Tonkatsu (Japanese Pork Cutlet)

A crispy breaded and deep-fried Japanese pork cutlet. This 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 takeout and make this tempura pork cutlet, Tonkatsu today! Don't forget to serve this with some white rice and fresh shredded cabbage on the side.

Jump to:

• Why You'll Love This Japanese Pork Cutlet Recipe
• What is Tonkatsu
• Ingredients
• How to Make the Best Tonkatsu
• Recipe Tips
• Storage
• How to Reheat the Leftovers
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

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Why You'll Love This Japanese Pork Cutlet Recipe

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 Tonkatsu.

• Easy and Simple. This Tonkatsu is probably the easiest and simplest Japanese recipe you can make at home. This deep-fried Japanese pork cutlet recipe requires no special cutting or cooking skills!
• Best 30-Minute Meal. From preparation to cooking time, this quick Japanese meal can be ready in less than 30 minutes!
• Inexpensive to Make. It's also a budget-friendly meal!

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What is Tonkatsu

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.

Tonkatsu is one of the most popular food items that you can easily find at almost any Japanese restaurant or as part of bento items. 

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Ingredients

This crispy Tonkatsu 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 Tonkatsu (とんかつ) and Tonkatsu sauce, you will need:

• Pork loin chops. I used a 5 oz pork loin chop, about ½ inch thick.
• Eggs, Flour, Panko Bread Crumb. I used a combination of these ingredients for breading.
• Salt and Black Pepper. I used both salt and black pepper to season the meat.
• Ketchup, Worcestershire Sauce, Oyster Sauce, Light Brown Sugar, Light Soy Sauce. I used all of these ingredients to make the homemade Tonkatsu sauce.

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How to Make the Best Tonkatsu

Step 1. Prepare the Pork Loin

• Make 3-4 tiny slits on the connection tissue between the meat and fat without cutting through the meat.
• Pound the meat into thin and even thickness (about ¼ inch each).
• Season the meat with salt, and pepper.

Step 2. Set Up the Breading Station

• In the first bowl, lightly beat the egg.
• In the second bowl, add four.
• In the third bowl, add panko bread crumbs.

Step 3. Bread the Pork Loin Chops

• Dredge the meat into the flour, and shake the excess flour.
• Dip the meat into the beaten egg, and shake the excess.
• Dredge in Panko then covers the meat evenly with Panko breadcrumbs by patting it with your hands to make the meat thoroughly covered. Turn it over and repeat. Shake off excess crumbs.

Step 4. Deep Fry the Pork Loin Chops

• Heat at least 1 ½ inches of 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 a 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. 
• Transfer pork to a paper towel-lined platter to drain.

Step 5. Make the Tonkatsu Sauce

• In a medium bowl, stir in ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, oyster sauce, light brown sugar, low-sodium soy sauce, and garlic powder.
• Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

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Recipe Tips

• 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.
• Where to purchase panko bread crumb. 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, and 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 ¼-inch in thickness.

• Do not overcook the meat: In this recipe, we are going to use boneless pork loin chops. They are clean-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 it once for about a minute on each side, then remove it from the 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.

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Storage

Discard any leftover Tonkatsu that has been left out for more than 2 hours at room temperature or 1 hour when the temperature is above 90°F. You can learn more here.

• Let the leftover Tonkatsu cools down to room temperature before refrigerating.
• Transfer the leftovers to an airtight container.
• Store the leftovers for 3-4 days in the fridge or for 3 months in the freezer.

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How to Reheat the Leftovers

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Put the leftover Tonkatso on a baking sheet.
• Reheat for 7 minutes or until heated through.

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Check Out More Delicious Asian Recipes

• Best Pork Tenderloin Stir Fry
• Hainan Chicken Rice
• Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup
• Bo Luc Lac
• Laksa Soup

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