Tonkatsu (Japanese Fried Pork Cutlet)
Tonkatsu, or Japanese fried pork cutlet, is a tender cut of pork that's breaded in panko and deep fried until golden brown. It's served with a sweet and tangy tonkatsu sauce and a mound of refreshing, crunchy, shredded cabbage.
- Prep time
- 10 min
- Cook time
- 7 min
- Yield
- 2 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 2 (5 ounce) pieces pork loin (boneless (about 1 inch to 1¼ inch thick))
- 1 large egg (beaten)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups panko ((Japanese bread crumbs))
- Salt and pepper (for seasoning)
- Oil (for frying)
- 2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 teaspoons oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar (more or less to your preference)
- 2 cups cooked white rice
- ¼ small green cabbage (thinly shredded)
Instructions
- 1
For the tonkatsu sauce:
- 2
Mix all of the ingredients for the sauce together until well combined. Set aside until needed. You can also make up to 1 week uphead of time, properly stored and kept chilled in the fridge.
- 3
For the tonkatsu (fried pork cutlet):
- 4
Preheat the oil and prepare the breading station:Preheat the fryer to 345°F or prepare a pot with 2 to 3 inches of oil, heated to 345°F. Also setup the breading station next to your frying area. Prepare one pan/plate/bowl for each ingredient: flour, egg, panko.
- 5
Prepare the pork loin:Using the flat side of the meat mallet, evenly pound both of the pork loins into ¼ inch to ⅜ inch thick. Then use a meat tenderizing tool and poke holes on both sides of each pork poin.*The pork loins will shrink a little and become thicker when fried. So it is very important that they're pounded to the right thickness. Also, the thickness will also affect the frying time.*
- 6
Season both sides of the pork loins with some salt and black pepper (to your preference) and gently pat on both sides to help the seasonings stick.
- 7
Bread and fry the pork cutlet:Place a seasoned pork cutlet onto the flour and coat well on both sides and the edges. Dust off any excess flour. Dip the floured pork cutlet into the beaten egg and coat well on all sides. Place the pork cutlet into the panko and scoop some panko onto the cutlet. Gently press the panko into the pork cutlet to help the panko stick.
- 8
Carefully, place the breaded pork cutlet into the hot oil and fry until golden brown, about 6 to 7 minutes. Remove the pork cutlet from the oil and let it rest on a wire cooling rack or paper towels for a couple of minutes. Repeat with the other cutlet.*If your fryer and breading station allows, you can bread and fry both of the cutlets at the same time.*
- 9
Serve the tonkatsu:Once the fried pork cutlets have rested for a couple of mintues, cut the cutlets into strips.
- 10
Serve the tonkatsu with the prepared sauce, steamed white rice, and a bed of shredded cabbage if you wish. Enjoy while hot!