Japanese · Main · Easy
Tonkatsu
Japan's shatteringly crisp breaded pork cutlet. A craggy panko crust, juicy inside, with a mountain of shredded cabbage.
The whole recipe in 60 seconds
Tonkatsu, in 5 ideas
- 340F is the sweet spot. Hotter and the crust burns before the pork cooks through. Cooler and it absorbs oil. A thermometer takes the guesswork out.
- Do not use fine breadcrumbs. Only coarse panko gives the airy, jagged texture. Regular breadcrumbs make a dense, heavy crust.
- Rest before slicing. Three minutes lets the juices redistribute. Slice too soon and they run all over the board instead of staying in the pork.
- Shred the cabbage thin. Use a sharp knife or mandoline. It should be fine as hair, a fresh crunchy contrast to the rich cutlet.
- Make it a sando. Leftover tonkatsu between thick white bread with extra sauce and shredded cabbage is one of Japan's great sandwiches.
What you need
Ingredients
- 4 pork loin cutlets, about 3/4 inch thick (or pork tenderloin, butterflied)
- 1 cup flour
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 2 cups panko breadcrumbs (coarse Japanese style)
- Vegetable oil, for frying (about 3 cups)
- Tonkatsu sauce, to serve (or mix 3 tbsp ketchup, 1 tbsp Worcestershire, 1 tsp soy sauce, 1 tsp sugar)
- 1/4 head green cabbage, very thinly shredded
- Salt and black pepper
- Steamed rice, to serve
How to make it
Directions
- Score the fat edge of each cutlet in a few places so it does not curl in the oil. Pound gently to an even thickness. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Set up three shallow dishes: flour, beaten eggs, panko. Dredge each cutlet in flour, shaking off excess, then egg, letting extra drip off, then press firmly into the panko so it adheres in a thick craggy layer.
- Heat the oil to 340F in a deep heavy pot. The cutlets should swim, not touch the bottom.
- Fry two cutlets at a time for 4 to 5 minutes per side until deeply golden. Do not crowd or the temperature drops and the crust goes soggy.
- Drain on a wire rack, never paper towels, so the bottom stays crisp. Rest 3 minutes. The internal temperature will coast to juicy.
- Slice each cutlet into strips, drizzle or serve with tonkatsu sauce, and plate over or beside the shredded cabbage and rice.
Press the panko on hard. Really pack it onto the cutlet with your palms. A thick, uneven coating is what fries into that shattering, craggy crust.