Tonkatsu is a classic Japanese dish made with a slice of pork coated in flour, beaten egg, and panko breadcrumbs, then deep-fried until crisp and golden brown.
It is usually served with shredded cabbage and a rich, savory tonkatsu sauce.
Tonkatsu is a popular everyday meal in Japan and can be found at restaurants as well as home kitchens. It is also commonly served with rice, miso soup, and pickles as part of a traditional Japanese meal.
For this recipe, we use pork tenderloin, a lean and tender cut of pork. The meat is sliced into pieces about 1.5 cm thick and gently pounded to make it even more tender before coating and frying.
For the Tonkatsu
- 250 g pork tenderloin
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 50 g panko breadcrumbs
- Vegetable oil for deep-frying
For Serving - Shredded cabbage
- Tonkatsu sauce
Instructions
1. Prepare the pork
Cut the pork tenderloin into slices about 1.5 cm thick.
Place each slice between sheets of plastic wrap and gently pound it with a meat mallet or the back of a knife to tenderize the meat.
Season both sides with salt and black pepper.
2. Prepare the coating
Prepare three shallow dishes.
Place the flour in the first dish, beat the egg with 1 tablespoon of milk in the second dish, and place the panko breadcrumbs in the third dish.
Coat each piece of pork lightly with flour, then dip it into the beaten egg.
3. Coat with panko
Place the egg-coated pork in the panko breadcrumbs and gently press the breadcrumbs onto both sides until evenly coated.
4. Fry the tonkatsu
Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium heat to about 170°C (340°F).
Carefully place the breaded pork into the hot oil and fry until golden brown and cooked through, about 3–4 minutes per side.
5. Drain the oil
Remove the tonkatsu from the oil and place it on a wire rack or paper towel to drain the excess oil.
6. Serve
Serve the tonkatsu with the chilled shredded cabbage and tonkatsu sauce.
Tonkatsu is also delicious with steamed Japanese rice and miso soup for a simple and satisfying Japanese meal.
Using pork tenderloin makes this tonkatsu lean and tender. Gently pounding the meat before coating helps make it even more tender.
You can also use chicken breast or pork loin instead of pork tenderloin. Leftover tonkatsu can be enjoyed in different ways, such as making katsudon with eggs and onions or serving it as katsu curry with Japanese curry and rice.