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and boil 10 minutes. You will see gray foam and gunk. That is the point.
2. Drain, then rinse the bones under cold water. Scrub off any clinging scum. Rinse the pot too.

2) Build the broth

1. Return cleaned bones to the pot. Add 10 to 12 cups fresh water.
2. Bring to a boil, then immediately drop to a gentle simmer. Skim foam for the first 20 to 30 minutes.
3. Add onion, carrot, scallions, garlic, and ginger.
4. If using kombu: add it while the broth is heating back up, then remove it before the broth reaches a boil (or once it hits about 150 to 170°F if you like using a thermometer). Kombu does not love a long, hard simmer and can turn bitter or a little slimy.
5. If using dried shiitake: add it after the kombu comes out. You can let it simmer gently with the broth, or steep it separately in hot broth for 20 to 30 minutes and strain if you want the cleanest finish.
6. Simmer 3 to 4 hours, uncovered, keeping it at a steady simmer. Add hot water as needed so bones stay mostly covered.
7. In the last 30 minutes, taste the broth. It should taste rich but not salty (tare handles salt). If it tastes thin, keep simmering.

3) Strain and finish

1. Strain broth through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean pot or large bowl. Discard solids.
2. If you want a cleaner broth, strain a second time through a finer strainer or cheesecloth.
3. Skim excess fat if you prefer, but keep some. Fat equals happiness.
4. Optional easy win: Chill the broth overnight, then lift off the fat cap in the morning if you want more control. You can always add some back per bowl.

4) Make the shoyu tare

1. In a small saucepan, combine soy sauce, mirin, sake, sugar, rice vinegar (if using), garlic, and ginger.
2. Bring to a gentle simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, just to dissolve sugar and mellow the alcohol.
3. Cool. Stir in sesame oil if using. Refrigerate until ramen time.

5) Make quick aroma oil

1. Add neutral oil to a small pan over low heat. Add scallions, ginger, and garlic.
2. Cook 3 to 5 minutes until fragrant, not browned. Turn off heat and let it steep.
3. Strain if you want a clean oil, or keep the bits if you like texture.

6) Soft-boil eggs

1. Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Lower in cold large eggs.
2. Boil 6 1/2 minutes for a jammy center. If your eggs are very cold from the fridge, extra-large, or you live at higher altitude, aim closer to 7 minutes.
3. Move eggs to an ice bath for 5 minutes, then peel.
4. Optional but classic: marinate peeled eggs 4 to 12 hours in a mix of 1/2 cup soy sauce, 1/2 cup water, and 2 tablespoons mirin.

7) Cook noodles and assemble bowls

1. Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil. Cook ramen noodles according to package directions. Keep them springy. Do not wander off.
2. While noodles cook, heat broth to a simmer. Warm bowls with hot water, then discard the water and dry the bowls quickly.
3. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons shoyu tare to each bowl. Start with 1 tablespoon, you can add more.
4. Ladle in about 2 cups hot broth per bowl. Taste the broth in the bowl and adjust with more tare if needed.
5. Tare guide: Most bowls land somewhere around 1 to 3 tablespoons (15 to 45 ml) depending on your soy sauce and how concentrated your broth is. Start low. You can always add.
6. Drain noodles well and add to bowls.
7. Top with chashu slices, halved egg, scallions, nori, and any extras. Finish with 1 teaspoon aroma oil per bowl.

8) Final tasting rule

Take one spoonful before serving. If it tastes flat, add a few drops more tare or a pinch of salt. If it tastes heavy, add a tiny splash of rice vinegar or a little more hot broth. Then slurp proudly.