Tonkatsu is a very popular dish in Japan, one that appears often as a staple dish in Japanese media. Similar to fried chicken, the dish consists of slices of pork breaded and fried until golden. Once you bite into the crisp, juicy piece of pork, it’ll be hard not to make this dish all the time! What makes it harder to resist is it’s versatility. You can eat it plain as a main entree, but it makes a delicious addition in a sandwich or on top of curry, udon, and so much more. I especially love the contrast of crisp breading combined with a bowl of ramen since it brings a new level of complexity and flavor to my favorite comfort food!
When served on it’s own, tonkatsu is traditionally drizzled with tonkatsu sauce and served with shredded cabbage. When I make it, I like to add a little soy sauce to the egg mixture to give it extra flavor, so it’s even delicious all on its own!
Recipe – Tonkatsu:
– Prepare your pork by cutting off any excess fat around the edges of the meat. Once finished, transfer to a paper towel to absorb any excess moisture. (If the meat is damp, the breading will not stick very well!) Sprinkle the meat with salt and pepper.
– In a small bowl combine the egg and soy sauce and whisk well. Get two small plates and place the flour in one and panko in another.
– Prepare the cutlets by first dredging the meat in the flour. Use your fingertips to press the flour into the meat to help cover all the crevices along the surface. Turn the meat and make sure it is evenly coated on all sides. Coating it in flour helps absorb any excess moisture which in turn helps the breading stick, so we want to make sure it’s floured well!
– Dip the meat into the egg mixture, making sure it gets completely coated. The egg will serve as the binding agent to pick up the breadcrumbs. After dipping in the egg, immediately transfer the meat to the panko. Press the panko into the meat like you did with the flour, making sure it is evenly coated.
At this point the tonkatsu is ready to be cooked! If this is your first time frying, don’t worry, it’s not too hard, but you may want to check out my frying tips to make it easier!
– Heat oil in a wide pan or wok on medium high heat. Once the oil reaches 350 degrees, gently lower a pork chop into the oil.
– Fry for about two to three minutes until the bottom side is golden. Flip and fry for another two to three minutes on the other side as well.
– Once the meat has been cooked to a golden brown, transfer to a paper towel to drain. Be sure to flip the meat a few times on the paper towel so it doesn’t become soggy sitting in it’s puddle of oil! To check for done-ness, you can insert a thermometer into the meat and make sure it reads at least 140 degrees. Alternatively, you can cut into the meat and if the juices run clear it’s cooked!
– Repeat the process with the remaining meat, then serve immediately. Serve plain topped with tonkatsu sauce or your favorite sauce, or serve sliced on top of rice, noodles, curry, and more!
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