Best Baked Tonkatsu Japanese Pork Dish Recipes

TONKATSU (JAPANESE PORK CUTLET)

Steps:

• Gather all the ingredients. For Tonkatsu, I highly recommend getting fresh panko (we call it nama panko) from a Japanese grocery store. If you can't get it, follow my instructions to make fresh panko. Make sure to use a Japanese brand of panko from Japan. Western "panko breadcrumbs" are a bit different from authentic Japanese panko.

BAKED TONKATSU - JAPANESE PORK DISH

Steps:

• 1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 400F (200C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
• 2. Combine the panko and oil in a frying pan and toast over medium heat until golden brown. Transfer panko into a shallow dish and allow to cool.
• 3. Get rid of the extra fat and make a couple of slits on the copnnective tissue between the meat and fat. The reason why you do this is that red meat and fat have different elasticity, and when they are cooked they will shrink and expand at different rates. This will allow Tonkatus to stay nice and flat and prevent Tonkatsu from curling up.
• 4. Pound the meat with a meat pounder, or if you don't have one then just use the back of knife to pound. Mold the extended meat back into original shape with your hands.
• 5. Sprinkle salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• 6. Dredge each pork piece in the flour to coat completely and pat off the excess flour. Then dip into the beaten egg and finally coat with the toasted panko. Press on the panko flakes to make sure they adhere to the pork.
• 7. Place the pork on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until the pork is no longer pink inside, about 20 minutes.
• 8. Cut Tonkatsu into 1 inch pieces (so you can eat with chopsticks) by pressing the knife directly down instead of moving back and forth. This way the panko will not come off. Transfer to a plate and serve immediately.
• 9. To make special sesame tonkatsu sauce, grind black and white sesame seeds in a mortor and add tonkatsu sauce. Mix all together.

TONKATSU WITH HOMEMADE SAUCE

Steps:

• For the sauce: Stir together the ketchup, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, mirin, sugar, Dijon and garlic powder in a small bowl. Set aside while you prepare the pork.
• For the pork: Put the flour in a shallow bowl. Whisk the egg with a small splash of water in a second shallow bowl. Add the panko to a deep dish.
• Lightly pound each piece of pork with a meat mallet, then generously sprinkle on both sides with salt and pepper. Dredge one cutlet in the flour, coating completely, then shake off any excess. Dip it in the egg mixture, letting any excess drip off, then coat with the panko, gently pressing it into the panko so the crumbs stick. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining cutlets.
• Heat about 1/3 inch oil in a medium skillet over medium heat until it shimmers. Add 2 of the cutlets and cook until golden brown on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Flip the pieces over and cook until almost cooked through but still pink, 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer the cutlets to a paper towel-lined cutting board, sprinkle with salt and tent with foil to keep warm. Repeat with the 2 remaining cutlets.
• For serving: Slice the cutlets crosswise into 1/2-inch strips. Place a sliced cutlet on each plate along with a scoop of rice, a mound of cabbage and 2 tomato wedges and/or cucumber slices, if using. Drizzle the cutlets with the sauce and serve with extra sauce on the side.

TONKATSU PORK

Steps:

• Remove the large piece of fat on the edge of each pork loin, then bash each of the loins between two pieces of baking parchment until around 1cm in thickness - you can do this using a meat tenderiser or a rolling pin. Once bashed, use your hands to reshape the meat to its original shape and thickness - this step will ensure the meat is as succulent as possible.
• Put the flour, eggs and panko breadcrumbs into three separate wide-rimmed bowls. Season the meat, then dip first in the flour, followed by the eggs, then the breadcrumbs.
• In a large frying or sauté pan, add enough oil to come 2cm up the side of the pan. Heat the oil to 180C - if you don't have a thermometer, drop a bit of panko into the oil and if it sinks a little then starts to fry, the oil is ready. Add two pork chops and cook for 1 min 30 secs on each side, then remove and leave to rest on a wire rack for 5 mins. Repeat with the remaining pork chops.
• While the pork is resting, make the sauce by whisking the ingredients together, adding a splash of water if it's particularly thick. Slice the tonkatsu and serve drizzled with the sauce.

TONKATSU - ASIAN-STYLE PORK CHOP

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, mix together the eggs, milk, garlic, salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Place the panko crumbs in a shallow bowl.
• Rinse pork chops with water, then dip in the egg mixture. Coat with panko crumbs, dip in the egg mixture again, then coat with another layer of panko crumbs. Lay coated chops on a plate until the rest are finished. If you have time, let them set for about 10 minutes, and the coating will set very well. If you wish to freeze the chops, now is the time.
• When the oil is very hot, place pork chops into the pan, and fry for about 5 minutes on each side, until golden brown.