Pressure Cooker Tonkotsu Ramen Broth

Step 1

The only things you really need are a pressure cooker (I use an 8-quart cooker, but this could easily squeeze into a 6-quart cooker), and some kind of blender. I prefer an immersion blender for this, but any blender would work. If you only have a wire whisk, that should work too, although with considerably more effort on your part.You'll also probably want a fine mesh skimmer, a wire strainer, a good sized wooden spoon and a pair of tongs. Not required, but they will make your life a whole lot easier.

Step 2

Thaw all the pork bones (if frozen) the night before.

Step 3

Load them all into your pressure cooker, and cover with water.

Step 4

Mix roughly, then let stand for five minutes or so.

Step 5

Pour off the water, rinse the bones off, and cover with water again.

Step 6

Over high heat, bring to a rolling boil for a full minute, skimming off any scum that gathers on the surface.

Step 7

Remove from heat and pour off the water; under cold running water, rinse the bones and remove any visible blood.

Step 8

Cover the bones with water again; return to the stove and add all your aromatics and flavorants.

Step 9

In this recipe we're using dried shiitake mushrooms, dried kombu, dried smoked fish, and green onions.

Step 10

With whatever pressure cooker you have, set it to the highest pressure it will take and bring it up to pressure.

Step 11

Cook your broth under pressure for one hour. After that time, the meat and skin should be extremely soft, and slip off the bones easily or have disintegrated completely. The softer bones should crumble between your fingers.

Step 12

OPTIONAL: After one hour, bring the pressure off and separate the skin, connective tissue, and meat from the bones. Discard the bones and return the rest to the pressure cooker; bring back up to to pressure and hammer it for another five minutes.

Step 13

Let your pressure cooker come back off pressure normally; strain out the bones (if you omitted the optional step), meat, and aromatics.

Step 14

Transfer the broth into your blender, or back into your (now-rinsed) pressure cooker.

Step 15

Blend on high power until it emulsifies. You will get an oily foam on top, which you can knock down by bringing the broth up to a quick boil; I just let it be, as it will dissipate into a thin slick of pork fat on top of the soup, which I quite like.

Step 16

You can use this broth immediately, or transfer it to a container and refrigerate until the next day. That's what I usually go with, as I typically prep this alongside my ramen toppings... which is a whole other series of recipes. If you don't want to wait for those, Kenji Lopez-Alt has an excellent series on his ramen broth and topping recipes, including chashu pork and marinated soft-boiled eggs.