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A plate of Tonkatsu, or Japanese pork cutlet with thick slices of tender pork encrusted in a golden layer of crispy panko and served with a drizzle of tonkatsu sauce and fluffy cabbage salad.
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Tonkatsu (Japanese Pork Cutlet)

In this Tonkatsu recipe, I share all my secrets to making the perfect pork katsu with a crisp, airy shell of flaky panko encasing thick, juicy pork cutlets.
Course Entree, Main Course
Cuisine Japanese
Keyword cutlet, deep-fried
Level Beginner
Main Ingredient Pork
Diet Dairy-Free, Low Sugar
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 518kcal
Author Marc Matsumoto

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1000 grams pork rib chops (3 to 4 1-inch thick chops)
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • white pepper (to taste)
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 large egg
  • 100 grams panko
  • vegetable oil (for frying)
  • Tonkatsu sauce
  • Japanese hot mustard
Grams + US Cups - US Standard

Instructions

  • Prepare two trays, one the 1 large egg beaten well, and the other with 100 grams panko. Prepare a wire rack lined with several sheets of paper towels to drain the pork katsu. Add 1 ½ inches of vegetable oil to a heavy-bottomed pot and heat the oil to 320° F (160° C).
    1 large egg, 100 grams panko, vegetable oil
  • Season the 1000 grams pork rib chops with ½ teaspoon salt and white pepper and then dust them with 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour.
    1000 grams pork rib chops, ½ teaspoon salt, white pepper, 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
    Dusting pork rib-chops with flour
  • Dip the cutlets in the egg and coat evenly.
    Coating Tonkatsu with egg.
  • Transfer the pork to the tray with the panko and mound the breadcrumbs around the meat, pressing down gently on the cutlet to ensure you get a good coating of breadcrumbs on all sides.
    Dredging Tonkatsu cutlet in panko breadcrumbs
  • Fry the Tonkatsu until golden brown, flipping every few minutes to ensure even browning. Use a skimmer to remove any foam that accumulates on the surface of the oil. Depending on how thick your katsu are, they should take about 10-15 minutes to cook through.
    Frying Tonkatsu or Japanese Pork Cutlet
  • You can test if the pork cutlets are done by removing one from the oil and inserting an instant-read thermometer into the center. It should register 140 degrees F (63 C).
    Testing the internal temperature of Tonkatsu.
  • When the Tonkatsu is done, transfer the cutlets to the prepared wire rack to drain. Let it rest for 3 minutes before you cut it.
    Tonkatsu resting on wire rack.
  • Slice the pork katsu and serve with Tonkatsu sauce and Japanese hot mustard.
    Tonkatsu sauce, Japanese hot mustard
    Slicing Crispy Tonkatsu.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 518kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 59g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 214mg | Sodium: 612mg | Potassium: 1003mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 78IU | Calcium: 71mg | Iron: 3mg