Rich Ramen Broth from Scratch

Step 1

Blanch chicken and pork bones in boiling water 2 minutes, drain, and rinse under cold water until clean.

Step 2

Char onion and ginger cut-side down in a dry skillet over medium-high heat until blackened, ~3 minutes per side.

Step 3

Fill a large pot with 3 quarts cold water. Add blanched bones, charred onion, ginger, and garlic.

Step 4

Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a bare simmer and skim foam from the surface for 2 minutes.

Step 5

Add kombu, soy sauce, and mirin. Simmer uncovered for 1 hour, partially covered if you prefer less evaporation.

Step 6

Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl, pressing gently on solids. Discard bones and aromatics.

Step 7

Taste the broth and season with salt and white pepper. It should taste rich and slightly savory.

Step 8

Skim fat from the surface if a lighter broth is preferred, or leave it for deeper flavor.

Step 9

Use immediately as a base for ramen, or cool and refrigerate up to 4 days (freeze up to 3 months).