Tonkatsu

Tonkatsu (Japanese Crispy Pork Cutlet)

A classic yōshoku comfort dish: a thick pork loin cutlet coated in panko and fried until shatter-crisp, served with a mound of finely shredded cabbage, rice, and a tangy-sweet tonkatsu sauce.

Prep

20 min

Cook

15 min

Total

35 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •4 pieces (about 600 g) (4 pieces (about 1½ lb)) pork loin, about 150 g each, Ask your butcher for "rosu katsu" cut: loin with a 2-3 cm fat rim, or substitute pork fillet/tenderloin
• •5 g (1 tsp) salt
• •2 g (½ tsp) freshly ground black pepper
• •60 g (½ cup) plain flour
• •2 whole large eggs, Beaten with 2 tbsp water
• •120 g (2 cups) panko breadcrumbs, Use Japanese panko only; Western breadcrumbs will not give the airy, crisp crust
• •750 ml (3 cups) neutral frying oil, Rice bran, canola, or sunflower; needs about 2-3 cm depth in a heavy pot
• •400 g (14 oz) green cabbage, Finely shredded, soaked in cold water 10 minutes then drained
• •60 ml (¼ cup) tonkatsu sauce, Bull-Dog brand is standard; or use Bulldog-type Worcestershire with a little sugar and oyster sauce
• •600 g (about 3 cups cooked) short-grain Japanese rice, Cooked, for serving
• •10 g (¼ cup) shredded daikon and grated ginger, Optional but traditional accompaniment
• •15 ml (1 tbsp) sesame oil or mustard, Optional, to stir into the cabbage

Steps

1. 1 Pat the pork loin dry. If thicker than 2 cm, slice horizontally partway and open like a book so it cooks evenly (butterflying). Season both sides generously with salt and pepper, rubbing in. Let sit 10 minutes.
2. 2 Set up three shallow bowls: flour, beaten egg (with the 2 tbsp water), and panko. Dredge each cutlet in flour, shaking off excess; dip fully in egg so it is completely wet; then press into panko on both sides, pressing firmly so crumbs adhere without bare patches. Rest on a tray 5 minutes so the coating sets.
3. 3 Meanwhile, heat oil in a heavy pot to 170-175°C / 340-350°F. Use a thermometer; oil too cool makes the crust greasy, too hot burns it before the meat cooks. While oil heats, shred the cabbage finely, soak in cold water, and drain.
4. 4 Carefully lower 1-2 cutlets into the oil (do not crowd). Fry 3-4 minutes per side, turning once, until the panko is a deep golden brown. The pork loin is safely cooked when the juices run clear and an instant-read thermometer reads 70°C / 158°F at the thickest part. If the surface browns before this temperature is reached, lower the heat and continue frying.
5. 5 Lift each cutlet out and stand it on a wire rack (not paper towels, which soften the crust) for 2-3 minutes to let oil drain and the interior finish cooking on residual heat.
6. 6 Slice each cutlet against the grain into 1.5 cm (½ in) strips, keeping the slices aligned so the crust stays intact. Mound the drained cabbage on plates, place the sliced cutlet alongside, and serve with a small bowl of rice and tonkatsu sauce for pouring over the meat.