Tonkatsu with Homemade Sauce
What You Need
Ingredients
Preparation
Crispy, fried pork cutlets are a beloved Japanese comfort food, made even easier with the even heat and fry control of the HexClad 12"/30 cm Hybrid Fry Pan. Served with a tangy homemade sauce, it’s a perfect weeknight dinner or casual entertaining dish. We serve our tonkatsu with a thinly sliced cabbage salad tossed in vinaigrette to balance the rich, breaded meat.
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Make sauce. In a small bowl, whisk ketchup, soy sauce, Worcestershire and honey; set aside.
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Make salad. Use a chef’s knife to remove stem from cabbage, then roll up a few leaves at a time and slice very thinly. Alternately, use a mandoline slicer, but leave core on cabbage.
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Fill a large bowl with cold water and add cabbage. Soak for 5 minutes, then drain and pat dry or spin in a salad spinner.
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In a separate large bowl, whisk olive oil, vinegar and mustard. Season with salt and pepper. Add cabbage, cucumber and radishes and toss to combine; set aside, tossing occasionally.
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Prepare pork. Place chops on a cutting board. Using tip of a knife, make 5 to 6 small incisions between meat and fat to prevent curling. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
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In a shallow bowl, use a fork or chopsticks to lightly beat eggs. In two additional, separate shallow bowls, place flour and panko.
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Working with one piece at a time, coat chops in flour, then shake off excess. Dip into egg, then coat evenly with panko, pressing gently so crumbs adhere. Repeat with remaining chops.
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Line a baking sheet with paper towels and place a wire rack on top. In a HexClad 12"/30 cm Hybrid Fry Pan over medium, heat ½-inch/1 cm oil to 340°F/170°C. To test without a thermometer, drop a few panko crumbs into oil: if they sink partway and rise quickly, it’s ready.
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Working in two batches, cook chops, turning once or twice, until golden brown and cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 145°F/63°C. Using tongs, lift chops from oil, shake off excess and place on rack. Repeat with remaining chops.
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Slice pork into thin strips and serve with sauce and salad alongside.
Notes:
- If the pork is too thick, pound it with a meat mallet, or slice in half horizontally until about ½-inch/1.25-cm thick.
- Be sure to use panko, not regular breadcrumbs. Panko is coarser and less uniform, which makes the crust crispier.
