Tonkotsu Broth

also called tonkotsu · tonkotsu broth · 豚骨 · とんこつ · pork bone broth · white pork broth · Hakata broth · ramen broth · milky pork broth

Also written for Instant Pot (3 to wash).

The table

The one-off home version: 8 hours, one pot, and genuinely white.
2 lb(900 g; split lengthways by the butcher)pork trottersparboil 30 min, then scrub every boneboil hard 8 hr, topping the water upstir the aromatics in, last hourstrain, pressing the softened marrow through
2 lb(900 g)pork neck bones
6 oz(170 g)pork fatback
5 qt(4.7 L)cold water
6 qt(5.7 L)water
1 large(halved)yellow onion
1 head(halved across)garlic
2 in(sliced)fresh ginger
4 stalksscallion greens
Tap anything to cross it off.

What to lay out

Everything the recipe asks for, sitting under the step that eats it. Tick each one as you measure it.11 things to get out.

Pans and tools

Before anything else

2parboil 30 min, then scrub every bone

3boil hard 8 hr, topping the water up

goes in with what step 2 made

4stir the aromatics in, last hour

goes in with what step 3 made

Cooking it

Tap a step when it is done; the next one lights up.

The clock

Start to finish
at least 9 hr 30 min1 of 4 steps gives no time
Needs you
none given
If you get it wrong
Unforgiving — let it drop from a hard rolling boil to a simmer and the fat separates back out, and the broth is grey for good
What you'll wash
Three things — the stockpot, a coarse sieve, a container for the strained broth

  1. parboil 30 min, then scrub every bone

    30 minwalk awayfrom the start

  2. boil hard 8 hr, topping the water up

    8 hrwalk away30 min in

  3. stir the aromatics in, last hour

    1 hrwalk away8 hr 30 min in

  4. strain, pressing the softened marrow through

    not timed9 hr 30 min in

You'll need stockpot

Goes with

See how it is written
>> title: Tonkotsu Broth
>> category: Soups
>> tags: pork, japanese, stock, ramen, stovetop
>> counters: Ramen Shop
>> aka: tonkotsu, tonkotsu broth, 豚骨, とんこつ, pork bone broth, white pork broth, Hakata broth, ramen broth, milky pork broth
>> pairs-with: tonkotsu-ramen
>> servings: 8
>> time: 9 hr 30 min
>> slack: unforgiving — let it drop from a hard rolling boil to a simmer and the fat separates back out, and the broth is grey for good
>> washing-up: the stockpot, a coarse sieve, a container for the strained broth

>> step: The one-off home version: 8 hours, one pot, and genuinely white.
A shop boils this twelve to eighteen hours and never empties the pot — it tops up, draws off, and starts again.

>> step: parboil 30 min, then scrub every bone
Cover @pork trotters{2%lb}(900 g; split lengthways by the butcher), @pork neck bones{2%lb}(900 g) and @pork fatback{6%oz}(170 g) with @cold water{5%qt}(4.7 L) in a #stockpot{}, bring to a hard boil and ~parboil{30%min}. Scrub every bone until nothing brown or grey clings to it, and scrub the pot.

>> step: boil hard 8 hr, topping the water up
Return @&(~1)scrubbed bones{} to the pot with @water{6%qt}(5.7 L) and ~boil{8%hr} at a hard rolling boil, topping the water back to its line every hour. Never let it fall to a simmer.

>> step: stir the aromatics in, last hour
Drop @yellow onion{1%large}(halved), @garlic{1%head}(halved across), @fresh ginger{2%in}(sliced) and @scallion greens{4%stalks} into @&(~1)broth{} for the last hour only, ~boil{1%hr}.

>> step: strain, pressing the softened marrow through
Strain @&(~1)broth{} through a coarse sieve, pressing the marrow and cartilage through with a ladle. It should coat a spoon hot and set to a firm jelly cold.