Shoyu Ramen (Japanese Soy Sauce Ramen)
Local name: 醤油ラーメン
In short: Springy wheat noodles in a clear chicken broth seasoned with soy sauce, topped with soft-boiled egg and tender braised pork. It takes about 2 h 30 min in total and makes 4 servings.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 2 h
- Resting
- 30 min
- Total
- 2 h 30 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 700 kcal
Ramen arrived from Chinese cooking over a century ago and became one of Japan's everyday meals, eaten at counters, in food courts and at home. Shoyu ramen is the classic style: a clear broth seasoned with soy sauce, wheat noodles and a few toppings. This version simmers a simple chicken broth, braises pork shoulder in soy sauce and sake, and steeps the eggs in that same liquid, so every part can be made ahead.
Instructions
- Put the chicken in a large pot, cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Boil for 3 minutes, then drain, rinse the chicken under cold water and scrub out the pot. This removes the scum that clouds a broth.
- Return the chicken to the clean pot with the 2.5 liters of cold water, ginger, garlic, onion and spring onion greens. Bring to a bare simmer, skim off the foam and cook uncovered for 1 1/2 hours. A hard boil turns the broth cloudy.
- Meanwhile, tie the pork with kitchen string so it keeps its shape. Put it in a snug pot with the soy sauce, sake, mirin, sugar and water. Bring to a simmer, cover with the lid slightly ajar and cook for 1 1/2 hours, turning every 30 minutes, until a skewer slides in easily.
- Lower the eggs straight from the fridge into a pot of boiling water and cook for 6 1/2 minutes. Cool them in iced water, peel, then slip them into the pork's braising liquid for at least 30 minutes, turning once so they color evenly.
- Add the kombu to the broth for the last 10 minutes, and lift it out before the broth bubbles. Strain the broth and season with salt. You should have about 1.5 liters (6 cups); top up with hot water if short. Keep it very hot.
- Cook the noodles in a large pot of unsalted boiling water, about 2 minutes for fresh noodles or as the package directs. Drain very well so the broth is not watered down.
- Divide the soy sauce, mirin and oil among 4 large bowls. Ladle 350 ml (1 1/2 cups) of boiling broth into each and stir. Add the noodles and loosen them with chopsticks.
- Slice the pork and halve the eggs. Top each bowl with pork, an egg half, spring onions, nori and menma if using. Serve at once while the noodles are springy.
Tips
- Short on time? Simmer 1.5 liters of good chicken stock for 20 minutes with the ginger, garlic and kombu, then season the bowls as written.
- For miso ramen, stir 3 tablespoons of miso into the hot broth in place of the soy sauce. For a milky tonkotsu style, boil pork bones hard for 6 hours instead.
Questions and answers
Can I make ramen broth ahead of time?
Yes. Cool the strained broth and refrigerate it for up to 4 days, or freeze it for 3 months. The pork and eggs keep 4 days in their braising liquid. Cook the noodles fresh just before serving.
What noodles are best for shoyu ramen?
Fresh or dried ramen noodles made with alkaline salt give the springy bite and yellow color. Thin, wavy noodles suit shoyu best. In a pinch, boil spaghetti with 1/2 teaspoon baking soda per liter of water.
Is it safe to eat soft-boiled eggs?
Use fresh, refrigerated eggs and eat them within 4 days. Young children, older adults, pregnant women and anyone with a weak immune system should boil the eggs for 10 minutes instead.
How long does it take to make Shoyu Ramen (Japanese Soy Sauce Ramen)?
About 2 h 30 min in total: 30 min of preparation and 2 h of cooking.
How many calories are in Shoyu Ramen (Japanese Soy Sauce Ramen)?
About 700 kcal per serving, with 38 g of protein, 72 g of carbohydrates and 26 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 700 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 38 g |
| Carbohydrates | 72 g |
| Fat | 26 g |
| Fiber | 3 g |
| Sugar | 9 g |
| Sodium | 2400 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
