EASY Real Tonkotsu Recipe & Video - Seonkyoung Longest (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between tonkatsu and tonkotsu? ›

In truth, tonkatsu and tonkotsu are very different. The main similarity is that they both feature pork: Ton translates to pig or pork. But the dishes differ: Tonkatsu refers to crispy fried pork cutlets, while tonkotsu is a type of ramen made from bone broth.

Most of the fat from the stock gets skimmed out, and the fat added at the last minute is what gives the soup it's rich “sticky” quality. By whisking small bits of minced fatback in at the end, you create an emulsion of soup and fat, so it makes the soup nice and creamy without being greasy.

Tonkotsu (pork bone) ramen is a labour of love. It can take 3 or 4 days to make - although most of that is just watching a pot boil - and you might wonder why anyone would ever go to the effort. It is actually easier than it looks, although the first time you try to do it it will probably exhaust you completely.

Tonkotsu ramen is a deliciously creamy pork bone broth traditionally served up with long thin noodles and topped with a variety of ingredients. In Japanese, the word ton translates to pork and kotsu to bone.

Tonkatsu (豚カツ, とんかつ or トンカツ, pronounced [toŋkatsɯ]; "pork cutlet") is a Japanese dish that consists of a breaded, deep-fried pork cutlet. It involves coating slices of pork with panko (bread crumbs), and then frying them in oil. The two main types are fillet and loin.

Thin and curly noodles are perfect for thicker broths like Tonkotsu or Tsukemen, because of how the broth is held within each curl. Thin and straight noodles tend to stick together. When the noodles stick together this way, they create a scoop shape that allows delicious broth to be trapped up in every bite.

A typical bowl of tonkotsu ramen has about 900 calories per bowl, but some stretch far beyond 1,000 calories at certain restaurants. Most of the calories in this meal come from the noodles and the tremendous amount of fat in the meat. The broth alone takes in all the fat, making it a scrumptious choice.

Cover the stockpot and continue boiling for 12 hours. It is essential that the bones remain submerged during cooking so be sure to check the stock every half hour or so and add water if required. By boiling and not just simmering the bones, the stock will turn a milky beige.

Kikarage: Black wood ear mushroom (aka jelly ear or black fungus) is often found in Chinese cooking, and makes a great soft, jelly-like textural addition to a bowl of ramen. Like many mushrooms, kikarage are also very nutritious! They're packed with fiber and B-12 vitamins and boast a mild earthy flavor.

I like pork neck bones for tonkotsu broth. It's not make or break though. You just want bones with a bit of meat on them. Adds flavour.

How to know when tonkotsu broth is done? ›

Return lid to pot and continue cooking until broth is opaque with the texture of light cream, about 6 to 8 hours longer, topping up as necessary to keep bones submerged at all times.

You can season your broth with any seasonings of your choice: tare sauce, salt, soy sauce, miso, sesame paste, grated fresh garlic, chili oil or a mixture of all. We highly recommend tare sauce to start with (recipe in the ramen condiment blog) and of course serve with The Daley Trade fresh ramen noodles.

Narutomaki is basically a type of kamaboko (Japanese for “fish cake”). The classic kamaboko is also common today with its signature arched semicircle shape (the precursor to the narutomaki spiral). There are multiple types of kamaboko including: Steamed: Narutomaki and ita kamaboko.

Tonkotsu ramen and tori paitan ramen are under this category. Paitan soup is creamy, thick, and made with pork bones (for tonkotsu) or chicken bones (for tori paitan). The soup stock is boiled over high heat for a long time (8-10 hours) until the bones are broken into pieces.

The word tonkatsu is a combination of the Japanese word ton (豚) meaning “pig” and katsu (カツ), which is a shortened form of katsuretsu (カツレツ), the Japanese version of the English word cutlet.

Tonkatsu vs Gyukatsu

Both tonkatsu and gyukatsu are covered in a breadcrumb coating and deep-fried, but where the tonkatsu meat is cooked thoroughly, the gyukatsu is crisp on the outside but left rare on the inside–just as you would find in a medium-rare steak.

Though Korean donkatsu sprung from Japanese tonkatsu, it has become entirely its own dish over the years. The Japanese version is often served with a thick curry-based sauce or tonkatsu sauce, while the Korean-style cutlet served at Lasung is much thinner, with a slightly sweet tomato-based sauce on top.

Tonkotsu is said to be the most popular ramen type outside of Japan and focuses on the flavors of one specific protein: pork. “Tonkotsu is renowned for its creamy, pork-based consistency. 'Ton' means pork, and 'kotsu' means bones,'” Takebe says.