The ink-jet recording method and apparatus use an ink containing at least, a pigment self-dispersible in water, a water soluble organic solvent and water, and carry out printing with an amount of the ink of 20 ng or less per one droplet, and the ink satisfies the following conditions: a dynamic contact angle upon dropping 4 &mgr;L of the ink on plain paper is about 60° or less after one second from dropping; a volume average particle diameter mv of dispersed particles of the pigment in the ink is about from 150 to 250 nm; and in the dispersed particles, a number of particles having a particle diameter of from 0.5 to 5 &mgr;m is about from 25×104 to 2,000×104 per microliter, and a number of particles having a particle diameter of 5 &mgr;m or more is about 100 per microliter or less.