Shoyu Ramen

I was reading my Bon Appétit magazine last month and came across a recipe for Shoyu Ramen.  I love ramen but usually just have it at asian restaurants.  I did eat a lot of ramen in college but I don't consider the $1 packages real ramen.  

I sent the recipe to The Chosen One and we debated on making it.  The problem is the recipe takes 3 days to make Shoyu Ramen.  We wondered if we were really up for that task.  

Well, all of sudden one day The Chosen One said she was going to the asian market to get the ingredients and was going to make it.  I knew that meant I had to make it also.  She could not show me up and I love cooking with her even though she is miles away.  

That Friday night was date night so hubby and I decided we would go see a movie.  I wanted to stop by the asian market before the movie to get all my ingredients.  Well, we went to the Buford Highway Farmers Market because it has a great asian selection.  The problem was we did not know what all the ingredients were and where to find them.  It took us over 2 hours to find everything but we had a blast looking for it and now will never have a problem looking for Japanese ingredients again.  We left that market feeling very proud and enjoyed a movie together.

Supplies from the Asian Market

I would like to share with you Bon Appétit's Shoyu Ramen recipe.  I tried to take step by step pictures.  But I kept forgetting to take them since it was a 3 day process.  

DAY ONE:

KOMBU DASHI AND TARE

2 pieces dried kombu
½ cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 Tbsp. dry sake
1 Tbsp. mirin

For the dashi, combine kombu and 4 quarts cold water in a large bowl. Cover and let sit at room temperature at least 8 hours and up to 12 hours. For the tare, combine soy sauce, sake, and mirin in a small bowl; cover and chill.

Dried kombu soaking in water

DAY TWO:

PORK AND STOCK

1½ lb. boneless pork shoulder
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 lb. chicken necks, backs, and/or wings
1 lb. pork spareribs
2 bunches scallions, chopped
2 carrots, peeled, cut into pieces
1 head of garlic, halved horizontally
1 1” piece ginger, peeled, sliced
¼ cup bonito flakes

One day ahead: Season pork shoulder with salt and pepper. Roll up and tie with kitchen twine at 2” intervals. (This helps keep the meat intact while cooking and makes for round, compact slices.)

Pork shoulder tied with kitchen twine

Heat oil in a large heavy pot (at least 8 quarts) over medium-high heat Cook pork shoulder, turning, until brown all over, 10–12 minutes.

Pork should ready to be browned

Add chicken, spareribs, scallions, carrots, garlic, ginger, and bonito flakes. Remove kombu from dashi; discard. Add as much kombu dashi as will fit in pot once liquid is boiling (reserve remaining dashi). Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, skimming the surface occasionally and adding remaining dashi as liquid reduces, until pork shoulder is tender and stock has reduced to about 2 quarts, 2½–3 hours.

Scallions, carrots, garlic, and ginger

 Chicken, spareribs, scallions, carrots, garlic, 

ginger, bonito flakes, and kombu dashi simmering

Remove pork shoulder from stock and let cool.

Pork shoulder cooling

Wrap tightly in plastic and chill until ready to use. (Chilling pork will make meat easier to slice.) Strain stock through a fine-mesh sieve into another large pot or a large bowl or container; discard solids (including ribs and chicken). Cover and chill.

DAY THREE:

RAMEN AND GARNISHES

3 large eggs
6 5-oz. packages fresh thin and wavy ramen noodles (or six 3-oz. packages dried)
½ cup menma (fermented bamboo shoots)
6 scallions, thinly sliced
3 toasted nori sheets, torn in half
Chili oil, toasted sesame oil, and shichimi togarashi (for serving)

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Carefully add eggs one at a time and boil gently for 7 minutes. (Egg yolks should be shiny yellow and almost jammy; egg white should be just set.) Drain eggs and transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop cooking; let cool. Peel; set aside.

Remove string and thinly slice pork; cover and set aside.

When ready to serve, bring stock to a simmer; it should be very hot. 

Bringing the stock to a simmer

At the same time, cook noodles in a large pot of boiling water according to package directions until al dente; drain (no need to salt the water, as ramen noodles contain more salt than pasta).

Cooking the noodles

Just before serving, divide noodles among 6 deep bowls. Top with sliced pork, placing it off to one side. Add tare to hot stock and ladle over pork to warm through (stock should come up just to the level of the noodles).

Place a small pile of menma next to pork. Halve eggs and place next to menma. Place a small pile of sliced scallions next to egg. Tuck half a sheet of nori between side of bowl and noodles so it’s just poking out.

Serve ramen with chili oil, sesame oil, and shichimi togarashi.

Beautiful Shoyu Ramen!!!

We all thought it was delicious.  The Chosen One thought it was no worth 3 days of cooking.  It inspired me to find other ramen recipes to find out which one is the best.  Addison is still talking about Ramen.  He told me I should make Ramen once a week.  I think Addison is crazy but I do not mind cooking it once a month.  

I think you guys should try it and tell me what you think.  And please share any ramen recipes that you have.  

Talk to you soon,