Japanese Miso Butter Ramen

Ingredients

• 2 pounds chicken wings or backs
• 8 cups water, plus more as needed
• 1 small yellow onion, quartered
• 4 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1-inch piece fresh ginger, sliced
• 4 large eggs
• 1/4 cup soy sauce, divided
• 2 tablespoons mirin
• 1/3 cup white or yellow miso paste
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided, plus 4 pats for serving
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 8 ounces ground pork
• 4 fresh or dried ramen noodle portions
• 1 cup fresh corn kernels or canned corn, drained
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 sheet nori, cut into 4 strips

Nutrition (estimated per serving)

Method

1. Make the broth: place the chicken wings in a large pot (at least 6-quart capacity), cover with cold water, and bring to a boil over high heat; boil for 3 minutes, then drain the wings in a colander and rinse both the wings and the pot under cold water to remove scum, since this step is what keeps the final broth clear rather than cloudy and gray.
2. Return the rinsed wings to the clean pot and add the 8 cups water, quartered onion, smashed garlic, and sliced ginger; bring to a boil over high heat, then immediately reduce the heat to low so the liquid barely simmers with just a few small bubbles breaking the surface.
3. Simmer uncovered for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, skimming off any foam or fat that rises to the surface every 20 to 30 minutes with a spoon, and topping up with a little extra water if the level drops below the solids; the broth should slowly turn golden and smell deeply savory.
4. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl or clean pot, pressing gently on the solids to extract the liquid, then discard the solids; you should have about 6 to 7 cups of broth. Season the strained broth with 2 tablespoons of the soy sauce and the mirin, then keep warm over low heat.
5. Soft-boil the eggs: bring a small saucepan of water to a boil, gently lower in the 4 eggs with a spoon, and cook for exactly 6 1/2 minutes for a jammy, still-soft yolk; immediately transfer the eggs to a bowl of ice water for 5 minutes to stop the cooking.
6. Peel the cooled eggs carefully under a thin stream of running water, starting from the wider end where there's an air pocket, then place them in a small zip-top bag with the remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce and 2 tablespoons water, and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, turning occasionally, until lightly tinted brown.
7. Make the pork topping: heat the vegetable oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat, add the ground pork, and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, breaking it into small crumbles, until browned and no longer pink, reaching an internal temperature of 160 degrees F; season lightly with a pinch of salt and set aside, keeping warm.
8. In a small bowl, whisk the miso paste with about 1/2 cup of the warm broth until completely smooth with no lumps, since adding miso paste directly to the pot can leave stubborn clumps floating in the broth.
9. Stir the smoothed miso mixture back into the pot of broth along with 2 tablespoons of the butter, whisking gently until the butter melts and the broth turns a rich golden-brown color; keep the broth warm over low heat but do not let it boil hard, since boiling miso broth can dull its flavor and aroma.
10. Bring a separate large pot of water to a boil over high heat and cook the ramen noodles according to the package directions, usually 3 to 5 minutes, until tender but still with a slight chew; drain well in a colander, shaking off excess water.
11. Divide the drained noodles among 4 large soup bowls, arranging them in a neat nest in the center of each bowl.
12. Ladle the hot miso broth over the noodles in each bowl, using about 1 1/2 to 2 cups of broth per bowl, making sure the noodles are mostly submerged.
13. Halve the marinated soft-boiled eggs lengthwise with a sharp knife wiped clean between cuts, and arrange one egg's halves on top of each bowl of noodles along with a portion of the cooked pork and a small pat of the remaining butter.
14. Finish each bowl with a scattering of corn kernels, sliced green onions, and a strip of nori tucked along the side of the bowl, then serve immediately while piping hot.

Tips