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Chashu ramen served
Authentic Japanese ramen with chashu pork and egg

Chashu Ramen

Author: Flavelo
Recipes Soups
The soul of ramen is the broth, but the crown is the Chashu: melt-in-the-mouth pork belly braised in soy sauce broth. The Japanese adapted the Chinese 'Char Siu' (barbecued meat) technique, but instead of roasting, they prefer to braise the rolled meat slowly in liquid. The goal is perfect gelatinisation of fat and collagen so the meat feels creamy rather than greasy.
🕒 Prep Time 30 mins
🍳 Cook Time 2 hrs
⌛ Total Time 2 hrs 30 mins
🍽️ Servings 4 servings
🔥 Calories 750 kcal
🌍 Cuisine Japanese

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

  • Kitchen twine: For tying the meat.
  • Pot just big enough for the meat: So the small amount of marinade covers it.

Allergen Information

⚠️ Soya
⚠️ Cereals containing gluten (soy sauce, noodles)
⚠️ Eggs

Instructions

1 ✓

Roll the pork belly tightly into a cylinder and tie with twine. Brown all sides in a frying pan until golden.

Tip: Tying holds the layers together and ensures the slices are round. Browning adds flavour.
2 ✓

In a pot, mix water (enough to eventually cover the meat), soy sauce, mirin, sake, sugar, ginger, and onion. Add the meat. Bring to the boil, then lower to a simmer.

Tip: Make an 'otoshibuta' (drop lid) from baking parchment and place directly on the liquid surface. This helps the meat stay in contact with the liquid everywhere.
3 ✓

Cook on very low heat for 1.5-2 hours until butter-soft. Turn every 30 minutes.

Tip: Do not boil hard, or the meat will dry out and toughen. Just a gentle simmer.
4 ✓

Remove the meat and let cool completely (best in the fridge). Do not pour away the cooking liquid!

Tip: During cooling the fat solidifies, so it can be sliced paper-thin.
5 ✓

Boil the eggs (6.5 minutes in boiling water for runny yolk), peel, and soak in the cooled cooking liquid for a few hours (Ajitsuke Tamago).

6 ✓

Serving: Cook the noodles. Ladle hot stock into the bowl, season with the chashu cooking liquid (this is the 'Tare'). Add the noodles, the thinly sliced (cold) meat, and halved egg. The hot soup warms the meat through, starting to melt its fat.

Recipe FAQ

Why does it fall apart when slicing?
Because you tried to cut it warm. Chashu must be cooled completely (best in the fridge) so the gelatin sets. It can only be sliced beautifully when cold, then it warms through again in the hot soup.

Ingredients

  • 1 kg Pork belly (skin-on or skinless, whole piece)
  • 200 ml Soy sauce
  • 100 ml Mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine)
  • 50 50 Sake (or dry white wine)
  • 3 tbsp Sugar
  • 1 pc Ginger (thumb-sized, sliced)
  • 4 stalks Spring onions (green parts only)
  • 4 portions Ramen noodles (fresh or dried)
  • 1.5 l Stock (chicken or pork)
  • 4 pcs Eggs (for Ramen eggs)