Ink jet recording ink, ink jet recording method, ink jet recording head, and ink jet recording apparatus

An ink jet recording ink including a pigment; water; and water-soluble compounds. The pigment comprises a resin-dispersed pigment dispersed with a (meth)acrylate-based random copolymer having an acid value of 100-160 mgKOH/g. The water-soluble compounds include at least ethylene urea and a water-soluble compound having a hydrophilicity-hydrophobicity coefficient defined by the following equation (A) of 0.37 or less The total content of the water-soluble compounds is 22-50 mass% with respect to the total amount of the ink The content of the ethylene urea is 11.0 mass% or more with respect to the total amount of the ink, and the proportion of the amount of the ethylene urea in the total amount of the water-soluble compounds is 50% by mass or less, Hydrophilicity - hydrophobicity coefficient = water activity value of 20 % aqueous solution - molar fraction of water in 20 % aqueous solution / 1 - molar fraction of water in 20 % aqueous solution