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Best Ramen Broth Recipe

Ramen Broth Recipe serving bar with toppings

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This Japanese ramen broth recipe combines slow-simmered chicken bones with an overnight dashi of konbu, bonito flakes, and dried shiitake mushrooms for a golden, silky, deeply savory broth that rivals any ramen restaurant. Season each bowl with your choice of shoyu, miso, or shio tare for a completely customizable bowl every time.

Ingredients

Scale

    • For the Chicken Broth Base
    • 23 chicken carcasses (or 1.52 kg total mixed chicken bones)
    • 68 chicken wings (adds sweetness and body)
    • 1 whole onion, peeled
    • 34 scallions (green onions), cut into large pieces
    • 1 thumb-size piece fresh ginger, sliced
    • 4 cloves garlic, smashed
    • 1/2 cup sake (optional; substitute with water)
    • 34 liters cold water

    • For the Overnight Dashi (Umami Boost)
    • 10 g dried kelp (konbu)
    • 10 g bonito flakes (or a bonito dashi stock bag)
    • 20 g dried shiitake mushrooms (about 5 pieces)
    • 1.5 liters cold water

    • To Adjust and Finish
    • Boiling water, as needed to adjust volume
    • Optional Tare (Season in the Bowl, Not the Pot)
    • Shoyu tare: 3 tablespoons soy sauce + 1 tablespoon mirin per batch
    • Miso tare: 2 tablespoons miso paste + 1 teaspoon sesame paste + optional rayu chili oil
    • Shio tare: 1 teaspoon fine sea salt + 2 tablespoons dashi per bowl

Instructions

    1. Quick blanch the chicken: Bring a separate pot of water to a boil. Add chicken carcasses and wings and poach for 30 seconds until the surface turns white. Drain immediately and discard the poaching water.
    2. Clean the chicken: Rinse all chicken pieces thoroughly under cold running water. Remove any coagulated blood and dark bits. This keeps the broth clear and clean-tasting.
    3. Start the main simmer: Place cleaned chicken and wings in a large stockpot. Add 3 to 4 liters of cold water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then immediately reduce to a gentle simmer. Skim scum from the surface regularly during the first 30 minutes. Do not stir vigorously.
    4. Add aromatics: Add the peeled onion, scallions, sliced ginger, smashed garlic, and optional sake. Keep the heat at a gentle simmer and continue skimming as needed.
    5. Simmer the broth: Simmer gently for 3 hours for a clean, clear chicken broth. For deeper, richer flavor, simmer for 4 to 5 hours. Keep the broth barely moving to maintain clarity.
    6. Make the overnight dashi: In a large jar or container, combine konbu, bonito flakes, dried shiitake mushrooms, and 1.5 liters of cold water. Cover and soak in the refrigerator overnight (8 hours minimum). If short on time, soak at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes.
    7. Strain the chicken broth: Pour the finished chicken broth through a fine mesh sieve and discard the solids. For extra clarity, strain a second time through a sieve lined with a paper towel.
    8. Combine and adjust: Pour the strained dashi into the chicken broth and stir gently. If the broth reduced too much, add boiling water to bring it back to volume. If it tastes thin, reduce gently for 10 to 20 more minutes.
    9. Season and serve: Place 2 to 3 tablespoons of your chosen tare (shoyu, miso, or shio) in each ramen bowl. Ladle hot broth over the tare and stir to combine. Add cooked ramen noodles and your choice of toppings. Serve immediately.

Notes

    • Do not season the pot. Always season with tare in the individual bowl this allows one batch of broth to produce multiple different ramen styles.
    • The broth keeps in the refrigerator for up to 5 days and freezes for up to 3 months. Store tare separately in a sealed jar for up to 2 weeks.
    • For dumpling ramen, add steamed or pan-fried dumplings directly to the finished bowl alongside or instead of noodles.
    • For a veggie ramen broth, skip the chicken entirely and build the broth from konbu, shiitake, dried mushrooms, and roasted vegetables.
    • The chicken meat pulled from the carcasses after straining is excellent shredded as a ramen topping or added to fried rice.

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