Tonkotsu Ramen Broth Recipe

Real tonkotsu is a long-haul project — pork bones boiled hard for hours until they break down into a broth that's thick, milky-white, and intensely rich. It takes patience, but the process itself is simple, and the payoff is a broth that tastes like it came straight from a ramen shop.

• 4 lbs pork trotters (feet), split
• 2 lbs pork neck bones
• 1 whole head garlic, halved
• 1 onion, halved
• 3 inches ginger, sliced
• 16 cups water, plus more as needed
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce (for the tare)
• 1 tablespoon mirin (for the tare)
• 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

Instructions

1. 1Place the trotters and neck bones in a very large pot, cover with cold water, and bring to a hard boil for 10 minutes. This first boil draws out blood and impurities that would otherwise cloud and dull the broth.
2. 2Drain the bones and rinse them thoroughly under cold water, scrubbing off any remaining scum with a brush. Rinse the pot clean as well.
3. 3Return the bones to the clean pot with the garlic, onion, and ginger. Add the 16 cups of water — the bones should be fully submerged.
4. 4Bring to a rolling boil and keep it at a hard, rolling boil (not a gentle simmer) for the entire cook time — the vigorous boiling is what emulsifies the collagen and fat into the water, turning the broth cloudy and milky-white.
5. 5Boil for 8–9 hours, checking every hour or two and topping up with hot water as it reduces, keeping the bones covered.
6. 6The broth is ready when it's opaque, pale ivory, and coats the back of a spoon. Strain through a fine mesh sieve, pressing on the bones to extract every bit of collagen, then discard the solids.
7. 7To season a bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, mirin, and salt in each serving bowl, then ladle the hot tonkotsu broth over top and stir to combine before adding noodles and toppings.