A crispy breaded and deep-fried Japanese pork cutlet. This Pork Tonkatsu recipe is so simple and delicious! It's served with homemade Tonkatsu sauce.
The Japanese pork cutlet is crispy on the outside, and juicy and tender inside. It's the perfect meal for any weeknight, especially when you have a Japanese food craving! Skip the take out and make this tempura pork cutlet, Tonkatsu today!
An Easy Japanese Recipe You Can Make at Home
From ramen to sushi, cooking Japanese food is not as difficult as it may seem. In this post, I am going to show you how to make pork katsu (deep-fry and bake cooking instructions included), also known as pork tonkatsu.
Pork Tonkatsu is probably the easiest and simplest Japanese recipe. This deep-fried pork cutlet recipe requires no special cutting or cooking skills! Anyone can make this restaurant-quality Pork Tonkatsu at home.
From preparation to cooking time, this quick Japanese meal can be ready in less than 30 minutes! It doesn’t hurt that it is also a budget-friendly meal!
The Japanese Pork Cutlet or Schnitzel
Pork Tonkatsu is one of the most popular “European-style” Japanese foods. It’s similar but crunchier than most pork schnitzel. It’s usually served with shredded cabbage, and a sweet and tangy Tonkatsu sauce or curry sauce on the side. It’s one of the most popular food items that you can easily find at almost any Japanese restaurant or as part of bento items.
Easy Ingredients:
This crispy Japanese pork schnitzel is made with simple ingredients and everyday seasoning. You can easily find everything you need to make this recipe in your pantry or your local grocery.
To make the perfect Pork Tonkatsu (とんかつ), you will need boneless pork loin chops, eggs, flour, panko bread crumb, salt, and pepper.
How to Make Tonkatsu Sauce from Scratch
The homemade Tonkatsu sauce is made of ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, oyster sauce, light brown sugar, light soy sauce, and black pepper.
Check Out More Recipes Using Breadcrumbs:
- HEALTHY BAKED CHICKEN TENDERS (AKA CHICKEN STRIPS)
- SUMMER SQUASH CASSEROLE – CHEESY AND HEALTHY
- PANKO BREADED CHICKEN KATSU
How to Make the Best Tonkatsu or Pork Cutlets:
- Use the right breadcrumbs: The key secret to making the best Tonkatsu is the type of breadcrumb to use! The traditional Japanese Panko breadcrumbs (パン粉) are made of bread baked by an electrical current and processed into flakes and then dried. They have a flakier, airier, and dryer consistency than regular breadcrumbs. The large flakes give foods a light, airy, crunchy coating whether you deep-fry, bake, or toast them.
I usually purchase the Panko breadcrumbs at Trader's Joe. It's definitely become a staple pantry item. I have used them in many recipes including meatballs, crispy baked chicken, katsu, gratin, and even used them as a pasta topping.
- Pound the meat until evenly thin: Pounding is a quick and easy way to tenderize meat. It also helps to flatten the meat, which allows it to cook more quickly and evenly. You can use a flat side of the mallet or fry pan to pound the pork loin chops to about Ā¼-inch in thickness.
- Do not overcook the meat: In this recipe, we are going to use boneless pork loin chops. They are lean cut and relatively quick to cook. I’ll stress that it's very important not to overcook the meat. The amount of cook time will depend on the thickness and temperature of the cutlet, usually from 2-4 minutes per side.
- Season the meat with salt and pepper: After pounding the meat, make sure to season the pork cutlets with salt and pepper so the flavor will get into the meat. It is also an important step in bringing out the meat's natural flavors.
- Double Fry: Double frying is a great way to get crispy Tonkatsu. To do this, you will need to deep fry once for about a minute on each side, then remove it from heat and let it sit for a few minutes. After that, you deep fry the cutlets one more time for a minute or so, depending on the thickness. The safe internal pork cooking temperature for fresh cuts is 145° F. I personally tried both deep fry and double deep fry methods and the results were pretty similar.
CHECK OUT MORE ASIAN RECIPES:
- TWICE-COOKED PORK BELLY – (SZECHUAN HUI GUO ROU)
- CHICKEN IN BLACK BEAN SAUCE
- SPICY SICHUAN NOODLES
- SWEET AND SOUR FISH
- HUNAN BEEF WITH CUMIN
- INSTANT POT MONGOLIAN BEEF
- SINGAPORE NOODLES (XING ZHOU MI FEN)
- GENERAL TSO’S CHICKEN (SWEET AND SAVORY DEEP-FRIED CHICKEN)
- VEGETABLE STIR FRY WITH TOFU
- BEST PORK TENDERLOIN STIR FRY
- ASIAN GROUND BEEF STIR FRY
- THAI SALAD DRESSING
- MINCED PORK NOODLES WITH HOISIN SAUCE
- CHINESE EGGPLANT WITH MINCED PORK
- SHRIMP AND GREEN PEAS STIR FRY
- SESAME NOODLES (MA JIANG MIAN)
š Recipe
Tonkatsu - Japanese Pork Cutlet
Ingredients
- 4 pork loin chops, (about 5 oz each and ½ inch thick)
- 2 eggs, (lightly beaten)
- ½ cup flour, (for dredging)
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs, (add more if needed)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, (or more to taste)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, (or more to taste)
- peanut or canola or vegetable oil , (or more for deep frying)
Tonkatsu Sauce:
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1½ tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon low sodium soy sauce
- a pinch of garlic powder
Garnish:
- shredded cabbage
Instructions
- Make 3-4 tiny slits on the connection tissue between the meat and fat and without cutting through meat.
- Pound the meat into thin and an even thickness (about ¼ inch each). Season with salt, and pepper.
- Prepare 3 large bowls. 1st bowl. Add beaten egg2nd bowl. Add flour 3rd bowl. Panko breadcrumb
- Dredge the meat into the flour, shake excess flour and then dip it into the beaten egg, shake excess. Dredge in panko, then cover the meat evenly with panko breadcrumbs by patting with your hands to make the meat is throughly covered. Turn it over and repeat. Shake off excess crumbs.
(Cooking Option 1) Deep Fry:
- Heat at least 1 ½ inches oil in a deep, heavy-bottomed pot to 350°F on medium-high heat. Dip a chopstick into the oil. If the oil starts steadily bubbling, then the oil is hot enough for frying.
- Working in batches, deep fry the cutlet (one at the time) until golden on the bottom for about 3 minutes (more or less cooking time depending on the thickness of the cut). Flip and cook for 2-3 minutes (more or less cooking time depending on the thickness of the cut). Transfer pork to a paper-towel-lined platter to drain.The minimum cooking time is determined by the thickness of the cut. The safe internal pork cooking temperature for fresh cuts is 145° F. Serve with Tonkatsu sauce and Enjoy!
Tonkatsu Sauce:
- In a medium bowl, stir in all the Tonkatsu sauce ingredients. Set aside until its ready to be used.
- You can store this leftover Tonkatsu sauce for 2-3 weeks in the fridge or 3-4 months in the freezer.
Video
Notes
(COOKING OPTION 2): DOUBLE DEEP-FRY COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:
- Heat at least 1 ½ inches oil in a deep, heavy-bottomed pot to 350°F on medium-high heat. Dip a chopstick into the oil. If the oil starts steadily bubbling, then the oil is hot enough for frying.
- Working in batches, deep fry the meat for about 1 minute per side (or more depending on the thickness). Remove from heat then drain on a paper towel. Let it cool down for a few minutes while you are working with other cutlets.
- After resting for about 3-4 minutes, bring the cutlets back into the hot oil and cook for 1 minute total (or more depending on the thickness). The safe internal pork cooking temperature for fresh cuts is 145° F.
- Cut the pork cutlets into ½-inch slices. Transfer to a plate, serve with cabbage and Tonkatsu sauce.
(COOKING OPTION 3) OVEN-BAKED COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:
- Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Transfer the pork loin chops onto the sheet pan and bake until the meat is no longer pink inside for about 20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the chops. The safe internal pork cooking temperature for fresh cuts is 145° F.
- Cut the pork cutlets into ½-inch slices. Transfer to a plate, serve with cabbage and Tonkatsu sauce.
Kita Bryant
I don't normally enjoy pork, but this recipe looks perfect. I would love to try it.
Lizzie Lau
The panko crust on your Tonkatsu is perfection. I've never ordered this dish, nor have I prepared it at home.
Swathi
I miss my Tokyo days. You made perfectly same as I get it from Japanese restaurant there.