Japanese Pork and Ramen Soup

By Thom7747

A great ramen soup starts with a great broth. This slow cooker broth has onions, garlic and ginger, then finished with miso, soy sauce, mirin and sesame oil.

Ingredients

• 2 onions, minced
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons minced ginger
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 12 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced thin
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless country-style pork ribs, trimmed
• Salt and pepper
• 2 (3-ounce) packages ramen noodles, packets discarded
• 6 ounces baby spinach
• 2 tablespoons white miso, plus extra for serving
• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce, plus extra for serving
• 1 tablespoon mirin
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 2 scallions, sliced thin
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted

Preparation

Step 1

Microwave onions, garlic, ginger, and oil in bowl, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened, about 5 minutes; transfer to slow cooker.

Stir broth and shiitake mushrooms into slow cooker. Season pork with salt and pepper and nestle into slow cooker. Cover and cook until pork is tender, 6 to 8 hours on low or 5 to 7 hours on high.

Transfer pork to cutting board, let cool slightly, then shred into bite-size pieces. Let soup settle for 5 minutes, then remove fat from surface using large spoon. Stir in noodles and spinach, cover, and cook on high until noodles are tender, 3 to 8 minutes.

Stir in shredded pork, miso, soy sauce, mirin and sesame oil. Let sit until heated through, about 5 minutes. Season with additional miso and additional soy sauce to taste. Serve with scallions and sesame seeds for garnish.