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Tonkatsu (or Pork Katsu) is one of my favorite Japanese dishes – the pork cutlet is ultra crispy, juicy, and paired with a homemade Tonkatsu sauce!
Watch the Tonkatsu (Pork Katsu) Recipe Video Below!
Ingredient Tips for Tonkatsu (Pork Katsu)
- PORK – I would recommend using the highest quality pork loin filets you can find, preferably from the center pork loin. You’ll want to pound these to 1/2″ thickness. If you prefer to a different protein, I have sub with chicken – check out my recipe for Chicken Katsu Curry! You can also make this in the airfryer – check out my recipe for Air Fryer Chicken Katsu!
- PANKO BREADCRUMBS – Panko breadcrumbs are drier and flakier than regular breadcrumbs, so they absorb less oil and creates a light & crunchier crust. They are a KEY ingredient in this dish!
Recipe Tips for Tonkatsu (Pork Katsu)
POUND YOUR MEAT!
- You’ll need to pound your pork to 1/2″ thick cutlets – if you don’t have a meat mallet, you can use a small pan! Try to keep these as even as possible – the more evenly they’re pounded, the more evenly they will cook!
OIL TEMPERATURE
- Do not let your frying oil drop below 325-350F when frying! I highly recommend you use a thermometer to keep an eye on the temperature. If you see it dropping below 325F, remove your Tonkatsu (Pork Katsu) and wait until the temperature increase. Frying at a low temperature will result in too much moisture (AKA SOGGY!)
INTERNAL TEMPERATURE
- If you are not a seasoned pro at cooking (and honestly, even if you are!) I would highly recommend you use a meat thermometer to check your pork – you want the internal temp to be at 145F. Undercooked meat can lead to food poisoning, so always err on the side of caution!
OPTIONAL SIDES
- I like to serve Tonkatsu (Pork Katsu) with sliced cabbage, rice, and homemade tonkatsu sauce!
HOMEMADE TONKATSU SAUCE
- You can easily purchase tonkatsu sauce from most grocery stores – but if you want to make your own, I included the recipe below! I like to make my own sauces as often as possible, as it’s usually easy enough and store versions oftentimes have fillers & preservatives.
If you tried this Tonkatsu (Pork Katsu) or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
Tonkatsu
Crispy juicy Tonkatsu is a Japanese comfort food staple and so delicious when paired with freshly shredded cabbage and rice!
Ingredients
Pork
- 4 pork loin filets, pounded to 1/2" thick cutlets
- 2 eggs, large
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
Tonkatsu Sauce
- 1 tbsp ketchup
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsp oyster sauce
- 2 tsp sugar
Serve With
- thinly sliced cabbage
- rice
Instructions
- Using a meat mallet or heavy pan, pound pork loin to 1/2" thick cutlets. Using the back of a knife, pound against the pork to tenderize. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
- For the wet batter, mix together eggs, all-purpose flour, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. and whisk together until the consistency is slightly looser than pancake batter.
- Dredge chicken in wet batter then coat thoroughly in panko breadcrumbs.
- Heat oil to 350F and fry for 4-5 minutes or until the pork reaches 145F.
- For your tonkatsu sauce, mix together ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, oyster sauce, and sugar to combine.
- Serve with fried pork cutlets with sliced cabbage, rice, and tonkatsu sauce.
Nutrition
Calories: 190kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 8gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 82mgSodium: 713mgPotassium: 154mgFiber: 2gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 143IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 76mgIron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tried this recipe?Mention @cj.eats_ or tag #cjeatsrecipes!
AMAZING! So delish!! Just another great dish from CJ!
Used this recipe but baked instead of fried. Still tasted great!
We LOVE this Katsu recipe. Adding the flour to the eggs is genius. It’s perfect and crispy every time. I have even had to let the pork rest breaded for an hour or so and it never gets soggy it stays crunchy and crispy. It’s a week-night staple in our house.
So glad you and your family are enjoying, Noell!