Chashu: learn how to prepare this typical ramen meat

Chashu (チャーシュー) is a traditional Japanese dish consisting of pork simmered in a broth of soy sauce, sake, sugar, and mirin. This preparation is very popular in Japanese cuisine and is especially associated with ramen, where it is used as one of the main toppings.

This food actually originated in Chinese cuisine, where it is known as “char siu” (叉烧), a roast pork dish that is marinated with a mixture of soy sauce, honey and spices before being grilled. . Chinese immigrants brought this culinary technique to Japan, where it was adapted to local taste and incorporated into various dishes, mainly ramen.

In Japan, chashu is characterized by its slow-cooked preparation, which makes it tender and juicy, in contrast to char siu, which is usually roasted.

This delicious meat is mainly served as a topping for ramen: it is placed on top of the broth along with other ingredients such as green onion, marinated eggs, bamboo shoots and nori seaweed. However, it can also be enjoyed on its own, as part of a meat dish or in a bento (Japanese lunch box). Sometimes, it can be accompanied by rice and the combination of chashu with additional sauce highlights its flavor.

When enjoying chashu in a ramen bowl, you can use chopsticks to pick up the meat slices and combine them with noodles and broth. If served as part of a dish, it can be enjoyed with rice or in a chashu sandwich, which consists of Japanese-style bread with meat and other accompaniments.

How to prepare chashu at home

Ingredients

• 1 kg pork belly (you can use pork loin if you prefer less fat)
• 1 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup mirin (Japanese rice wine)
• 1/2 cup of sake (you can substitute water if you don’t have it)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 piece of ginger (about 5 cm), sliced
• Chives or green onion, to decorate (optional)
• kitchen thread

1. Prepare the meat:
   • Roll the pork belly into a cylindrical shape and tie it with kitchen twine. Make sure it is tightly packed so that it keeps its shape during cooking.
2. Brown the meat:
   • Heat some oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meat and brown it on all sides until it is well sealed and golden brown.
3. Prepare the sauce:
   • In a large pot, mix the soy sauce, mirin, sake, sugar, garlic and ginger. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat.
4. Cook over low heat:
   • Once the sauce mixture is hot, place the browned meat in the pot. Make sure the meat is submerged in the sauce. If necessary, you can add a little water to cover it completely.
   • Simmer for about 2 to 3 hours, turning the meat occasionally to make sure it cooks evenly. The meat is ready when it is tender and can be easily cut.
5. Cool and cut:
   • Remove the meat from the pot and let it cool slightly. Once cool enough to handle, remove the kitchen twine and cut the meat into thin slices.
6. Serve:
   • You can serve the chashu hot, in a ramen bowl with broth and noodles, or on a plate with rice. You can also marinate it in the remaining sauce to intensify the flavor.

Tips

• Marinade: For a deeper flavor, you can marinate the meat in the sauce mixture for several hours or even overnight before cooking.
• Conservation: Chashu can be stored in the refrigerator for several days and tastes even better the next day as the flavors intensify.
• Side options– Garnish the chashu with chopped scallions or serve with a marinated egg for an authentic ramen experience.