Ramen with Turkey Dashi

Ramen with Turkey Dashi

This is a great way to use and rework Thanksgiving leftovers to make a deep, rich dashi for ramen. You can also obviously make this any time of year, and even substitute chicken or pork in place of turkey.

Serves 4

Ingredients

Directions

Base Stock

Start by roasting your turkey bones at 350 degrees for 1 hour, then put them in a large stock pot with 1 large carrot, 1/2 of an onion, and a stalk or two of celery. Add water to the pot until everything is covered (approximately 1 gallon), bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for several hours (at least two hours, but preferably four).

Dashi

When your base stock is ready, strain the broth so that there are no solids left, and then reduce the stock on high heat (uncovered) until it becomes very rich. The goal is to reduce it to just above half.

As your stock is reducing, add a couple of pieces of konbu (about 4 inches square or so), soy sauce, white wine (or Mirin), a bit of sugar, black or white pepper, fresh ginger, a clove or two of garlic, a bit of cayenne pepper (or chili sauce), and salt if needed.

The aim is to add a little soy sauce, sugar, and salt as your stock reduces, and your dashi comes together (you could also just season once it’s reduced), and taste along the way.

Assembling the Ramen

When the dashi is reduced to just above half, remove any solids (you can strain it if needed), and bring the dashi back to a boil. Add your ramen noodles, and cook until al dente.

When it’s ready, pour it into bowls, and add your other ingredients. In this case, there’s leftover turkey breast, turkey organ meat (sautéed in olive oil), sliced green beans, sliced ginger, and a 10 minute egg (a 7 minute egg would probably be better).

Feel free to experiment with adding other things, and enjoy.