Tonkotsu Ramen Broth

Ingredients:

o  3 Pork Trotters

o  1 pack Chicken Necks (approx. 3#)

o  2-3 ounce section ginger root

o  2 bulbs Garlic

o  1 large yellow onion

o  1 bunch green onions (greens reserved for ramen)

o  1 pint Shiitake mushrooms (stems separated; half of caps reserved for ramen)

o  1/8 cup rice vinegar

o  2 Tbsp. soy sauce or coconut aminos

o  1 Tbsp. Gochugaru flakes (optional)

Directions:

1.      Preheat oven to 450-degrees. Line a large sheet pan with parchment and scatter necks, spacing them to avoid steaming.  Remove skin from onion, setting it aside (only if grown without chemicals). Cut onion into wedges and toss on top of the necks. Allow chicken skin to roast to a deep golden color; about 20-30 minutes.

2.      Meanwhile, rinse trotters under running water and cover with warm/hot water in a large stock pot. Bring to a simmer until the foam stops collecting, about 5-10 minutes. Drain and rinse well again under running water to thoroughly clean them. Using a sterilized brush or abrasive sponge can help to speed this up! Return to pot and cover again with water.

3.      To the stock pot, add browned necks and onion. Peel and cube ginger; place half in pot and reserve the rest for later. Cut one garlic bulb in half and add to stock pot, along with reserved onion skins, shiitake stems and rice vinegar.

4.      Fill stock pot up with water and allow to gently simmer for 18-24 hours, topping off with water as needed.

5.      Use a masher or broad spoon to mash pot contents; especially garlic and ginger. Cut second garlic bulb in half and add to pot, along with soy sauce, white pepper, pepper flakes, half of shiitake caps, remaining ginger and the white portion of green onions. Top off with water and simmer for another 6 hours.

6.      When simmering time is up, increase burner heat and allow to aggressively boil for about 30 minutes. This will create the rich, creamy broth with milky appearance that Tonkotsu is known for. At this stage, you should be cautious adding water in order to avoid a watered-down final product. [This comes down to your personal preference; just keep in mind that adding more soy sauce and flavorings when preparing your bowl of ramen will greatly increase the salt levels and in turn, the overall flavor it packs.]

7.      Allow pot to slightly cool and strain through a colander into another large pot or container. If your colander has large holes that are allowing bone pieces through; strain again through a metal mesh strainer (do not use cheese cloth).

8.      Add your favorite ramen ingredients and enjoy! See notes below for ideas. Leftover broth may be portioned and frozen for up to 3 months, refrigerated for 1 week or processed by pressure canning for shelf storage up to 1 year. 

Notes:

• This recipe alone is packed with amazing nutrients your body needs, as it is more collagen rich than any other broth we can produce. To increase the inflammation and illness fighting properties, simply stir in turmeric and freshly ground black pepper after the hard boil. This bone broth is rich and fatty enough to make the turmeric effective.
• Ramen toppings are endless, and a quick search online will lead you down a rabbit-hole, making you wish you had made more! Mung bean sprouts are one of my favorite toppings but if you haven't planned ahead, microgreens are a perfect substitute. Thinly sliced radish, turnip, cabbage, carrots and shiitake are excellent, as well as thinly sliced pork or other meat and soft-boiled eggs. Black garlic oil (pictured) packs a rich umami punch, as does miso.
• This broth makes the best egg drop soup you will ever try! Simply whisk with arrowroot powder (or corn starch) and sesame oil before bringing to a rolling boil and whisking in raw scrambled egg.

See the progression of this broth and note the importance of the hard boil. From left to right; -24 hours -30 hours -30 hours+30 minutes

Look at all of that collagen! Refrigerated 24 hours and it takes some forceful shaking to get it out of a jar opening!