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Tonkatsu

Tonkatsu

Crispy and juicy, Tonkatsu is a beloved Japanese Pork Cutlet that features a light, airy crust and is best served with sesame tonkatsu sauce.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Resting Time 4 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Japanese
Servings 2 cutlets
Calories 523 kcal

Equipment

  • cabbage slicer
  • digital meat thermometer

Ingredients
  

For the Shredded Cabbage Salad (optional)

  • 0.25 head green cabbage
  • 1 Japanese or Persian cucumber
  • 4 tablespoon Japanese sesame dressing or homemade

For the Sesame Dipping Sauce

  • 1 tablespoon toasted white sesame seeds
  • 1 tablespoon toasted black sesame seeds
  • 4 tablespoon tonkatsu sauce store bought or homemade

For the Breading

  • 0.5 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) or more as needed
  • 1 large egg (50 g each w/o shell)
  • 0.5 tablespoon neutral oil for the egg
  • 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour (plain flour)

For the Tonkatsu

  • 2 pieces boneless pork loin chops (½ inch thick)
  • 0.5 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
  • 0.125 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 cups neutral oil for deep frying

Instructions
 

Preparation

  • Gather all the ingredients.
  • Shred ¼ head of green cabbage very finely and slice the cucumber diagonally.
  • Toss cabbage and cucumber together, set aside, and refrigerate the sesame dressing.

Dipping Sauce

  • Grind sesame seeds with a mortar and pestle, some seeds left unground for texture.
  • Divide ground sesame seeds and tonkatsu sauce among dipping plates.

Breading

  • If using dry panko, spray panko with water and set aside for 15 minutes.
  • Prepare egg mixture with oil and whisk together.
  • Prepare another dish with all-purpose flour.

Prepare the Pork

  • Trim excess fat from pork chops and make slits in connective tissue.
  • Pound meat and season with salt and pepper.

Bread the Pork

  • Dredge pork in flour, dip in egg mixture, and coat with panko.
  • Let breaded cutlets rest for 5–10 minutes.

Cooking

  • Heat oil to 340°F (170°C), fry one cutlet for 1 minute, then flip.
  • Remove cutlet to drain and let rest for 4 minutes.
  • Repeat for the second cutlet.
  • For the second fry, raise temperature to 355°F (180°C) and fry each side for 30 seconds.

Serving

  • Cut the tonkatsu into slices and serve with cabbage, cucumber, sesame dressing, and dipping sauce.

Notes

Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to a month. Reheat from frozen or defrosted in the oven.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cutletCalories: 523kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 27gFat: 37gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 19gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 131mgSodium: 491mgPotassium: 458mgFiber: 1gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 96IUCalcium: 74mgIron: 2mg
Keyword Crispy Pork, Deep-Fried, Japanese Cuisine, Pork Cutlet, Savory Dish, Tonkatsu
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