Japanese Tonkatsu
Tonkatsu, is a Japanese food which consists of a breaded, deep-fried pork cutlet. There are two main types,
fillet and loin. It is often served with shredded cabbage. Tonkatsu originated in Japan in the 19th century.
Tonkatsu, breaded and deep-fried pork cutlet, dates to the late 19th Century when Japan threw open its doors to Western influence. But never mind the European origin: the ingredients and attention to detail are thoroughly Japanese. Tonkatsu – especially when it’s kuro-buta (Berkshire pork) from Kagoshima – is melt-in-your-mouth tender, served with a side of miso soup and a mountain of shredded cabbage.
Since Tonkatsu is a simple dish that only has a few ingredients, the quality of the ingredients matter. The most important component is the pork and you'll want to splurge here on a tender cut with some fat marbled in.
I like using either a loin chop or rib chop but look for a cut with even marbling and without much connective tissue and you should be okay. Heritage breeds like Berkshire (kurobuta) or Iberico are the best since they haven't
had the fat bred out of them.
Tonkatsu, is a Japanese food which consists of a breaded, deep-fried pork cutlet. There are two main types,
fillet and loin. It is often served with shredded cabbage. Tonkatsu originated in Japan in the 19th century.
Tonkatsu, breaded and deep-fried pork cutlet, dates to the late 19th Century when Japan threw open its doors to Western influence. But never mind the European origin: the ingredients and attention to detail are thoroughly Japanese. Tonkatsu – especially when it’s kuro-buta (Berkshire pork) from Kagoshima – is melt-in-your-mouth tender, served with a side of miso soup and a mountain of shredded cabbage.
Since Tonkatsu is a simple dish that only has a few ingredients, the quality of the ingredients matter. The most important component is the pork and you'll want to splurge here on a tender cut with some fat marbled in.
I like using either a loin chop or rib chop but look for a cut with even marbling and without much connective tissue and you should be okay. Heritage breeds like Berkshire (kurobuta) or Iberico are the best since they haven't
had the fat bred out of them.
INGREDIENTS
Based on your location, units have been adjusted to Metric measuring system. Change this?
1/2 Head of cabbage
930 grams Pork - loin chops (~four 1-inch thick chops)
Salt Pepper Flour - all-purpose(for dusting
1 Large egg
60 grams Panko
(~ 1 1/2 cups) Oil for frying
1 tablespoon Toasted sesame oil
STEPS
To prepare the cabbage salad, separate the leaves from the head, trim off the tough stems, roll a few leaves together and use a sharp knife to slice the cabbage into thin threads. If you have a mandoline, you can leave the half-head of cabbage whole and just mandoline the cabbage and then pick out the tough bits. Soak the cabbage in cold water while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. This not only crisps the cabbage it tames some of the cabbagy funk. Prepare two bowls, one with a well beaten egg and the other with the panko. Prepare a wire rack lined with 2 paper towels. Add 1 1/2-inches of oil to a heavy bottomed pot and then add 1 tablespoon of toasted sesame oil. Heat the oil to 340 degrees F (170 C). For the pork, salt and pepper both sides. You can also add other seasonings here. Dust the chops with an even coating of flour. Dip the cutlet in the egg and coat evenly. Transfer the pork to the panko and dust evenly, pressing down gently on the cutlet to ensure you get a good coating of breadcrumbs. Fry the cutlets until the panko is golden brown and they register 145 degrees F (63 C) with an instant read thermometer. Flip once to ensure even browning and use a skimmer to remove any foam that accumulates on the surface of the oil. Be sure to remove the katsu from oil before measuring the temperature or you'll end up getting a false reading. Depending on how thick your chops are they will take anywhere from 7-10 minutes to cook through. Drain the pork on the paper towel lined rack and let it rest for a few minutes. While the pork rests, drain the cabbage and use a salad spinner to remove any excess moisture. Place big mounds of cabbage on each plate. Slice the tonkatsu and plate with the cabbage. Serve with Tonkatsu sauce. If you don't have tonkatsu sauce, you can make a simple version by mixing a 1:1 ratio of ketchup and worcestershire sauce.
Based on your location, units have been adjusted to Metric measuring system. Change this?
1/2 Head of cabbage
930 grams Pork - loin chops (~four 1-inch thick chops)
Salt Pepper Flour - all-purpose(for dusting
1 Large egg
60 grams Panko
(~ 1 1/2 cups) Oil for frying
1 tablespoon Toasted sesame oil
STEPS
To prepare the cabbage salad, separate the leaves from the head, trim off the tough stems, roll a few leaves together and use a sharp knife to slice the cabbage into thin threads. If you have a mandoline, you can leave the half-head of cabbage whole and just mandoline the cabbage and then pick out the tough bits. Soak the cabbage in cold water while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. This not only crisps the cabbage it tames some of the cabbagy funk. Prepare two bowls, one with a well beaten egg and the other with the panko. Prepare a wire rack lined with 2 paper towels. Add 1 1/2-inches of oil to a heavy bottomed pot and then add 1 tablespoon of toasted sesame oil. Heat the oil to 340 degrees F (170 C). For the pork, salt and pepper both sides. You can also add other seasonings here. Dust the chops with an even coating of flour. Dip the cutlet in the egg and coat evenly. Transfer the pork to the panko and dust evenly, pressing down gently on the cutlet to ensure you get a good coating of breadcrumbs. Fry the cutlets until the panko is golden brown and they register 145 degrees F (63 C) with an instant read thermometer. Flip once to ensure even browning and use a skimmer to remove any foam that accumulates on the surface of the oil. Be sure to remove the katsu from oil before measuring the temperature or you'll end up getting a false reading. Depending on how thick your chops are they will take anywhere from 7-10 minutes to cook through. Drain the pork on the paper towel lined rack and let it rest for a few minutes. While the pork rests, drain the cabbage and use a salad spinner to remove any excess moisture. Place big mounds of cabbage on each plate. Slice the tonkatsu and plate with the cabbage. Serve with Tonkatsu sauce. If you don't have tonkatsu sauce, you can make a simple version by mixing a 1:1 ratio of ketchup and worcestershire sauce.