Crispy Pork Shoulder Mazemen Ramen
Mazemen is what happens when ramen stops apologizing for being noodles and commits fully to the experience, no broth to hide behind, just thick chewy strands coated in sauce and fat and whatever aggressive flavors you decide to throw at them. Crispy pork shoulder is the kind of protein that requires patience and high heat, where you render out all that fat until the meat gets crispy and caramelized and tastes like the best parts of carnitas and char siu had a baby. The garlic situation in this bowl is not subtle, fried until golden and mixed with pork fat to create this aromatic oil that coats every noodle strand like it has a personal vendetta against blandness. This is late-night food, the kind you eat at a ramen counter at two in the morning when you need something that punches you in the face with flavor and makes you remember why you love carbs and meat and garlic together.
Fat renders to gold—garlic burns like small suns—dry noodles grip oil.
Let Me Tell You...
The first time I had real mazemen was at this tiny counter in Shinjuku that only had eight seats and a chef who did not speak or smile, just pointed at the menu with three options.
I ordered the pork one because the guy next to me had it and it looked absolutely insane, this tangle of thick noodles buried under crispy meat and a raw egg yolk sitting on top like some kind of edible sun.
The chef brought it out, said one word in Japanese I did not understand, and went back to his station.
I mixed everything together like I had seen my neighbor do, breaking the yolk and watching it coat the noodles, and that first bite changed everything I thought I knew about ramen.
I became obsessed with recreating that dish, with understanding how something without broth could be that satisfying and rich.
The secret was in the pork preparation, taking a fatty cut like shoulder and cooking it slowly until all that fat rendered out and the meat got crispy and concentrated.
When you shred that pork while it is still hot, you create these irregular pieces with varying textures, some parts almost crunchy, others tender, all of them coated in their own rendered fat.
The garlic component is crucial because mazemen needs bold flavors to compensate for the lack of broth.
I started frying thinly sliced garlic in the rendered pork fat until it turned golden and crispy, creating this aromatic oil that was basically liquid flavor.
When you toss hot noodles in that garlic-pork fat situation and add soy sauce and sesame oil, the noodles soak everything up and become these slippery, intensely flavored strands that do not need soup because they are already fully committed to being delicious.
The raw egg yolk is not optional, it is structural to the whole concept.
When you break it and stir it in, it creates this creamy sauce that binds everything together and adds richness without making the dish heavy.
Every component works together to create something that feels complete despite the absence of liquid, where texture and fat and aggressive seasoning create satisfaction that broth usually provides.
This bowl has become my answer to wanting ramen without wanting soup, to needing something that feels transgressive and exciting instead of safe and traditional.
There is something honest about mazemen, about food that does not try to be refined or polite but just commits fully to being intense and satisfying.
Every time I make this, I think about that silent chef in Shinjuku and how sometimes the best food comes with no explanation, no story, just a bowl and the understanding that you need to shut up and eat it.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces thick dried ramen noodles or fresh ramen (2 bricks, seasoning packets discarded)
- 1 pound pork shoulder, cut into 2-inch chunks
- 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce or tamari
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon chili oil or rayu
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 4 scallions, thinly sliced (whites and greens separated)
- 2 fresh egg yolks (very fresh, for serving raw)
- 2 tablespoons white sesame seeds, toasted
- 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
- Nori sheets, cut into thin strips
- Pickled bamboo shoots or menma (optional)
- Red chili threads or fresh sliced chilies
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
Preparation
- Pat the pork shoulder chunks dry with paper towels. Season generously with salt and black pepper.
- Heat a large cast iron skillet or heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Add the pork chunks, fat side down. Cook slowly for 25-30 minutes, turning occasionally, until the pork is deeply browned, crispy on the outside, and tender inside. The fat should render out completely.
- Remove the crispy pork from the pan and set aside. Do not discard the rendered fat - you should have about 3-4 tablespoons in the pan.
- Add the sliced garlic to the pork fat in the pan. Fry over medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes until golden and crispy, watching carefully to avoid burning. Remove the garlic chips and set aside, reserving the garlic-infused pork fat in the pan.
- While the pork is resting, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the ramen noodles according to package directions (usually 3-4 minutes for dried, 1-2 minutes for fresh). Drain well and shake off excess water.
- In a small bowl, mix together the soy sauce, dark soy sauce, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, chili oil, and sugar until the sugar dissolves.
- Using two forks, shred the crispy pork into irregular pieces while still hot, creating a mix of textures.
- Add the drained hot noodles to a large mixing bowl. Pour the garlic-pork fat over the noodles, then add the soy sauce mixture and scallion whites. Toss vigorously with chopsticks or tongs for 1-2 minutes until the noodles are well coated and glossy.
- Divide the dressed noodles between serving bowls. Top with the shredded crispy pork, fried garlic chips, and scallion greens.
- Make a small well in the center of each bowl and carefully place a raw egg yolk in it. Garnish with sesame seeds, nori strips, pickled bamboo shoots if using, and chili threads.
- Serve immediately. Instruct diners to mix everything together thoroughly before eating, breaking the egg yolk to create a creamy sauce that coats the noodles.