Tonkatsu (panko pork cutlet)
とんかつ · Thick pork loin cutlet fried crisp, with cabbage and tonkatsu sauce
JapaneseTonkatsu took shape in Tokyo's Ueno and Ginza in the early 20th century, and the specialist katsu restaurants there still serve it the same way: a thick pork loin cutlet in a light, spiky panko crust, sliced into strips, with a mountain of feather-fine cabbage, rice, miso soup and a pot of thick, fruity tonkatsu sauce. This version uses a simple homemade sauce of ketchup, Worcestershire and soy rather than the miso sauce of Nagoya. The common mistake is frying too hot: the crumbs burn before the centre cooks. Fry at 170 °C, then rest the cutlets, which finish cooking as they sit; pork loin is safe at 63 °C after a 3-minute rest. Chef's tip: snip the fat along the edge every 2 cm before crumbing so the cutlet stays flat.
- Total time
- 35 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 2
Ingredients
- 2 pork loin steaks, bonelessabout 150 g each, 2 cm thick
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 oz plain flour
- 1 eggbeaten
- 2 ⅛ oz panko breadcrumbs
- 3 ¼ cups vegetable oilfor frying
For the tonkatsu sauce
- 3 tbsp tomato ketchup
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- ½ tsp Japanese hot mustard (optional)
To serve
- 7 oz white cabbageshredded as finely as possible and crisped in iced water
- 2 lemon wedges (optional)
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Mix 3 tbsp tomato ketchup, 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp soy sauce and 1 tsp sugar for the sauce and set aside.
Step 2: Snip through the fat along the edge of 2 pork loin steaks, boneless every 2 cm and pound the meat lightly to an even thickness. Season both sides with ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp black pepper.
3 minStep 3: Dust the pork in 1 oz plain flour, shake off the excess, dip in 1 egg and press into 2 ⅛ oz panko breadcrumbs so it is thickly coated. Rest for 5 minutes while the oil heats.
8 minStep 4: Heat 3 ¼ cups vegetable oil in a deep pan to 350°F. Fry the cutlets one or two at a time, turning once, until deep golden and the bubbles around them become small and quiet.
7 minStep 5: Drain upright on a rack and rest for 3 minutes. The centre should read at least 145°F; it may still be faintly pink and juicy.
3 minStep 6: Slice into 2 cm strips and serve with drained 7 oz white cabbage, 2 lemon wedges, ½ tsp Japanese hot mustard and the sauce.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 620 kcal
- Protein
- 38 g
- Carbs
- 34 g
- Fat
- 36 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does tonkatsu (panko pork cutlet) take?
- About 35 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 2 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of egg?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
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