Tonteki (Japanese Pork Steak)

This tender, juicy Japanese pork steak, or Tonteki, is glazed in a savory sweet sauce and topped with crispy fried garlic.

With tender, juicy pork chops fried with garlic oil and glazed in a savory, sweet, and tangy sauce, this Tonteki recipe is a mouthwateringly flavorful dish. The best part is that the same easy preparation can be used to make chicken, beef, or even tofu, making it a great entree to throw together for a weeknight dinner.

Course Entree

Cuisine Japanese-Western

Keyword garlic

Level Beginner

Main Ingredient Pork

Diet Dairy-Free

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 15

Total Time 20

Servings servings

Calories 615kcal

Author Marc Matsumoto

Equipment

Ingredients

For Tonteki sauce

2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 teaspoons honey

For Tonteki

600 grams pork rib chops (2 chops ~¾-inch thick)
Salt & pepper (to taste)
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
30 grams garlic (4 extra-large cloves, sliced 1/25-inch thick)

Grams + US Cups - US Standard

Instructions

To make the sauce, whisk the 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, 2 tablespoons ketchup, and 2 teaspoons honey together in a bowl until the honey has dissolved and the sauce is uniform in color.
2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, 2 tablespoons ketchup, 2 teaspoons honey
Use scissors or a knife to cut through any connective tissue on both sides of the 600 grams pork rib chops about ¼-inch apart.
600 grams pork rib chops
Sprinkle both sides of the pork with Salt & pepper, and then dust both sides with a thin, even dusting of 2 tablespoons flour.
Salt & pepper, 2 tablespoons flour
Add the 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and sliced 30 grams garlic to a frying pan over medium-low heat and slowly fry the garlic while stirring it regularly until it's light tan in color. They won't brown at the same speed, so begin removing the garlic chips as they brown.
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, 30 grams garlic
Once all of the garlic is out of the pan, turn the heat up to medium and add the pork steaks, frying them until they're golden brown on one side. Next, flip the steaks over, then brown the second side. You may need to flip them over a few more times to achieve even browning. They're done when they reach an internal temperature of 145° F (63° C).
Transfer the pork to a plate and set it aside. Wipe out all of the oil from the pan with paper towels.
Add the sauce ingredients to the pan and turn up the heat to high. Boil the sauce until the bubbles become big and glossy and the sauce has thickened up.
Return the pork chops to the pan, along with any collected juices, and flip them over repeatedly until they're glazed with a thick layer of sauce.
Serve the Tonteki with fried garlic chips with shredded cabbage and rice.

Video

Nutrition