Sous Vide Pork Belly Ramen

Sous vide pork belly ramen is the ultimate dish to get you through the harsh winter. We worked hard on this recipe to create a quick, easy and delicious pork belly ramen recipe. By adding sous vide pork belly to the ramen, it creates an even more brilliant recipe you will dream about. Confession time, we ate this for 4 straight days it was so good.

Give this recipe a try and you won't regret it.

Time and Temperature

Through loads of experimentation, we’ve found that cooking the pork belly at 74C/165F for 10 hours is the perfect combo. Leaving the pork in for 10 hours breaks down the connective tissue (collagen), which results in an extremely tender belly. Also, cooking it at a temperature of 165F is the sweet spot for juicy, delicious pork belly. Just make sure you have a reliable sous vide that accurately regulates the temperature of the bath or your results may vary (check out the Anova or Joule). For other time and temperature options, check out our cooking guide here.

Special Equipment

Sous Vide Machine – This one is obvious. To cook sous vide, you’re going to need a device to precisely regulate the temperature of the bath water. The two best sous vide machines in the game right now are the Anova Precision Cooker and the Breville Joule. The main difference between the two is that with the Anova you can control the device both manually and with a mobile device, and with the Joule you can only control the device by using your mobile device. Either way, both sous vide machines are top class and you can’t go wrong with either choice.

12-quart Container – Although you can use a basic stockpot for your sous vide cooking needs, I highly recommend buying a large plastic container. They are inexpensive and spacious, so you won’t have to worry about cooking a big roast in a small pot. I recommend a 12 quart Rubbermaid container, as it is BPA free, sturdy, and large enough for just about anything you will be cooking.

Container Lid – If you are going to buy a plastic container, I highly suggest buying a compatible lid for it. When you sous vide for a long duration, the heat of the water causes evaporation. With a lid, it eliminates a majority of the evaporation so you can cook for 72 hours care-free.

Cast Iron Skillet – If you are looking to take your searing game to the next level, we recommend investing in a cast iron skillet. By using a cast iron in this recipe, you’ll achieve a deep sear on the protein. Cast irons are also extremely handy for searing just about any and all sous vide meat. Lodge offers the best quality and price, which is why it is our favorite cast iron brand.

Check out our full list of recommended gear here.

Print

Sous Vide Pork Belly Ramen

Course Main Course

Cuisine Japanese

Prep Time 5 minutes

Hands-On Cook Time 25 minutes

Sous Vide Time 10 hours

Total Time 10 hours 30 minutes

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

Pork Belly

• 1 lb pork belly
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• Salt and Pepper

Ramen

• 8 ounces dried ramen noodles
• 8 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 4 tablespoon miso paste
• 1 ½ tablespoon soy sauce
• ½ teaspoon sesame oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
• 4 ounces spinach leaves
• 2 green onions, green and white parts separated and thinly sliced
• ¼ cup corn, fresh or canned

Instructions

Pork Belly

1. Set sous vide machine to 74C/165F.

2. Carefully score the skin on the pork by slicing lines diagonally across, but not cutting in to the meat. Generously season pork belly with salt, pepper and paprika. Place pork in freezer bag, and remove the air through a vacuum sealer or the displacement method. Drop the bag in the bath for 10 hours.

3. Remove bag from bath. Immediately transfer bag to an ice bath to cool down the pork belly. Once cooled, take pork belly out, pat dry and re-season with paprika, salt and pepper.
   

4. Set oven to 204C/400F.  Slice the pork belly into ¼-inch lengthwise pieces, and arrange them on a foil-lined baking sheet. Place in oven for 5 to 7 minutes, then switch to broil mode and finish for another 1-2 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside until the ramen is finished.

Ramen

1. In a medium pot, cook ramen noodles by following the package instructions. Always taste the ramen before draining to ensure the texture is correct. Drain the noodles, and set them aside. 

2. While the noodles are cooking, heat garlic and ginger on medium high for 1 to 2 minutes in a large pot. Add the chicken broth, white part of green onion and soy sauce and bring to a boil. Once the soup is at a boil, reduce heat down to low and melt the miso paste in to the soup for about 5 to 7 minutes. Once the miso is fully melted, add sesame oil and take the pot off of heat. Make sure to taste to soup and add additional miso if necessary. Add ramen noodles to the soup.

3. Ladle soup and noodles in to each bowl. Top with corn, spinach, green onions and pieces of pork belly.