Kanto-Style Rich Seafood
Tonkotsu White Broth Ramen

Master the ultimate Kanto-style ramen broth. This intensely rich 8-hour emulsion marries creamy tonkotsu with a complex seafood dashi for unparalleled umami.

Ingredients

• 2 kg pork marrow and neck bones
• 1 whole chicken
• 500 g pork back fat
• 2 bunches scallions
• 1 large piece ginger
• 2 heads garlic
• 500 g asari clams
• 100 ml cooking wine
• 300 g pork skin
• 1/2 head Chinese cabbage
• 100 g mixed dried fish (ago, saba, iwashi)
• 20 g kombu (dried kelp)
• 50 g dried scallops

Instructions

1. 1Blanch the pork bones

   

   Place the pork bone ingredients into a large pot of boiling water and blanch thoroughly to remove impurities, blood, and unwanted odors. Keep the heat high to ensure a rapid boil and skim the resulting foam from the surface continuously.

   Tip: Skimming the scum thoroughly at this initial boiling stage is critical to achieving a clean, clear, and unclouded final broth.
2. 2Add the whole chicken

   

   Carefully lower a whole chicken into the boiling pot alongside the blanched pork bones to introduce rich poultry depth and complexity to the soup base. Ensure the chicken is fully submerged in the boiling water to cook evenly.

   Tip: Combining chicken with pork bones creates a multi-layered umami foundation that balances the heaviness of the pork.
3. 3Add pork back fat

   

   Introduce chunks of pork back fat directly into the large stockpot containing the simmering bones and chicken. The back fat melts down slowly over hours, contributing vital richness, body, and smooth mouthfeel to the tonkotsu-style broth.

   Tip: Adding the fat at this stage allows it to render completely and integrate uniformly with the gelatin from the bones.
4. 4Add aromatics

   

   Add freshly chopped scallions, sliced ginger, and garlic cloves into the soup pot to effectively neutralize any gaminess from the meat and infuse the broth with aromatic depth. Stir gently to distribute the ingredients evenly.

   Tip: Fresh ginger and garlic are essential aromatics that cut through the rich animal fats and brighten the overall broth profile.
5. 5Simmer and stir the soup

   

   Continue simmering the mixture over a steady heat for about eight and a half hours, using a large wooden paddle to stir the pot regularly. After the 3-hour mark, active stirring becomes crucial to release the bone flavors to the maximum degree.

   Tip: Consistent stirring prevents the bones from settling or burning at the bottom while helping break down connective tissues.
6. 6Emulsify with an immersion blender

   

   Submerge an immersion hand blender directly inside the pot to thoroughly blend and break down the remaining bone and fat particles. This technique quickly promotes soup emulsification, turning the broth rich, creamy, and opaque white.

   Tip: Using a hand blender is a shortcut to fully releasing the bone soups aroma and achieving that classic rich tonkotsu texture.
7. 7Boil the clams

   

   Cook the clams in water and cooking wine over low heat to extract the umami-rich succinic acid.

   Tip: Keep the heat low to gently draw out the natural flavors without boiling away the essence.
8. 8Strain the clam broth

   

   Pass the cooked clams and their cooking liquid through a fine mesh strainer to separate any solids and clarify the flavorful broth.

   Tip: Ensure the strainer is fine enough to catch small shell fragments.
9. 9Blend the pork skin broth

   

   Use an immersion blender to thoroughly blend the separately simmered pork skin to achieve a smooth and rich consistency.

   Tip: Blend carefully to avoid splashing hot liquid.
10. 10Combine the broths

    

    Pour the blended broth into the main stockpot following the precise calculated ratio, where the Kanto rich soup content is around 30 percent.

    Tip: Measure carefully to maintain the proper balance of flavors.
11. 11Add Chinese cabbage

    

    Add chopped Chinese cabbage, which contains large amounts of glutamic acid, into the large simmering pot.

    Tip: Chop the cabbage evenly to ensure it cooks down and releases its sweetness uniformly.
12. 12Add pre-soaked dried fish

    

    Add the pre-soaked dried fish into the soup pot to introduce essential inosinic acid to the broth.

    Tip: Soaking the dried fish beforehand helps soften them and release their rich umami flavor more effectively.
13. 13Pour the filtered clam broth into the boiling soup

    

    Pour the previously extracted and filtered clam broth directly into the large pot containing the simmering pork bone and seafood broth mixture. This step integrates the rich succinic acid from the clams into the main soup base, enhancing the overall umami complexity.

    Tip: Ensure the clam broth is strained well through a fine mesh or cloth to prevent any grit or shell fragments from entering the smooth white broth.

Broth Storage & Reheating

Burn It Off

Frequently Asked Questions