"Crispy Instant Pot Caramelized Pork Ramen

By RoketJSquerl

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. pork should/butt
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• 1 tsp. dashi powder
• 1/4 cup sake
• 1 tbsp. fish sauce
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1 tsp. black pepper
• 1 tbsp. chili garlic paste
• 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar unseasoned
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 3 tbsp. dark soy sauce
• 4 packages ramen noodles
• 4-8 slices braised pork belly (optional but recommended)
• 6 ramen eggs (optional but recommended)
• 1/2 cup sliced green onions
• Crispy garlic and/or shallots for garnish (optional)
• Sesame seeds for garnish (optional)

Details

Adapted from wenthere8this.com

Preparation

Step 1

Instructions
Instant Pot Instructions:
Season the pork with salt and pepper on both sides.

Heat 1 tbsp. bacon grease (or any cooking oil) in the Instant Pot over medium-high heat and sear the pork 6 minutes per side.
Add the chicken broth, water, sake and dashi powder. Use the pressure cooker setting (high) to cook for 40 minutes.
Remove the pork from the broth and break into pieces on a baking sheet.
Place all fat from pork back in the Instant Pot and use the pressure cooker setting (high) to cook for another 30 minutes. Remove any remaining fat pieces.
Sprinkle the brown sugar and dark soy sauce on the pork pieces, mix well and broil until pork is caramelized (5-10 minutes), being careful not to let the sugar burn.
Add the fish sauce, soy sauce, black pepper, chili garlic paste, and rice wine vinegar to the broth.
Use the pressure cooker to cook for 10 minutes.
Cook the dried ramen noodles in boiling water for 3 minutes. Drain.
Place the noodles in bowl and cover with broth.
Add braised pork belly, caramelized pork pieces, green onions, 1-2 ramen eggs (halved) and garnishes, if desired.
Slow Cooker Instructions:
Season the pork with salt and pepper on both sides.
Sear the pork for 6 minutes per side.
Place pork in slow cooker with chicken broth, water, sake and dashi powder.
Cook on high heat for 4 hours. Remove pork from slow cooker and break into pieces on a baking sheet.
Add the fish sauce, soy sauce, black pepper, chili garlic paste, and rice wine vinegar to the slow cooker.
Sprinkle the brown sugar and dark soy sauce on the pork pieces, mix well and broil until pork is caramelized (5-10 minutes), being careful not to let the sugar burn.
Cook the dried ramen noodles in boiling water for 3 minutes. Drain.
Place the noodles in bowl and cover with broth.
Add braised pork belly, caramelized pork pieces, green onions, 1-2 ramen eggs (halved) and garnishes, if desired.

Marinated Ramen Eggs:

Ingredients
1/2 dozen eggs
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup mirin
1 cup water
1 tsp. dashi powder
1/2 cup sake
Instructions
Add all sauce ingredients to a saucepan and bring to a boil.
Simmer for 1-2 minutes and remove from heat.
Let cool fully.
While the sauce cools, steam the eggs for 8 minutes then submerge in an ice water bath for at least 20 minutes, but up to an hour. The longer they sit, they easier they will be to peel (theoretically).


Once the eggs are cooled, peel and place them in a large jar, container, or zip lock bag.
Once marinade is cooled, pour over the eggs and seal the container.

Let them marinade in the fridge for 24 hours.

Drain the marinade and slice the eggs in half to be served in ramen, or just eat them as a snack!

Japanese Braised Pork Belly (Kakuni):

Ingredients
1 1/2 lbs. pork belly
2 cups water
2 1/2 tsp. dashi stock
1/2 cup mirin
¼ cup sake
¼ cup soy sauce
2 tbsp. sugar
2 " piece of ginger peeled
1 cup leeks sliced in 2" pieces
Instructions
In a large saucepan or dutch oven, brown the pork belly on all sides.
Add enough water to cover the pork belly and add the ginger and sliced leeks. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 3 hours, until pork belly is tender. Drain.
Put remaining ingredients in a pot with pork belly and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, uncovered. Sauce should be reduced.
Drain and serve.
Recipe Notes
For extra goodness, hit the pork belly with a kitchen torch to get those nice caramelized edges.