Pork Belly for Ramen

Description

Classic Japanese chashu—thick slabs of pork belly braised low and slow until impossibly tender, then finished with a glossy lacquer of soy, mirin, and sake. Sliced into rounds and stacked over bowls of ramen, this is the crown jewel of any tonkotsu or rich noodle soup.

Ingredients

Pork

• 2–3 pounds thick-cut pork belly (5- to 7-layer skin-on preferred), in ½-inch-thick slabs
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 2 tablespoons neutral oil (canola or vegetable)

Braising Liquid

• 1 cup water
• ⅓ cup soy sauce
• ⅓ cup sake
• ¼ cup mirin
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar or coconut sugar
• 4 scallions, roughly chopped
• 8 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1-inch piece ginger, sliced into coin rounds
• 1 small shallot, halved

Tying (optional but recommended)

• Butcher's twine for tying rolled pork

Instructions

1. If using thick belly slabs, pat the pork completely dry and season liberally with salt and pepper on both sides. For the classic spiral-chashu look, roll each slab tightly into a cylinder and tie with butcher's twine at 1-inch intervals to hold its shape.
2. Heat oil in a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Sear the pork fat-side down first until deeply golden brown, about 3–4 minutes. Flip and sear all remaining sides until uniformly caramelized. This step builds the fond (browned bits) that enriches the braise.
3. Remove the pork from the pot and set aside. Make sure to drain excess rendered fat if there's more than a tablespoon in the bottom.
4. To the same pot, add water, soy sauce, sake, mirin, sugar, scallions, garlic, ginger, and shallot. Bring the liquid to a boil over high heat while scraping up all the caramelized fond from the bottom with a wooden spoon.
5. Place the seared pork back into the pot, ensuring it is mostly submerged in the braising liquid. If not fully covered, add more water as needed.
6. Reduce heat to very low so the liquid barely simmers (tiny bubbles at the edges). Cover tightly with a lid. Transfer to a 300°F (150°C) oven for 2–2.5 hours, OR continue on stovetop on the lowest possible simmer. The pork is done when a knife slides through with zero resistance and it feels nearly jiggly.
7. While the pork rests still warm in its braising liquid for another 30 minutes (this step makes it even more tender), bring the remaining braising liquid to a rolling boil over high heat and reduce it by about one-third, creating a thicker lacquer/glaze. Return the pork and all resting juices into this reduced glaze.
8. Remove pork from the pot and allow it to cool slightly (or chill completely in the fridge overnight for even better slicing). Slice crosswise into ¼-inch-thick rounds and arrange atop ramen bowls.

Notes

• The "overnight rest" trick: letting chashu sit in its braising liquid in the refrigerator overnight is a pro move. The cold-set belly slices much cleaner, and the reabsorption of glaze intensifies the flavor.
• Store leftover chashu refrigerated for up to 5 days. Re-slice when ready—it actually gets better each day as the flavors penetrate deeper.
• You can use pork shoulder (Boston butt) instead—this is called "buta no shoku" in Japan and has a slightly different, more meaty texture rather than the marbled fat layers of belly.
• The braising leftover liquid makes an incredible ramen soup base add-in or stir-fry sauce. Don't waste it.
• For extra smoky depth, finish sliced chashu with a quick sear on a hot cast iron skillet before plating.