Tonkatsu

Photo by:  Pass the Sushi

Tonkatsu is a thin pork cutlet, breaded in Panko bread crumbs and then fried. It is served with a slightly sweet and tangy sauce. 

 

This dish is a nice, quick option for a busy week night. Prep time is about 20 minutes, an hour of inactive prep and about 15 minutes to cook. I served this with a sesame green bean and crash hot potatoes.

INGREDIENTS:

For the pork:

1 pound pork cutlets, 3/8” thick, gently pounded or 1 pound thin cut boneless pork chops

2 cups Panko bread crumbs

½ cup flour

3 eggs

salt and pepper

oil for frying

For the tonkatsu sauce:

1/3 cup soy sauce

¼ cup Heinz 57 sauce

½ Granny Smith apple, chopped

½ small onion, chopped

4oz canned crushed pineapple and the juice

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

3 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons corn syrup

DIRECTIONS:

For the sauce:

Combine all the ingredients in a small sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes until it becomes thick and syrupy. Strain the sauce in the strainer and press with a spoon to get all the liquid out. Discard the filling.

For the pork:

Season the pork with salt and pepper, set aside.

Place flour in a shallow dish, beat eggs in a separate shallow dish and place the panko in a third dish. Season the flour and eggs with salt and pepper. Dredge each pork cutlet in the flour, then into the egg and finally into the panko. Stack coated cutlets on top of each other and cover. Chill for at least 1 hour.

Add oil to large skillet and heat over medium heat. Drop a small bit of the panko into the oil to test if it is ready to fry. If panko sizzles and browns quickly, your oil is ready. Place cutlets in pan and fry until golden brown on both sides. When pork is cooked remove from pan and drizzle with sauce. Enjoy!