Tonkatsu Miso Ramen with Pork Chasu and Jammy Eggs

Ingredients

• 3 kg pork bones – high marrow bones like back bones
• 2 x pig trotters (cut in half by the butcher)
• 907-1134 g pork belly block (roughly 8 x 9 inches, 20 x 23 cm each; remove the rind from your pork belly)
• 2–3 spring onions
• 4 slices ginger – 1 large 2x2” Ginger knob
• 1 Tbsp neutral oil (or peanut oil for searing)
• 270 ml OBENTO cooking sake
• 240 ml soy sauce
• 133 g sugar
• pinch shichimi togarashi (optional FOR HEAT - can be added to a portion during serving)
• 1/4 cup shiro miso paste
• 2 tbsp Obento mirin Seasoning
• pinch shichimi togarashi (optional FOR HEAT - can be added to a portion during serving)
• RAMEN Noodles - Fresh, frozen or Dried
• Sesame seeds (toasted) for serving
• 1 spring onion, finely sliced for serving
• 10 eggs

Method

1. DAY 1 - PORK BROTH. Weigh the bones and trotters and cover with cold water. Refrigerate overnight to extract the blood from the bones and marrow. – you can miss this step, however your scum step will be harder and take longer.NOTE – arrange space in the fridge to fit the pot before starting.
2. DAY 2 - PORK BROTH. Discard the soak water and then add twice the weight of the bones of fresh cold water (roughly 8L). Measure the distance from the top of the water to the top of the pot.
3. DAY 2 - PORK BROTH. Bring to a simmer, using a fine mesh to skim the grey scum rising to the surface of the water, stirring occasionally. Continue until the scum rising to the top is white rather than grey. This will take about 2 hours.
4. DAY 2 - PORK BROTH. Cover the pot and boil for a further 6 hours (the water should be active and bubbling but the heat does not necessarily have to be high), topping up the water to the starting level and stirring every half hour.
5. DAY 2 - PORK BROTH. Remove the lid and reduce the liquid for about 4 hours until you reach the consistency you want. The more you reduce the liquid, the thicker and stronger the soup base will be.
6. DAY 2 - PORK BROTH. Strain the soup and cool rapidly by stirring in a bath of iced water until it is room temperature.
7. DAY 2 - PORK BROTH. Divide into portions (roughly 2 ladles each serve). Cover and refrigerate overnight. NOTE- This broth can be frozen.
8. DAY 2 - ROLLED CHASU. Roll up your block of pork belly - Make sure one or both ends have a“bacon-like“ appearance, showing the varying layers of meat and fat. If your slab comes with the rind, remove it or ask your butcher to do it for you.
9. DAY 2 - ROLLED CHASU. Wrap your chasu - Run some butcher twine under the far end of the log. Tie a double knot to secure the rolled end tightly. Make sure you leave a tail of about 3 inches of twine at the end. Next, tightly wrap the twine around the spot you just tied another 2 or 3 times to secure the starting point of the roll. Then, pull the twine to the opposite end of the pork belly roll. Tightly wrap the twine around that end 2 to 3 times to secure it. Next, start wrapping the twine around the roll back toward the starting point. Space each wrap ⅓inch (1 cm) apart. Make sure you wrap the roll as tightly as possible.Once you reach the starting point, run the twine under some of the end wraps. Find the 3-inch tail of twine that you left when you started. Tie a double knot with the tail and the long end of the twine, and cut the excess.
10. DAY 2 - ROLLED CHASU. Cut the 2-3 green spring onions into large stalk and set aside. Cut 4 slices ginger (unpeeled).
11. DAY 2 - ROLLED CHASU. Heat 1 Tbsp neutral oil in a cast-iron skillet (or regular frying pan) over high heat. Add the tied pork belly to the skillet. Sear the pork belly one side at a time, rotating it to make sure all sides are golden brown. It’ll take about 10–15 minutes all together.
12. DAY 2 - ROLLED CHASU. While the pork is searing, prepare the braising liquid. Put 240 ml Obento sake, 240 ml soy sauce, 480 ml water, and 133 g white sugar in a heavy-bottomed pot that will fit the chashu. Then, add the cut spring onions and 4 slices ginger.
13. DAY 2 - ROLLED CHASU. Transfer the seared chashu roll to the Dutch oven. Bring the liquid to a boil over medium heat. Once boiling turn the heat to low/simmer.
14. DAY 2 - ROLLED CHASU. Put an otoshibuta (drop lid) on top to press the ingredients down and limit the evaporation. You do not need to use a regular lid to control the evaporation. If you don’t have an otoshibuta, you can make one with aluminium foil
15. DAY 2 - ROLLED CHASU. Simmer on low heat, and cover with the otoshibuta at all times for the next 2 hours, turning the chashu every 30 minutes.
16. DAY 2 - ROLLED CHASU. After 2 hours, the braising liquid has reduced a bit. Turn off the heat to let the chashu roll cool a little bit. Strain the leftover cooking liquid through a fine-mesh strainer.
17. DAY 2 - ROLLED CHASU. Once the meat is slightly cooled, transfer it to a container or a plastic food vacuum-sealing bag. Add ½ cup of the cooking liquid into the bag. Keep the other liquid for your jammy eggs.
18. DAY 2 - JAMMY EGGS. Prick a hole in the base of the egg. Bring a pot of water to the boil, add the eggs, reduce the heat and simmer for 6 minutes stirring for the first minute to centre the yolks.
19. DAY 2 - JAMMY EGGS. Remove to a bowl of iced water and allow to cool completely (6 minutes).
20. DAY 2 - JAMMY EGGS. Peel the eggs gently. Combine the peeled eggs with some of the chashu braising liquid. Alternatively (if you have no chasu leftover liquid) you can use ½ cup soy sauce, ¼ cup mirin and ¼ cup sake mixed with some Ginger slices and Spring onions.Refrigerate for at least 8hrs or overnight.
21. DAY 3 - PORK CHASU. Open the bag of chashu. Cut the twine with kitchen shears and remove the twine pieces completely. Slice the chashu into ¼-inch pieces. NOTE - You can store the chashu in the refrigerator for up to 7 days or 1 month in the freezer. I slice and vacuum seal in portions
22. DAY 3 - MISO TARE. Combine 2 Tbsp Obento Mirrin, 2 Tbsp Obento Sake and 1/4 Cup of Shiro Miso Paste in a small sauce pan and simmer at the lowest setting for about 5 minutes
23. DAY 3 - ASSEMBLING THE RAMEN. Transfer required amount of Soup PORK BROTH Base to a saucepan and warm on stove. Around 2 ladles of broth per person. You want this to be very hot – but it does melt and heat quickly.
24. DAY 3 - ASSEMBLING THE RAMEN. Prep the sides - Toast the sesame seeds. Slice the eggs ready. Slice up the spring onion. Char the slices of Chasu pre cut (or warm in the boiling water still in the sealed package).
25. DAY 3 - ASSEMBLING THE RAMEN. Add the Ramen noodles to boil and cook per instructions (if no instructions dry noodles are around 3-4mins, some frozen need to just be warmed).
26. DAY 3 - ASSEMBLING THE RAMEN. Add the miso tare into the broth and stir - add ladles of soup to the bowls (you can add the pinch shichimi togarashi here if not everyone wants heat). Add the cooked noodles then top with the Chasu, Eggs, Spring onion garnish and toasted sesame seeds.
27. DAY 3 - ASSEMBLING THE RAMEN. Serve Hot

Product used in recipe

• OBENTO - OBENTO SAUCE - MIRIN SEASONING
• OBENTO - OBENTO SAUCE - COOKING SAKE