# Tonkotsu ramen Pork bones cooked until the soup turns creamy, seasoned with a simple salt tare and finished with scallion oil. Web page: https://samoramen.com/ramen/tonkotsu/ Quantities and times come from The Ramen_Lord Book of Ramen by Mike Satinover and Scott Satinover. The 2 h 15 min pressure time is calculated from the book’s conversion rule. Steps written by Samo Ramen. Published 8 November 2026. We have not cooked this version ourselves yet, so the times are the book’s and the soup yield is unmeasured. Time: At least 3 hours, with 2 h 15 min of that under pressure. Bowls per batch: Soup not measured yet. The tare is enough for about 16 bowls and the oil for about 8. Plan: Start the soup first. Make the tare and aroma oil while it cooks, then cook the noodles and fill the bowl at the very end. ## One bowl | Component | Amount | | --- | --- | | Soup | 300 mL | | Tare | 30 mL | | Aroma oil | 15 mL | | Noodles | 130 g | ## Ingredients ### Soup - 2 kg pork neck bones - 2 kg pork femurs, split - 6 L water, plus fresh water for blanching ### Tare - 500 g water - 50 g salt - 33 g MSG ### Aroma oil - 125 mL neutral oil - 1 bunch scallion whites ### Noodles - 130 g fresh ramen noodles per bowl ## Steps ### Soup #### 1. Blanch the bones Put the neck bones and femurs in a pot and cover them with fresh water. Once it boils, turn it down to a simmer for 15 to 20 minutes and keep lifting off the foam. Optional, for a whiter soup: first soak the bones in cold water for at least 6 hours, then start with fresh water. Timer: 15 min or 20 min Done when: Very little foam is still coming up. Direct link: https://samoramen.com/ramen/tonkotsu/#blanch-bones #### 2. Scrub the bones Pour everything into a colander and throw the water away. Hold each bone under the tap and rub off anything dark, including inside the cracks. Done when: The bones are clean, with no dark bits left. Needs first: Blanch the bones Direct link: https://samoramen.com/ramen/tonkotsu/#scrub-bones #### 3. Pressure-cook the soup Put the clean bones in the pressure cooker with the 6 L of water. Cook under pressure for 2 hours 15 minutes, then use a fast release. Natural release instead: 2 hours under pressure, then 30 minutes releasing. No pressure cooker: 18 hours at a medium boil, stirring often and adding water as the level drops. Timer: 2 h 15 min Done when: The pressure is fully released. Needs first: Scrub the bones Direct link: https://samoramen.com/ramen/tonkotsu/#pressure-cook #### 4. Strain the soup Pour the soup through a strainer into a clean pot. Discard the bones. Needs first: Pressure-cook the soup Direct link: https://samoramen.com/ramen/tonkotsu/#strain-soup #### 5. Blend the soup Blend the strained soup for 30 seconds, starting slowly and working up to full speed. With a hand blender, go for 5 minutes instead; the result is less creamy. Timer: 30 sec or 5 min (hand blender) Done when: The soup looks smooth and creamy to you. Needs first: Strain the soup Direct link: https://samoramen.com/ramen/tonkotsu/#blend-soup ### Tare #### 6. Make the tare Warm the water, salt and MSG in a saucepan, stirring until the crystals disappear. Put the lid on and let it cool. Done when: No crystals remain. Direct link: https://samoramen.com/ramen/tonkotsu/#make-tare ### Aroma oil #### 7. Fry the scallions Trim the root ends. Put the scallion whites and oil in a small saucepan over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes, and stir now and then. Timer: 10 min or 15 min Done when: The scallions are pale gold and the oil smells of them. Direct link: https://samoramen.com/ramen/tonkotsu/#fry-scallions #### 8. Strain the oil Take the pan off the heat, leave the oil to cool in it, then strain out the scallions. Needs first: Fry the scallions Direct link: https://samoramen.com/ramen/tonkotsu/#strain-oil ### Noodles #### 9. Get the noodles Buy 130 g of fresh ramen noodles per bowl, and note the cooking time on the packet. Fresh thin noodles suit this bowl. Direct link: https://samoramen.com/ramen/tonkotsu/#get-noodles ### The bowl #### 10. Set everything out Warm the bowl. Heat the soup until hot. Bring a separate pot of water to a rolling boil. Measure 30 mL tare and 15 mL oil. Done when: Everything is within reach. Needs first: Blend the soup, Make the tare, Strain the oil, Get the noodles Direct link: https://samoramen.com/ramen/tonkotsu/#set-up-bowl #### 11. Cook the noodles Drop 130 g of noodles into the boiling water, never the soup, and stir them once. Start the timer for the time on the packet. Timer: the time on the packet Done when: A taste tells you they are done. Needs first: Set everything out Direct link: https://samoramen.com/ramen/tonkotsu/#cook-noodles #### 12. Fill the bowl While the noodles cook, pour into the warm bowl in this order: 30 mL tare, 15 mL oil, then 300 mL soup. Needs first: Set everything out Direct link: https://samoramen.com/ramen/tonkotsu/#fill-bowl #### 13. Add the noodles Move fast: lift the noodles out, shake off as much water as you can within 5 to 10 seconds, and lower them into the soup. Needs first: Cook the noodles, Fill the bowl Direct link: https://samoramen.com/ramen/tonkotsu/#add-noodles #### 14. Serve Loosen the noodles with chopsticks so they sit evenly in the soup, and serve straight away. Needs first: Add the noodles Direct link: https://samoramen.com/ramen/tonkotsu/#serve