There are few dishes that hold a reputation for being an absolute rite of passage in Sydney, but Butter’s famed fried chicken ramen is absolutely one of these.
While the hybrid sneaker bar and eatery throws around some of Sydney’s best fried chicken, gravy rolls, and boozy tea, when the mercury drops and there’s a slight chill in the air, it’s Butter’s fried chicken ramen that proves to be the ultimate comfort feast. This bowl of slurp-worthy goodness has worked up a cult following in the past few years, which is why it’s mammoth news we’ve landed our mitts on head chef and owner Julian Vincotta’s secret fried chicken ramen recipe.
The recipe will yield around six glorious serves and will take you about three hours to conquer. That said—it’s not really a recipe to attempt if you’re a total cooking novice and burn toast. It’s unlikely you’ve got a deep fryer hanging around your digs too so prior to kickstarting your ramen journey, you’ll want to make sure you’ve ordered a serve of Butter’s crispy fried chicken to your door.
Now, here’s how to make Butter’s delicious fried chicken ramen.
Ingredients
5L water
Hondashi
Chicken
1 chicken Maryland with bone
500g chicken wings
200g chicken feet
100g chicken skin
Vegetables
100g dried shiitake
40g kombu tsuyu
20g mustard powder
1 brown onion
30g ginger
1 garlic bulb
1b green shallots
Tare
500g chicken wings
200g sake
160g mirin
320g light soy
Chicken fat
100g chicken skin
100g vegetable oil
5 garlic cloves
Ajitsuke Tamago (marinated soft boiled egg)
6 eggs
1 cup of water
1 cup saki
½ cup soy sauce
½ cup mirin
½ cup sugar
Condiments
Toasted sesame seeds
Chilli oil
Salted bamboo shoots
Enoki mushrooms
Toasted nori
Ground white pepper
Narutomaki (fish cake)
Green shallots
Katsuobushi salt
Method
Ajitsuke Tamago
This is best made at least one day before, so it can marinate longer and infuse the flavours. It can be made further in advance, with it lasting up to 3 days, depending on the freshness of the eggs.
STEP 1
Combine water, saki, sugar, soy and mirin in a bowl and whisk until the sugar is dissolved and set aside.
STEP 2
Bring a medium pot of water to boil over high heat.
STEP 3
Carefully lower eggs into the boiling water, using a spoon or tongs.
STEP 4
Cook for exactly 6 minutes.
STEP 5
Once ready, drain the hot water and run cold water over the eggs.
STEP 6
Still in the pot with the cold water running, start cracking the eggs so the water leaches under the shell to help in the peeling process.
STEP 7
Once eggs are cool, peel eggs and put into a container that will fit them all and they will be covered with the marinated solution.
Tare
STEP 1
To prepare the chicken wings, use a cleaver and chop wings into 5 pieces. You want to have cut through the flesh and expose the bone.
STEP 2
Roast the chicken wings in a roasting pan on 140 degrees for 15mins, this will allow any fats to leach out of the cuts you have made.
STEP 3
Turn heat to 180 degrees and roast for 25 mins more or until golden. Do not worry about overcooking, this is for an infusion the meat will be discarded.
STEP 4
Once cut wings are roasted, deglaze the tray with the sake. Using a wooden flat spoon scrape off any crusty bits stuck to the pan, this is all flavour, add mirin and soy and return to the oven.
STEP 5
Turn the oven off and let sit for two hours. This is an infusion you do not want the liquids to reduce, only to take on the flavour of the chicken creating the umami bomb.
STEP 6
Strain the tare through a fine sieve and reserve.
Chicken Fat
STEP 1
Crush the garlic, chop up the chicken skin roughly.
STEP 2
In a small pan, add the oil, chicken skin and crushed garlic.
STEP 3
Warm to approx. 70 degrees and hold this temperature for approx. 1 hour until the fat releases from the skin and flavour infusing into the oil.
STEP 4
Strain the chicken fat and reserve in an airtight container in the fridge.
Ramen Base
STEP 1
Bring the water to a simmer. Add hondashi and let steep for 15mins.
STEP 2
Chop chicken marylands exposing flesh and bones.
STEP 3
Sear chicken in a pan till golden on both sides.
STEP 4
Add the chicken marylands, the chicken feet and skin to the stock.
STEP 5
Cut onions and leeks lengthwise.
STEP 6
Cut bulb of garlic exposing the cloves in rounds.
STEP 7
Chop ginger in 3 pieces.
STEP 8
Using the same pan as the chicken, then add the onions and leek and cook - let blacken - they need to be black! This adds depth and richness to the stock.
STEP 9
Add the blackened leek and onion to the stock.
STEP 10
Cut the green shallots in 3s, add to the same pan and repeat the process as with the onions. and leeks.
STEP 11
Once the green shallots have blackened, add to the stock with the fresh ginger and garlic.
STEP 12
Bring stock up to a boil - skimming and impurities from foam that surface as you go.
STEP 13
In a food processor, blend the dried shiitakes and add to the stock along with the kombu
tsuyu and mustard powder.
STEP 14
Keep stock on a high simmer, stirring often for approx. 2 to 3 hours.
STEP 15
The contents of the broth (i.e. the chicken, veggies etc), should break down into a pulp-like consistency.
STEP 16
Taste the ramen base broth, if it has a chicken/ fish (from the base dashi) aromatic tone, then stock is ready. If not, reduce a little bit further.
STEP 17
Once the stock is ready, strain the stock through a large hole colander, pushing out all of the liquid while catching the stock pulp.
STEP 18
Discard all remaining meat/veggie pulp.
STEP 19
Strain once more through a fine-mesh sieve and reserve your ramen base.
Noodles
You can buy fresh ramen noodles in the freezer section in most good Asian supermarkets. They usually come in thick or thin - choose your noodle depending on your taste. Ramen noodles are best slightly undercooked, as when you pour the hot broth over them, they finish the cooking and the broth soaks into the noodles giving a desirable texture.
STEP 1
Bowl these as per instruction on the packet you buy. Do this just before compiling your ramen.
Compile It All
STEP 1
Place a tablespoon of the chicken fat into your serving bowl, with droplets of chilli oil.
STEP 2
Place noodles on top and pour over hot broth.
STEP 3
Using chopsticks, untangle noodles so they lay nicely – no one likes clumpy noodles!
STEP 4
Add your condiments on top, to your heart's desire. Ramen has no rules, you can use any type of condiments you like. All the condiments you will need are readily available at good quality Asian supermarkets.
Our favourites are toasted sesame seeds, chilli oil, salted bamboo shoots, enoki mushrooms, toasted nori, ground white pepper, narutomaki (fish cake), Green Shallots, Katsuobushi salt.
STEP 5
Slice marinated egg lengthways and place on top.
On a cooking spin? Check this recipe for Porch & Parlour's iconic fish burger.
Image credit: Butter