Ramen is one of my comfort foods. Whether homemade, from a restaurant, or straight out of a styrofoam cup, the chewy noodles, warm broth, and a combination of toppings dictated by what's in the fridge are as emotionally satisfying as they are calorically.

I’ll admit, I have a love for cheap bouillon-based instant ramen, probably for the high sodium content. But whenever Imake my own ramen noodles, I make it a point to whip up a batch of deeply savory ramen broth to pair with it.

You can make ramen soup with just about anything. At its core, it's a broth seasoned with whatever you like. There are many defined styles of ramen, but this venison ramen is not one of those. This is just how I like to make it.

The bones of this soup broth are smoked venison. I season and smoke venison for the added flavor. Any bone-in cut will work, the more connective tissue, the better. Neck, shanks, and shoulders are ideal. The more bones you use, the richer the broth will be.Smoked turkey legsor goose legs work great as well.

The other key ingredient to ramen broth is kombu, which is a dried kelp. Kombu adds umami and body to the broth. You can find dried kombu sheets at Asian supermarkets, online, and in most well-stocked grocery stores.

The remaining ingredients season the broth and build flavor. Dried shiitake mushrooms add earthiness and umami to the broth, and they can be sliced and added to the final dish. I use soy sauce, a little bit of dashi powder, and a splash of fish sauce for the final touches.

To top off the ramen, I use the braised meat from the venison shank, pulling the meat off the bone when it is tender, but before it is over-braised. The rest of the toppings are up to you. To learn how to make homemade ramen noodles,click here.

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1. Preheat the smoker to 250°F.
2. Season the venison shanks generously with salt and pepper. Smoke for 60 to 90 minutes or until the exterior of the shanks is semi-dry and darkened with smoke. You can do this well in advance and store them frozen.
3. Add the smoked shanks to a stock pot along with onion and kombu. Add one gallon of water. Bring to a simmer, partially cover with lid, and adjust heat to maintain simmer for 4 hours. After 4 hours, check the tenderness of the venison, continue to simmer if not tender.
4. Once venison is fork tender, remove it from the broth, and pull the meat off with tongs or forks. Cover and reserve the meat. Place the bones back into the broth, add shiitake mushrooms, and simmer for another hour or two.
5. Strain the broth, and discard the bones, onion, and kombu (you should have about 3 quarts of broth). Reserve the shiitake mushrooms, slice, and add to the final dish. Season the broth with soy sauce, dashi powder, and fish sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning.
6. To serve, cook ramen noodles and portion them into large bowls. Top noodles with greens, add the braised meat and shiitakes to the broth to warm up. Bring the broth to a boil and ladle over the noodles. Serve immediately.