Crispy Pork Katsu with Tonkatsu Sauce
Panko-crusted pork loin cutlets fried until the crust crackles, sliced and fanned over rice with a tangy fruit-and-soy sauce.
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Written
Method
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Pound each pork cutlet to an even ½ inch and season both sides with salt and pepper.
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{“Set up three shallow dishes” => “flour, beaten eggs, and panko.”}
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Dredge each cutlet in flour and tap off the excess, then egg, then press firmly into the panko so the crumbs hold.
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Heat ½ inch of oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high until a pinch of panko dropped in sizzles right away.
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Fry the cutlets in batches, 3 to 4 minutes a side, until deep golden and the crust sounds hollow when tapped with tongs.
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Drain on a wire rack and rest 3 minutes before slicing into 1-inch strips.
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Whisk the ketchup, Worcestershire, soy sauce, and sugar together for the tonkatsu sauce.
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Fan the sliced cutlets over rice and shredded cabbage, and spoon the sauce over the top.
Notes
Pound the pork thin and even before it goes anywhere near the flour — a lopsided cutlet cooks unevenly and the thick end stays pale while the thin end scorches. Resting the fried cutlet before slicing matters too: cut it straight out of the oil and the juices run onto the board instead of staying in the meat.
No pork on hand, chicken breast works the same way, though it’ll want an extra minute or two in the oil. The sauce keeps in the fridge for a couple weeks, so double it if katsu is going into regular rotation.