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Bowl of pork belly ramen with bok choy and poached egg.

Pork Belly Ramen Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 2 reviews
  • Author: Erin Jensen
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 2 hours
  • Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Category: Soup/Entree
  • Method: Stove Top
  • Cuisine: Asian-Inspired

Description

Pork Belly Ramen – a warm and delicious bowl of ramen with crispy pork belly, egg and bok choy! 


Ingredients

Scale

Crispy Pork Belly:

  • 11.5 pounds pork belly
  • 13 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Broth:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 teaspoon shallots, minced
  • 2 teaspoons garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon lemongrass, grated
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
  • 64 oz chicken stock 
  • 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon soy sauce
  • 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt (more to taste)

Add-Ins

  • 6oz ramen noodles
  • 1/4 cup green onions, sliced
  • 1/2 recipe Braised Bok Choy
  • 1 cup carrots, julienned
  • 1 cup shiitake mushrooms, sliced
  • 4 poached eggs
  • (optional) sriracha 
  • (optional) cilantro, chopped

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
  2. Season Pork Belly: Combine kosher salt and ground black pepper in a small bowl. Place pork belly on a large plate and score, criss-crossed, on the fat side (being careful not to cut into the meat, just the fat cap) and rub all over with the dry rub. 
  3. Bake: Place pork belly in a large cast iron skillet, fat side up. Cook pork belly, middle rack and uncovered, for 50 minutes; baste halfway through.
  4. Lower Temp: Drop oven temperature to 250 degrees F. and cook for another 40-60 minutes. Feel free to baste one more time. Remove from oven and let cool.
  5. Make Broth: Meanwhile, add olive oil to Dutch Oven and bring to medium-high heat.  Add shallots and garlic, stir and let cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add lemongrass and ginger, stir for about 30 seconds and then add in the chicken stock. Stir. Bring stock to a simmer and then add soy sauce, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, lemon juice and salt.  Let simmer.
  6. Cook Noodles: Add your carrots, mushrooms and ramen noodles to broth, let cook until noodles are al dente, about 5-7 minutes (or according to package instructions). 
  7. Build Bowls: Divide broth and noodles between four bowls. Add pork belly slices, poached egg, braised bok choy (if using) and any other topping to each bowl. 
  8. Feel free to garnish with black sesame seeds! Serve and enjoy! 

Notes

  • Poached Egg vs. Soft-Boiled Egg: I much prefer making poached eggs (I think it is so much easier and consistently turns out), but if you want to make soft-boiled eggs then do it! 
  • Ramen Noodles: feel free to use whatever ramen noodles you want – you can use store-bought (reg. or gluten-free) or even make your own if you want. 
  • Storage: the noodles will get a little soggy if you store them overnight in the broth so plan accordingly! If you are serving less than 4 people I might recommend cooking the noodles in batches right before you are going to eat. 
  • Pork Belly Substitutions: If someone in your group doesn’t want pork belly they could easily eat the soup with just an egg or you could use chicken, tofu, etc. 
  • Make Ahead: feel free to make the pork belly ahead of time and the wrap in plastic wrap and store in the fridge. Then slice and sear in a cast iron skillet on the stove top until warmed through.