How To Make Japanese Tonkatsu (Japanese fried pork cutlet)
Course: Entree
Cuisine: Japanese
Prep Time: 15 minutesminutes
Cook Time: 30 minutesminutes
Chill the cabbage: 5 minutesminutes
Total Time: 45 minutesminutes
Servings: 4servings
Calories: 352kcal
Author: Marvellina
Tonkatsu or fried pork cutlet is a popular dish in Japan. It is a breaded, deep-fried pork cutlet sliced into bite-sized pieces, generally served with sauce, shredded cabbage and/or miso soup.
Make a few small cuts on the fat part of each pork stlice so they will cook without shrinking.
Cover the pork with a cling wrap and pound each cut of pork with heavy object (meat pounder or pestle will work), about 1 -1.5 cm in thickness. Season with salt and pepper
Prepare three shallow plates. One fill with all-purpose flour, another one with beaten egg, and lastly with panko bread crumbs
Dredge each pork slices in flour on both sides, shake off any excess
Coat with beaten egg on both sides
Press onto the bread crumbs on both sides
Frying:
Heat the oil for deep-frying in a deep saucepan, about 2-inch high. Check the temperature by dropping a few breadcrumbs into the oil-if they float immediately, it is at the correct temperature (340F)
Deep-fry each pork steak on medium heat until they are cooked through and golden brown, about 2-3 minutes. When cooked, drain on a rack or some paper towels to remove and excess oil. Remove any bits of bread crumbs from the oil as these will get burn
Let the tonkatsu rest for 2-3 minutes, then slice and serve as usual with tonkatsu sauce, shredded cabbage, and rice.
Pan-frying:
Heat about 1/2 cup of oil in a pan over medium heat. When the oil is hot, cook in batches, about 2 slices, depending on the size of your pan. Cook about 2-3 minutes on one side
Then flip over to the other side and cook for another 2-3 minutes or until crispy and golden brown
Place it on an absorbent paper towel to soak up any excess oil
Air-fryer method:
Preheat your air fryer to 375 F (195 C) for about 5 minutes. Preheating helps ensure even cooking.
Spray with generous amount of cooking spray or brush both sides of the breaded cutlet with some oil. This helps to achieve a golden-brown crust in the air fryer. Line the air-fryer basket with parchment paper. Place the cutlets on top of the parchment paper
Air fry at 375 F (195 C) for 10–12 minutes. Flip the cutlets halfway through the cooking time and spray again if needed for even browning. It is important that you spray or brush with enough cooking spray or oil, otherwise, the result won't be crispy
Check for doneness: the internal temperature should reach 145 F (63 C) for safe consumption.
Keep them warm in the oven:
Place the tonkatsu on cooling rack set on top of a baking pan. These help to preserve the crispy texture while you are cooking the rest. I keep them warm in the oven at 200 F (93 C)
The air-fryer version won't be as golden brown as the deep-fried or pan-fried version, but they are still crispy enough with not much oil at all
Let the tonkatsu rest for 2-3 minutes, then slice into strips
Prepare the cabbage:
Cut the cabbage into fine strips and soak in a large bowl of iced water for about 5 minutes, to crisp. Drain and put in a plastic food bag and refrigerate until ready to serve the tonkatsu
Prepare the sauce:
Combine all the sauce ingredients in the bowl. Have a taste and adjust to your taste preference. It should be somewhat sweet, savory, and slightly tangy. This can be kept in the fridge for up to one week.