Tonkatsu Recipe
Tonkatsu is the ultimate comfort food, featuring crispy, golden Japanese pork cutlets drizzled with sweet and tangy tonkatsu sauce.
Ingredients
- 6 4-6 ounce boneless pork chops
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup potato starch
- 3 large eggs
- 4 cups Japanese panko
- neutral-flavored oil for frying
- 6 cups thinly sliced cabbage
- Tonkatsu sauce
- coarse salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
Instructions
- Using a sharp knife, make shallow slices about ½ inch deep across the pork, spaced roughly every ½ inch. Gently tenderize the pork with a meat mallet or a Jaccard until it is about ½to ¾ inch thick.
- Next, pat the pork dry on all sides with a paper towel. At this stage, transfer onto a rack over a sheet tray and place them uncovered in the fridge. Then, prep the cooking oil and breading station.
- Pour enough oil to fill a 7 or 8-quart pot to the halfway mark and heat to and hold at 350° over medium to low heat.
- In a cake tin or wide shallow bowl, mix together the flour and potato starch.
- In a separate cake tin or a wide, shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs until they are beaten.
- In the final cake tin or wide shallow bowl, add in the panko.
- Take the pork back out and season both sides with salt and pepper. Press the seasoning into the pork.
- Grab a pork loin chop and dredge it in the flour. Be sure to rub the flour into the pork, covering it on all sides.
- Dust off any excess and then proceed directly to the egg wash, using the same technique. Coat and cover it completely. Lastly, coat in the panko crumbs. Give the pan a shake and transfer the crumbs to the outside and to the top. Gently press it down to get the pork coated. Flip it over and repeat. If necessary, you can repeat this a few more times.
- Place on a rack over a sheet tray and let it stand at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes. This will help the panko adhere to the pork.
- Next, gently place 1 or 2 pork chops at a time into the frying oil at 350°. Cook for approximately 2 minutes, or slightly less, per side. I usually like to gently move things around right away to ensure nothing is sticking.
- Transfer to a rack over a sheet tray and let the oil drain while the other Tonkatsu cooks. Refer to the notes on how to set it up correctly for the best results.
- Once all the pork chops are finished, slice them into 1-inch-thick pieces and serve fanned out slightly over 1 cup of shredded cabbage. Pour the tonkatsu sauce over the pork cutlets and serve with an optional side of lemon wedges.
Notes
Pork katsu requires some patience. Instead of rushing, take your time to press the flour, egg, and panko into the pork to coat the surface evenly. Then, set the pork aside to rest for 10-15 minutes. This crucial step allows the coating time to set, preventing it from sliding off the pork while it’s frying. A little patience gives you golden, perfectly crispy pork every time!
Double-battered: For the ultimate crunch, repeat the flour-egg wash-panko process one more time. This creates a slightly thicker coating with an even louder crunch when you bite into it.
Fry in batches: Overcrowding the pot drops the oil temperature and can lead to soggy tonkatsu. For the best results, fry one or two pieces at a time and let the oil return to 350°F before adding the next batch.
Drain properly: Let the fried pork chops drain on a wire rack over a sheet pan instead of placing them on a paper towel-lined plate. Elevating the pork like this allows the excess grease to drain, locks in the juices, and helps maintain the crispy coating.
Baked tonkatsu: If you’re not a fan of deep-frying, bake the breaded pork on a wire rack set over a baking sheet in a 400°F oven for about 20 minutes, or until it’s no longer pink on the inside.
Chicken or tofu katsu: This recipe works just as well with chicken cutlets or pressed extra-firm tofu steaks. Adjust the frying time as needed.
Make-Ahead: You can fry the pork katsu about 1 hour before serving. Place the chops on a wire rack set over a baking sheet and leave them in a 200ºF oven to keep them warm. You can also bread the pork chops and refrigerate them (uncovered) for up to 4 hours before frying.
How to Store: Transfer the leftover pork katsu to a paper towel-lined airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
How to Reheat: For best results, reheat tonkatsu in a 375°F oven or air fryer for 8 to 10 minutes, or until hot and crispy.
Nutrition
Calories: 366kcalCarbohydrates: 52gProtein: 21gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.04gCholesterol: 113mgSodium: 367mgPotassium: 549mgFiber: 5gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 189IUVitamin C: 26mgCalcium: 127mgIron: 4mg