Pork Ramen with Roasted Garlic

We LOVE ramen. It is pure comfort food and simplicity in a bowl. We have been getting some emails over the last few months asking for our broth recipe that we use with our homemade ramen noodles, so last weekend I decided to make a batch. This recipe for Pork Ramen with Roasted Garlic is incredibly rich with flavor. OMG, you are going to love it.

No beating around the bush, I have to say it does take time but it is really worth all the effort and love that goes into this recipe. I usually plan on making this broth when I know I will be at home putzing around as it involves slow roasting as well as bubbling away on the stove. But did I say, it is worth it!

I usually do the roasting one day as well as preparing the pork belly (which is seasoned with Mike’s Hot Honey – we LOVE this stuff), then the next day is when I finish the broth, roast the garlic and make the noodles. What I decide to serve with my rich pork broth and homemade noodles depends on what looks great and is in season. Sometimes I use roasted squash or eggplant. This time I used baby bok toy along with shitake mushrooms. You can get as creative as you want with ramen, it really comes down to having a great broth to start with.

Recipe: Pork Ramen with Roasted Garlic

Ingredients:

4 pounds pork necks – ask your butcher
2 pounds chicken necks
olive oil
4-inch fresh ginger, peeled and slightly smashed
8 cloves garlic, skin on
2 carrots, cleaned and skin on
1 large yellow onion, cut in half and skin on
8 ounces dry sake
5-star anise
2 kombu leaves
1/4 cup mirin
1/4 cup soy sauce
8 cups water

To Serve:
2 pounds pork belly
1/8 cup mirin
1/8 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons[Mikes hot honey|https://mikeshothoney.com] – or regular honey with a tablespoon of hot sauce
3/4 cup water
6-minute eggs
homemade ramen noodles
baby bok choy
shiitake mushrooms
toasted sesame seed oil
1 large head of roasted garlic
nori

How To:

Broth:

Preheat the oven to 275.

Place the chicken necks along with the pork necks into a roasting pan. Lightly drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Then add the next six ingredients. Place into the oven and let roast for 2 hours or until lightly caramelized and very fragrant. I stir every so often as well.

If waiting to continue making the broth, then let these ingredients cool and place in the refrigerator. If not, continue on.

Place the roasted meat and veggies into a large dutch oven or stock pot. Add the kombu, mirin, soy sauce and water. Stir, bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a very low simmer. I stir every so often and simmer for 4 hours.

Strain the broth through a sieve into a large bowl. I pick out any pieces of meat that have not completely fallen apart and placed into the broth. Then I mash the veggies using the back of a spoon and lightly press against the sieve to release any juices.

Stir in half of the roasted garlic cloves into the broth, breaking apart with the back of a spoon. I save the rest for serving.

Pork Belly

Preheat the oven to 325.

Lightly season the pork belly with salt and pepper. Drizzle an oven proof pan that is very deep or uses a dutch oven, with some olive oil, then sear each side of the pork belly until lightly golden brown.

Combine the soy sauce, mirin, water, and hot honey. Stir until mixed. Pour over the pork belly and cover the pan with a lid. Cook for 1 1/2 hours. Let cool then place into a container for the refrigerator.

Serving

Reheat the pork belly at 325 until warm.

Prepare the six-minute eggs.

Just before serving lightly sauté the mushrooms and baby bok choy with a small amount of the sesame oil.

Cook the ramen noodles.

Place the ramen noodles into a deep bowl, top with some broth, along with a couple slices of the pork belly, the sauteed vegetables, roasted garlic, and the egg. Serve with a small piece of nori on the side or you can thinly slice and place on top.

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Brian @ A Thought For Food

Monday 4th of April 2016

I have veggie ramen (or maybe pescatarian ramen) on my list of things to make... and seeing that it's currently snowing (can you believe it?) I'm totally craving a big bowl of noodle soup. This looks awesome! Definitely not showing to Eric... or I'll get his classic line "You're going to make that for me, right?" :-/