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Simple Shio Tonkotsu Ramen
Milky pork bone broth, shio tare, a little chiyu and favourite toppings in a complete homemade ramen bowl.
Prep 40 min. Cook 750 min. Total 790 min. ⭐ Medium
Seasons: All Seasons
Cooking methods: Boiling / Simmering
Dietary categories: Dairy-FreeNut-Free

The Story Behind the Recipe

My curiosity about ramen began as a child watching anime, especially Naruto. At first, I simply saw a soup with noodles and toppings. The more I researched, the more I discovered behind that bowl. I first tasted tonkotsu in London, with memorable bowls both in the centre and in Battersea. After returning to Greece in 2019, I started exploring how to recreate those flavours at home. The research and experiments have continued ever since.

This is my simple approach to a very good homemade result. The preparations are straightforward, but the broth still needs its time. I use shio tare, making this a shio tonkotsu bowl. The broth has a rich body, while the seasoning lets its flavours and aromas come together delicately. If you want more intensity, adjust it in the bowl.

The separate preparations are Simple Shio Tare, Chiyu, Chashu, Ajitama and Kikurage. Use Simple Shoyu Tare to make Shoyu Tonkotsu Ramen. For a quicker, different bowl, see Quick Spicy Miso Ramen.

The Technique

  • Blanch and clean the bones before the main cooking.
  • Cook for 10-12 hours, ideally 12, topping up the water and stirring. Vigorous boiling helps emulsify fat into the broth for its opaque texture.
  • Add cleaned aromatics during the final hour.
  • Taste the broth, tare and oil before adding freshly cooked noodles.

Makes approximately 1.5-2 litres, enough for 6-8 bowls using 250 ml broth each. Prepare enough toppings separately.

Ingredients

Broth Ingredients

  • Pork bones: 2-2.5 kg, preferably marrow bones combined with joints or connective tissue, cut by the butcher.

  • Water: enough to cover, plus extra for topping up.

  • Onion: 1 large, peeled and halved.

  • Spring onions: 1-2, washed, roots removed and halved.

  • Fresh ginger: 2-3 knobs, peeled and sliced.

Ingredients per Bowl

  • Hot tonkotsu broth: 250 ml.

  • Prepared shio tare: 25-30 ml to start, more to taste.

  • Prepared chiyu: approximately 3 ml to start, more to taste, up to around 15 ml if preferred.

  • Thin, straight ramen noodles: 100-110 g dried, uncooked weight.

  • Prepared chashu: a few thin slices.

  • Ajitama: 1 egg, halved, or to taste.

  • Prepared kikurage: to taste.

  • Nori: 1-2 pieces, as a topping.

  • Spring onion: a little finely sliced green part.

Steps

Method: Broth

  1. Put the bones in a large stockpot and cover with water, leaving enough headroom to prevent overflow.

  2. Bring to a boil and boil for approximately 30 minutes. Discard this water and thoroughly clean the bones and pot, removing blood, scum and any small bone fragments.

  3. Return the bones to the clean pot, add fresh water to cover and bring back to a boil.

  4. If preparing chashu at the same time, add the tied pork belly and lower the heat to a gentle simmer for approximately 2 hours. Remove the belly, then increase to a vigorous boil. This initial two-hour stage is included in the 10-12 hours of main cooking.

  5. Continue boiling, topping up the water as needed. Stir regularly, especially towards the end, to prevent sticking. If cooking without chashu, maintain a vigorous boil from the beginning of the main cooking.

  6. Add the onion, spring onions and ginger during the final hour.

  7. Once rich and milky, remove the large bones and strain carefully. Aim for approximately 1.5-2 litres, adjusting the density with further reduction or hot water.

Method: Assemble the Bowl

  1. Have the tare, chiyu and toppings ready. Warm the bowls and keep the broth very hot.

  2. Add 25-30 ml shio tare, approximately 3 ml chiyu and 250 ml broth to each bowl. Stir and taste. Add more tare for intensity or chiyu for aroma as preferred.

  3. Cook the noodles separately according to the packet. Drain thoroughly and add immediately to the broth.

  4. Top with seared chashu, ajitama, kikurage, nori and spring onion. Serve at once.

Tips and Secrets

  1. Good bones help, but they need not become an obstacle. I have also made broth with bones saved from pork neck chops. The mixture changes the body and pork aroma.

  2. Start with less chiyu. The broth already contains plenty of fat, so a small initial dose adds aroma without making it heavier.

  3. Shoyu tare makes Shoyu Tonkotsu Ramen. Start with a similarly modest amount and adjust by tasting, since different tare preparations have different salt levels.

  4. Cook extra noodles when you need them. Noodles left waiting after cooking dry out and lose their pleasant texture.

  5. Cool leftover broth rapidly. Divide into small, shallow containers or use an ice bath while stirring, then refrigerate or freeze.

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