You may have noticed that I love to fry things. Oddly enough, I fried for the first time after the name kiyafries was established, so I guess it was fated! But enough about me. Let’s get down to business. TONKATSU. Juicy, panko breaded and fried pork goodness. You can also use this recipe to make torikatsu, aka chicken katsu.

Tonkatsu Recipe | Japanese Panko Breaded Fried Pork Cutlets/ Chops

Recipe Notes

Preparing the Pork Cutlets
Before dredging the pork cutlets, I recommend a few extra steps for *primo* pork. First, cut shallow slits into the fat band/connective tissue around the outer part of the chop. You can also trim some of the excess fat off here if you like. Ideally when making these slits you can slice through just the fat and connective tissue and not into the meat itself. The fat and the connective tissue naturally shrink up when exposed to heat, causing curling. Dividing those areas a bit keeps the pork flat, and can also be applied any time you’re cooking pork chops, like here.
Next, tenderizing the pork. This one is very important because it both flattens the pork helping it cook more quickly and evenly (no burnt panko or undercooked meat!) and, as the term implies, keeps the pork tender and juicy. If you don’t have a meat tenderizer, you can achieve the same effect by making small cuts in the surface of pork with a knife and then smacking it with a rolling pin or the bottom of a heavy pan.

Cornstarch Vs Flour
If you don’t have cornstarch, use flour. Both will work! I have made tonkatsu with both, and I prefer cornstarch because I feel that it clings to the pork better and yields a crispier crunch.

Tonkotsu Sauce
I pretty much always accompany Tonkatsu with Japanese Curry, so I actually didn’t even think to develop a tonkatsu sauce recipe until I went to publish this recipe (oops!)
Tonkatsu sauce can be purchased ready-made, or you can wing it by combining ketchup and worcestershire sauce with soy sauce or oyster sauce, sugar or mirin, and possibly vinegar. Or, try this simple recipe from Just One Cookbook!

Tonkotsu Recipe

Print Recipe

とんかつ (Tonkatsu, Breaded + Fried Pork Cutlet)

This recipe can also be made using chicken breast, called torikatsu.

Servings: 2 people

Equipment

Meat tenderizer
Heavy bottomed pot
Heatproof tongs or slotted spatula
Thermometer (instant read, candy/frying, or infrared)
Wire rack (optional)

Ingredients

2 eggs
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 cups panko breadcrumbs
1 lb boneless pork chops
salt
black pepper
neutral high smoke-point oil for frying such as canola or vegetable oil

Instructions

Prepare the Pork:

On a cutting board, use a small, sharp knife to cut shallow slits 1” apart into the band of fat on the outside of the pork chops. Ideally the slice will go through the all the way through the fat but not into the meat. These slits will keep the pork from curling up when it frys.
Lay the pork flat on the cutting board and use the pointy end of a meat tenderizer to pound to ¼” thick. (If you don’t have a meat tenderizer, see recipe notes.) Pat the pork chops dry.

Prepare your Frying Station:

Add a ¼-½” of oil to a heavy bottomed pan. To one side of the pan set up a rimmed baking sheet with a wire rack inside. If you don’t have a wire rack, line the baking sheet or a plate with paper towels.

Prepare your Dredging Station:

Arrange 2 bowls and 1 shallow dish (I use a small rectangular pyrex or pie plate) for your dredging station. Beat the eggs well in one bowl, place the cornstarch in the other bowl, and place the panko in the shallow dish. Arrange from left to right: cornstarch, eggs, panko.

Make Tonkatsu:

Season each pork chop on both sides with salt and pepper, then dredge one at a time in the cornstarch, the egg, and the panko. Press the panko into the surface of the pork well to adhere.
Heat the oil to 350F. When the oil is hot, fry the chops 4 minutes per side, using heatproof tongs or a slotted spatula to carefully turn.
Transfer the tonkatsu to the prepared wire rack and allow to rest 3-5 minutes. Slice in ¾” pieces crossways and serve.