Ramen pork Chashu is the most popular ramen toppings along with ramen eggs! It is quite easy to make this succulent and tender Chashu at home. Although it takes a bit of time to make, it is well worth your patience and effort for it is truly a melt in the mouth experience when done well!
What is Chashu?
The pork meat in ramen is commonly called “Chashu” or “Cha Shu” and it means grilled or fried pork. Chashu is the Chinese reading of Kanji script 焼豚 but it can also be read as Yakibuta in Japanese. Despite the kanji reading of “yaki”, which means grilled or fried, the pork meat you usually find in ramen is more like a braised pork in a soy sauce base.
Which cut of Pork suits Chashu?
The answer is Pork belly. Pork belly has an even fat distribution so that when it is braised, you get that melt in your mouth texture. I found a decent pork belly package at Aldi weighing about 1.8 lb (800g). You can use other cuts of pork, however the fattier the meat, the more melt in your mouth texture. Leaner meat tends to dry out especially when the meat is braised in soy sauce and other condiment mixtures on low heat for a long time.
How to tie a pork belly?
Why even tie the pork belly? The main reasons are to keep the meat shape intact for its appearance and also to increase the moisture of the meat. However, tying the meat might be a little difficult if you have not done this before, so I have included a photo tutorial as well as a mini-movie below to help you.
In the example, I used 2-3 tea towels to show the process above and you can practice with something similar before you tackle the real meat. Note that the length between each circle of cotton twine should be about 0.6 inches (about 1.5 cm). When the meat is cooked, it will shrink a little, so you need to ensure that it is wrapped up tightly. This process can be checked against the mini-movie in the recipe card.
6 key steps to successful chashu
1. Take the meat out of the fridge 30 minutes before
The rule of thumb is to take the meat out of the fridge 30 minutes before starting to cook or prepare. If the meat is cooked straightaway, the center of the meat will remain cold. So the cooking heat will not distribute evenly.
2. Tenderize
Using a rolling pin or a meat mallet, tenderize the pork belly. This step makes rolling and tying the meat easier. Then roll up the pork belly lengthwise with the skin facing outside.
3. Brown
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium heat to sear all around until deep golden brown. This is an irreplaceable process to remove excess fat. Adding this extra step makes sure the end result is less greasy and delicious.
4. Boil without seasoning
In order to achieve that melt in the mouth texture, boil the prepared pork belly in simmering water over low heat for one hour without any seasonings. This step is also irreplaceable to remove excess fat and gamey taste of the pork belly. Simmering with seasoning for a long time will cause the meat to become firm and dry due to the salt content in the broth.
5. Simmer with seasonings
Finally, just simmer the well prepared pork belly. Add soy sauce, sake and sugar in a ratio of 2:1:1. I like the sweeter taste so I add honey as well. However, do not add mirin! Mirin is an indispensable condiment in Japanese cooking, though Mirin has a tightening effect due to animal protein. Therefore for making a perfect Chashu recipe, it is better to avoid using mirin.
6. Use Otoshibuta (drop lid)
Otoshibuta (drop lid) is often used in Japanese cooking. Due to the amount of fat in the pork, it does not completely submerge. So it is important to use Otoshibuta to make sure the seasoned broth circulates over the rolled pork belly.
How to store Chashu?
It is better to refrigerate the meat overnight in the cooking sauce. Because it will be easier to slice and will marinate in the sauce more. I usually slice the Chashu about 0.2 inch ( 5mm) each and cling wrap 4 slices together for later use. Place them in a ziplock bag and it will keep for about a week in the fridge and 4 weeks in the freezer.
Chashu pork for other dishes
Now of course as the name suggests, this Ramen Pork Chashu is the most common ramen topping for a bowl of ramen noodles such as Shio ramen, Shoyu Ramen and Hiyashi Chuka, but you can also eat this as a main dish with rice. Chashu edge cut offs is a great ingredient for Yakimeshi Japanese fried rice. Or you could make Chashu Donburi (bed of steamed plain rice topped with Chashu)
Chashu cooking sauce for other uses
Keep the cooking sauce and use it for something else too. Strain the cooking sauce using a fine mesh sieve, remove and discard garlic, ginger, and scallions. Use the sauce for marinating soft boiled eggs, base for Shoyu ramen with mixing with basic ramen broth. Also instead of using just soy sauce, use this sauce for Hiyayakko cold tofu.
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Equipment
- twine
Ingredients
- 1.8-2.2lb/0.8-1kg pork belly
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
- 1 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup sake
- 1/4 cup honey
- 3 cups water
- 2-3 scallions
- 1 knob ginger about 20g/07oz
- 2 cloves garlic
Instructions
- Leave pork belly in room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking.
- Salt & pepper over the pork belly. Cover with cling wrap and tenderize with a rolling pin or a meat mallet.
- Roll the pork belly into a cylindrical shape.
- Tie up the pork belly tightly with cooking string so the meat holds its shape (see the photo instruction in the post or watch the mini-movie above).
- Heat the oil in a frying pan, brown the outside of the tied pork belly all around.
- Transfer the pork belly into simmering water (not listed in the recipe. You need enough water to just cover the pork belly, (I used about 8 cups of water) and cook for one hour over low heat.
- Drain the cooking water.
- Add sugar, sake, soy sauce, water, scallions, garlic and ginger to the pot with the pork belly bring to boil then turn the heat down to low. Place a drop lid (otoshibuta) over the pork belly and simmer for one hour.
- Skim scum off the cooking sauce at times and rotate the pork belly sometimes too.
- After one hour, turn the heat off and leave the pork belly in the cooking sauce. *1
- After the pork belly and the sauce cool down, refrigerate it overnight.
- Take the pork belly out of the pot and cut the twine to remove carefully.
- Slice the chashu 0.2 inch (5mm) wide and serve as ramen topping or store for later use. *2
Video
Notes
- You can transfer to a container or leave it in the pot. I have enough space to leave the pot in the fridge, so left it in the pot.
- If you are going to eat the Chashu as a dish, remove the fat and discard the scallions, garlic and ginger cooked with pork in the pot. Drain the sauce with a sieve and pour the liquid into a small saucepan. Bring it to boil then, reduce the heat down to a simmer. Continue to simmer the sauce until it is reduced and thickened. Pour this over the sliced Chashu and serve. Also see other suggestions to use the sauce in the above post.
- Cling wrap the sliced chashu and place in a ziplock bag to store in freezer. It stores about 4 weeks in freezer and a week in fridge. I usually chop up the edge both ends of the rolled chashu to small bits and use them for “Chashu Don” or as fried rice or stir fry ingredients.
- To store the cooking sauce, strain the cooking sauce with fine mesh sieve and discard scallions, garlic and ginger. It stores for a week in fridge and a month in freezer.
Nutrition
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Joy Salonga says
Hi how many hours if it’s cooked using pressure cooker?
Shihoko | Chopstick Chronicles says
Hi Joy I have not used pressure cooker to make chashu, I will give it a go and add to the post soon.
Fiona says
Very easy and tasty recipe! Have made this 3-4 times and will continue to make it 🙂
Shihoko | Chopstick Chronicles says
Ohhhh Thank you Fiona 😀
Sandra says
Tried this several times and always delicious. Sometimes I omit the sugar and it’s equally good. Simple and tasty recipe. Thanks.
Shihoko | Chopstick Chronicles says
Thank you Sandra 😀 and you are welcome 😀
Marcus says
Hi! I don’t have a slow cooker. what temperature can i cook it in?
Shihoko | Chopstick Chronicles says
Hi Marcus, in what? Oven?
Gee says
Will it make a difference to the outcome if I don’t roll the pork and if I don’t brown the outside? Thinking of doing this early in the morning before work so I can come home to chashu, and I generally don’t have a lot of time to spare in the am.
Shihoko | Chopstick Chronicles says
Hi Gee, yes. The reason to roll up the pork and brown the pork are to trap the juicy umami of the pork in and for the nice round shape. Those small extra effort and step makes huge difference in taste I think.
Kimberly says
Hoping to make this for my lovely husband in celebration. Of his birthday. I really want to nail it since we recently found out one of his favorite restaurants closed down. Crossing my fingers this Chashu Pork will be able to satisfy his cravings.
Shihoko | Chopstick Chronicles says
I hope your husband will like this 😀 too! I think he will 😀
Jen says
Tried this for a ramen topping and it was very good, however, of word of warning if you are using a cast iron pan to brown this: DO NOT USE THE OLIVE OIL. If left heating for too long the olive oil WILL catch on fire from the heat of the pan. You really shouldn’t need oil for this at all since the pork belly has enough fat on it to brown itself, but if you are adamant about using oil in this recipe, use an oil with a higher smoke point, like canola or avocado. Not sure about other pans, but with a cast iron pan that holds it heat, I almost burned the kitchen down.
Shihoko | Chopstick Chronicles says
Hi Jen Thank you for making this and wise feedback 😀
Shawna says
Hi Shihoko,
This recipe looks amazing and I can’t wait to try it!
I was wondering can I use a different cut of pork that will give similar results? Is it necessary to tie the pork? When you heat up the pork, do you heat it up as a whole piece in the sauce or do you slice it first? I want to make this as a Christmas Eve dinner so I’m just trying to get all questions out before then.
Do you happen to have a recipe for an amazing ramen broth and a mixed fried rice (chicken, pork and shrimp fried rice)? I’ve been looking around for one, but haven’t seen anything really amazing yet.
Thanks for your time!
Shihoko | Chopstick Chronicles says
Hi Shawna, different cut of pork will be ok too and if you have large enough pot to cook, you don’t have to tie up. I wanted to make it look as similar as the ramen pork you get at Ramen shops. Heat up as a whole then slice 😀 is easier.
Jason says
I don’t love super fatty meat. I assume that most the fat renders being cooked so long?
Shihoko | Chopstick Chronicles says
Hi Jason. Thank you for visiting and comment. Yes and also after resting it in fridge overnight, I remove excess fat off 😀 I don’t like fatty meat either.
Nicole says
Hello,
Does the pork really have to sit overnight, or could I serve it immediately after cooking? Also, if it had to sit, how do you recommend reheating it?
Thank you!
Shihoko | Chopstick Chronicles says
Hi Nicole, I recommend to rest it overnight so that flavour penetrate through and it become more delicious. But you can eat them if you are in a hurry. To reheat, put it in a sauce pan with sauce and bring it to simmer or if you are using it as ramen toppings, I would slice it and just top to ramen, it will be heated with ramen heat.
Nicole says
Thank you!
Edward says
I am making it now. It’s been on my list for a while. It’s going to be the centerpiece topping for my ramen. Instead of water I made/used broth from pork feet. Anyway sorry I haven’t tried it yet but I will in about 8. 5 hours.
Shihoko | Chopstick Chronicles says
Thank you for trying this recipe Edward. I am sure you will love it and will be so delicious with homemade Tonkotsu broth. Please let me know how it turn out 😀
Jacob Cheung says
Great recipe, very easy to follow and tastes just like ramen restaurant
Shihoko | Chopstick Chronicles says
Thank you Jacob 😀
Mitchell Z Fuller says
Do you cook slow.cook this on the low or high setting?
Shihoko | Chopstick Chronicles says
I did cook on low for 8 hours. Thank you, I will change the recipe more specific 😀
Briana says
Hi Shihoko, I have this cooking right now and it smells amazing. I am going to use the pork in a Ramen bowl. I am wondering, could the sauce be used as Tare in the ramen?
Shihoko | Chopstick Chronicles says
Hi Briana, yes you can use it as dipping ramen sauce 😀
phoebe says
Hi, should i make slow cooker on high or low?
Shihoko | Chopstick Chronicles says
Hi Phoebe, If you can leave it 7-8 hours, set it low, but if you only have 4-5 hours, set it high 😀
Ryan says
I was also wondering this; thanks for clarifying!!! If you can, it’d be super helpful for this to be edited into the recipe itself
Shihoko | Chopstick Chronicles says
Thank you Ryan 😀
Kimberly Baxter says
Made this twice now. It’s so good!!! Looking forward to more posts.
Shihoko | Chopstick Chronicles says
Thank you Kimberly 😀
pablo says
this is amazing i love it
Chopstick Chronicles says
thank you for your nice comment! 😀
April says
Is it better to roll with meat out or skin out? Thanks looks great!
Shihoko | Chopstick Chronicles says
Hi April, I would say skin out 😀
James says
Easy and yummy.
Shihoko | Chopstick Chronicles says
Thank you James 😀
Jorja says
Just tried this! Nothing short of tender and juicy. I can’t wait to try the other recipes.
Shihoko | Chopstick Chronicles says
Thank you Jorja 😀 I am glad you liked this Chashu <3