Tsujita-Style Tsukemen — Rich Pork & Fish Double Broth at Home

When Tsujita opened on Sawtelle Boulevard in Los Angeles in 2011, the lines wrapped around the block within weeks. Food media called it some of the best tsukemen on the US side of the Pacific. The reason wasn’t novelty — it was the broth. Tsujita’s signature dipping soup is reportedly simmered for 60 hours, layering pork and chicken bones with bonito, dried sardines, and mackerel into a liquid so concentrated it coats a spoon like a sauce. A squeeze of sudachi (a small Japanese citrus) at the table cuts through the richness with a hit of fragrant acidity.

This home-kitchen recipe is inspired by that approach — not affiliated with, endorsed by, or claiming to be an official recipe of Tsujita LA or any Tsujita establishment. What it captures is the core technique: a double-extraction broth (pork base + fish dashi combined), proper noodle temperature, and the sudachi finish that elevates every bite.

Disclaimer: This is an original home-kitchen recipe inspired by the Tsujita style. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or an official recipe of Tsujita LA, Tsujita Inc., or any related establishment.

Table of Contents

1. What Is Tsujita-Style Tsukemen?
2. Ingredients
3. Pork & Chicken Base Broth
4. Fish Dashi & Combining the Double Broth
5. Sudachi Finish
6. Noodles & Assembly
7. FAQ
8. Recommended Items
9. Sources & References

What Is Tsujita-Style Tsukemen?

Tsujita was founded in Tokyo in 2003 and built its reputation on an extreme version of tsukemen: a broth rich enough to be mistaken for a demi-glace, yet balanced by a pronounced dried-fish backbone. The key distinction from the Taishoken style is the double-broth method — pork and chicken bones are simmered in one pot while a separate fish dashi (made with katsuobushi and niboshi) is prepared in another, then the two are combined and reduced to final concentration.

The LA outpost (Tsujita LA, opened 2011) became the most-reviewed ramen restaurant in the city. The menu also featured a Hakata-style tonkotsu ramen simmered for the same duration, but it was the tsukemen that put Tsujita on the American food media map. Locations have since expanded to Fort Lee (New Jersey) and Houston.

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Ingredients

Serves 2–3.

Pork & Chicken Base

• Pork neck bones or spare ribs — 500 g / 17.5 oz
• Chicken wings or carcass — 400 g / 14 oz
• Water — 1.5 liters / 6¼ cups
• Garlic — 3 cloves, smashed
• Ginger — 1-inch / 2.5 cm piece, sliced

Fish Dashi

• Katsuobushi (bonito flakes) — 30 g / 1 oz
• Niboshi (dried sardines, heads and bellies removed) — 25 g / 1 oz
• Kombu (dried kelp) — 10 g / ⅓ oz (approx. 10 cm piece)
• Water — 800 ml / 3⅓ cups

Seasoning Tare

• Soy sauce (koikuchi / regular) — 100 ml / 7 tbsp
• Mirin — 50 ml / 3½ tbsp
• Sake — 50 ml / 3½ tbsp (sub: dry sherry or omit)
• Sugar — 1 tbsp

To Serve

• Sudachi — 1 per serving (sub: yuzu, lime, or Meyer lemon)
• Thick ramen noodles — 200–250 g / 7–9 oz per person (raw weight)
• Chashu pork slices — 3–4 per serving
• Ajitsuke tamago (marinated soft-boiled egg) — 1 per serving
• Menma (bamboo shoots) — 2–3 tbsp
• Nori — 1 sheet, optional
• Sliced scallions and sesame seeds — to garnish

Pork & Chicken Base Broth

Step 1 — Blanch

Cover the pork and chicken pieces with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook for 5 minutes. Drain completely and rinse the bones under cold running water. This step removes blood, excess proteins, and any off-flavors that would otherwise cloud the finished broth.

Step 2 — Long Simmer

Return the cleaned bones to a fresh pot. Add 1.5 liters of cold water, smashed garlic, and sliced ginger. Bring to a boil, then reduce to the lowest heat setting that maintains a steady simmer (small bubbles breaking the surface but not rolling). Simmer uncovered for 4–6 hours, skimming foam and fat every 30 minutes. The volume will reduce by roughly one-third; top up with boiling water as needed to keep bones submerged.

At the 4-hour mark, the broth should be noticeably opaque and rich. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer, discard the solids, and set aside. You should have approximately 700–900 ml of pork-chicken base.

Fish Dashi & Combining the Double Broth

Making the Fish Dashi

In a separate saucepan, combine the niboshi (pre-soaked overnight in cold water for a cleaner flavor, if possible), kombu, and 800 ml of fresh water. Heat over medium-low until the water reaches 60°C / 140°F — just before simmering. Hold at this temperature for 10 minutes, then remove the kombu (it becomes slimy if overcooked).

Increase heat to medium. When the liquid begins to simmer, add the katsuobushi. Steep off the heat for 5 minutes, then strain. Discard the solids. You should have approximately 600–700 ml of concentrated fish dashi.

Combining and Reducing

Combine the strained pork-chicken base and fish dashi in one pot. Add the soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar. Stir to incorporate. Bring to a medium simmer and reduce for 20–30 minutes until the combined broth is noticeably concentrated — a spoon dipped in should carry a thin coating of liquid as it drips. Taste: it should be bold, salty, and deeply savory with a pronounced fish note.

Sudachi Finish

What Is Sudachi?

Sudachi (酢橘) is a small Japanese citrus fruit from Tokushima Prefecture. About the size of a golf ball, it has a thin green skin, intensely fragrant zest, and a tart, slightly floral juice that is less acidic than lime and more complex than lemon. It is the classic garnish for grilled Pacific saury (sanma), cold soba, and — at Tsujita — tsukemen.

Outside Japan, sudachi is difficult to find fresh but is sometimes available at Japanese grocery stores or online frozen. Practical substitutes in order of preference:

1. Yuzu juice (bottled is widely available) — most similar flavor
2. Meyer lemon — less tart, softer citrus note
3. Lime + lemon mixed equally — approximates the tartness and fragrance

How to Use It

The sudachi is placed on the side of the plate, uncut. The diner squeezes it over the dipping broth midway through the meal — not at the beginning. This timing is important: the citrus doesn’t fully harmonize with the broth the moment it’s added; it needs 30–60 seconds of stirring before the flavor integrates. Adding it too early mutes the effect; adding it too late means you never experience the transformation it creates.

Noodles & Assembly

Noodle Selection

Tsujita-style tsukemen uses extra-thick noodles — substantially chunkier than standard ramen noodles. Look for dried ramen noodles labeled “tsukemen” or “太麺” (thick noodles) in Japanese grocery stores. Outside Japan, thick dried udon noodles (6–7 mm / ¼ in wide) are the most reliable substitute.

Assembly

Divide the cooled noodles between large plates or shallow wide bowls, arranging them in a compact mound. Add chashu slices, the halved soft-boiled egg, menma, and nori. Place a piece of sudachi (or lime) on the side of each plate.

Ladle the hot concentrated dipping broth into small individual cups or ceramic jugs — about 200–250 ml / ¾–1 cup per person. Keep additional broth warm on the stove for top-ups or warishita (see our Taishoken-style tsukemen article for the full warishita technique).

This recipe is an original compilation by the HowToCook.jp editorial team, based on general knowledge of tsukemen double-broth techniques and publicly available information about the Tsujita style. It is not based on any proprietary or official Tsujita recipe.

FAQ

Q: What makes Tsujita-style different from other tsukemen?

A: The defining characteristics are the double-broth method (pork-chicken base and fish dashi made separately and combined), the very high fish intensity from niboshi and katsuobushi, and the sudachi citrus finish served on the side. Most tsukemen versions add vinegar or citrus to the broth during cooking; Tsujita-style uses sudachi squeezed at the table for a fresher, more aromatic acid hit.

Q: Can I make this in a single day?

A: Yes, with a pressure cooker. Use the pressure cooker for the pork-chicken base (90 minutes on high), then make the fish dashi (30 minutes total) while the pressure releases naturally. Combine, season, and reduce for another 20–30 minutes. Total active time: about 2.5 hours. Without a pressure cooker, plan for 6–7 hours of cooking time, including the open-pot simmer and resting.

Q: Where can I find sudachi outside Japan?

A: Fresh sudachi is rarely available outside Japan, though some Japanese grocery stores in major cities stock it seasonally. Bottled yuzu juice (from Japanese or Korean grocery stores) is the closest substitute. In a pinch, squeeze half a lime and a few drops of lemon juice into the broth at the table — it won’t be identical, but it provides the brightening acid contrast that sudachi delivers.

Q: My broth looks too thin after combining the pork and fish stocks. What went wrong?

A: The combined broth needs reduction to reach the correct concentration. After merging the two stocks and adding seasoning, simmer uncovered for at least 20–30 minutes, stirring occasionally. The finished broth should noticeably coat the back of a spoon. If it is still thin after 30 minutes, continue reducing in 10-minute increments, tasting after each interval to monitor salt concentration.

Recommended Items

Sources & References

• Tsujita Artisan Noodle — Official Site (US)
• Tsujita — Los Angeles | Ramen | Gastronomy Blog
• Tsukemen — Wikipedia
• The Story Behind Tsukemen — Tokyo Ramen Tours
• Tsujita LA Review — The Infatuation
• Tsukemen — History, Recipes and Restaurants — Food in Japan
• Tsukemen Recipe (Dipping Ramen Broth) — No Recipes — English-language recipe for thick concentrated tsukemen dipping broth with pork and seafood base, covering the flavor layering technique Tsujita is known for.
• Tsukemen Dipping Ramen Noodles — Chopstick Chronicles — Step-by-step tsukemen recipe with guidance on achieving the thick, rich dipping broth and preparing the separate cold thick noodles for dipping.
• How to Make Menya Itto Style Tsukemen — Ramen Guide Japan — Detailed recipe for rich tonkotsu-seafood tsukemen broth in the heavy concentrated style that defines top Tokyo tsukemen shops including Tsujita.

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Recipe attribution: This recipe is an original compilation by the HowToCook.jp editorial team, based on general knowledge of tsukemen double-broth techniques. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by Tsujita or any related establishment.

情報の最終確認日: 2026年02月