Kyushu Tonkotsu

A rich Kyushu-style ramen with creamy pork broth, seafood-soy tare, garlic oil, and thin homemade noodles.

The Story

Tonkotsu ramen was born in Kurume, on the island of Kyushu, before spreading across the region and becoming especially famous in Fukuoka. Its defining feature is a cloudy pork-bone broth, created by boiling pork bones until their fat and collagen emulsify into the soup. Today, tonkotsu is one of the ramen styles most closely associated with Kyushu.

Tare

Ingredients

• 30 g katsuobushi
• 35 g niboshi
• 15 g kombu
• 10 g dried shiitake
• 1/2 head garlic
• 15 g ginger
• 550 ml usukuchi shoyu (light soy sauce)
• 90 ml koikuchi shoyu (regular soy sauce)
• 110 ml sake
• 110 ml mirin

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients in a pot.
2. Heat until just below a boil, then turn off the heat before it boils.
3. Let rest overnight at room temperature.
4. Strain the next day.
5. Use 2 tablespoons tare for every 300 ml tonkotsu broth.

Broth

Ingredients

• Pork bones
• Water, using 10 L for every 9.5 kg pork bones
• Pork backfat, cut into cubes, equal to 10% of the bone weight
• A few cloves garlic

Instructions

1. Soak the pork bones overnight in water in the refrigerator.
2. Place the bones in a pot with water at the stated ratio and bring to a boil.
3. Skim off the scum as it rises. Once little more appears, discard the water and clean the bones.
4. Return the cleaned bones to a clean pot and boil on the highest heat for 3 hours.
5. Add water to return the pot to its original level. Boil another 3 hours on the highest heat, then refill again to the original level.
6. Add the cubed pork backfat and garlic. Break the bones where possible.
7. Boil for 2 more hours, or until the broth reaches the desired appearance.
8. Strain into another pot and blend with a stick blender for 3 minutes.
9. Keep hot on the stove until serving.

Aroma Oil

Ingredients

• 90 ml rendered pork fat or lard
• 10 ml vegetable oil
• Garlic

Instructions

1. Heat the pork fat and vegetable oil until fully liquid.
2. Add garlic and fry until golden brown.
3. Use 15 ml (1 tablespoon) aroma oil for every 300 ml soup.

Noodles — 1 serving

Ingredients

• 99 g King Arthur bread flour
• 1 g vital wheat gluten
• 35 g water
• 1 g salt
• 1 g kansui (baked baking soda)
• Potato starch, for dusting

Instructions

1. Combine the water, salt, and kansui in a small cup.
2. Combine the bread flour and vital wheat gluten. Add the liquid, place the dough in a plastic bag, and rest for 30 minutes.
3. Knead into a flat shape and roll thin.
4. Fold and roll repeatedly until the dough can bend without breaking.
5. Dust with potato starch immediately before cutting.
6. Cut the noodles and dust again with potato starch.