By Annie Weisz
I’ve seen countless pictures of people making bone broth from their game harvests lately. It’s great that people are using their animals to the fullest extent but I think there are a lot of missed opportunities to make some amazing ramen broth. All you need are some bones, a few classic Asian ingredients, some water, and a big pot. This recipe is by no means traditional, but it is 100% delicious. If you saved some stock bones, I highly suggest you give it a try!
Like any broth, ramen is best when the broth has been cooked low and slow for a long time. I start by roasting the bones at a high temperature to add a rich, caramelized flavor. Then, I sauté some aromatics in oil (ginger, garlic, green onions, bonito flakes, and mushroom stems). When their delicious smells are released I put the roasted bones in (plus the drippings on the roasting pan, can’t forget those!) and add in some sake to deglaze the pan. Once that has reduced, I add in some soy sauce and rice vinegar and fill the pot with water. Bring it to a boil and let it do its thing for about 8 hours.
If the broth is getting too concentrated, you can add it some water to fill up the pot again. If it’s not salty enough for your liking, add in a bit more soy sauce. Again, probably not the proper way to do things but it works for me. Once it’s done, take out the bones and pour it through a mesh strainer. Any extra broth can be frozen flat in zippered bags.
You can give the rest of my recipe a try here or add your own favorite noodles, protein and toppings. Add your favorite Asian hot sauce if you like it spicy (gochujang is my favorite). Enjoy!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 9 hours
- Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 3 lb leg bones (deer, elk, antelope, etc.)
- 3 tbsp oil
- 1 garlic bulb, cloves peeled and smashed
- 5 inches fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
- 6 green onions, cut into 3 sections
- ⅔ cup bonito flakes
- shiitake mushroom stems (removed from mushrooms below)
- 1 cup sake
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- water
Broth:
- Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a sheet pan with foil. Roast bones on sheet pan for 25-30 minutes.
- Heat oil in large stock pot (mine is 8 quarts). Add garlic, ginger, bonito flakes, mushroom stems, and green onions. Saute 5 minutes or until fragrant. Add in bones and drippings from the pan.
- Deglaze pan with sake. Simmer until liquid has reduced by half.
- Add soy sauce and rice vinegar. Fill stock pot with water. Simmer for at least 8 hours.
Remove bones from broth. Strain broth with fine mesh strainer. Serve hot. Freeze leftovers in zippered bag.
Assembly:
- Cook ramen noodles according to package directions.
- Place cooked noodles in each bowl. Arrange toppings around and on top of noodles.
- Carefully add desired amount of broth to each bowl. If you like it spicy, add some hot sauce to mix into the broth.