Pork Bone Broth Soup

Ingredients

Broth

  • 2 lb pork bones, neck bones, marrow bones, spareribs, or a mix

  • 1 tsp fine sea salt, for cleaning bones

  • Water, enough to parboil, plus 3 liters for broth

  • 10 oz daikon, peeled and cut into chunks

  • 10 oz yellow onion, peeled and left whole

  • 1/2 tbsp sugar

  • 1 tbsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste

  • 1 tbsp chicken, pork, or mushroom bouillon powder

  • 1/2 tsp MSG, optional

Soup bowls

  • Cooked rice noodles, egg noodles, vermicelli, or jasmine rice

  • Tender meat picked from the pork bones

  • Sliced green onion

  • Cilantro

  • Lime wedges, optional

  • Bean sprouts or blanched greens, optional

  • habaNANO chili oil

  • habaNANO seasoning

Method

  1. Add pork bones, 1 tsp salt, and enough water to cover to a large pot, then bring to a rolling boil until impurities rise to the surface, as in the original stock method. Drain, rinse the bones thoroughly under cold water, and clean the pot.

  2. Refill the pot with 3 liters fresh water. Add the cleaned pork bones, daikon, and whole onion.

  3. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer. Simmer uncovered for about 1 1/2 hours, skimming foam occasionally to help keep the broth clear.

  4. Remove the onion and daikon. Keep the daikon for serving if you like, and pick tender meat from the bones.

  5. Season the broth with sugar, salt, bouillon powder, and optional MSG, then taste and adjust. The original broth uses these seasonings after straining the stock.

  6. Add noodles or rice to bowls. Top with pork meat, daikon, green onion, cilantro, and any vegetables you like.

  7. Ladle hot broth over everything. Finish with a splash of habaNANO chili oil and a light dusting of habaNANO seasoning right before eating.

Serving note

For a cleaner, lighter bowl, keep the chili oil as a garnish instead of stirring it into the whole pot. For a richer spicy broth, mix 1 to 2 teaspoons of habaNANO chili oil directly into each bowl before adding the broth.