Healthy Pork Tonkatsu Recipes

TONKATSU (JAPANESE FRIED PORK CUTLET)

Steps:

• If there is connecting tissue separating red meat and a band of fat, cut the tissue every 2-3cm (1"). This will prevent the meat from curling when cooked. Lightly pound the pork to tenderise.
• Sprinkle with salt and pepper on both sides of meat.
• Coat the meat with flour, egg, then breadcrumbs.
• Heat oil to 170C (338F) (note 2) and fry the meat for 2 minutes. Turnover and fry further 1.5 - 2 minutes (note 3) until it becomes golden brown.
• Turn over again and fry for about 1 minute until deep golden brown, then put aside on kitchen paper.
• Cut each tonkatsu into 2cm (¾") wide strips.
• If you are making tonkatsu for katsu-don, go to Katsu-don instructions.
• Serve with shredded cabbage and Bulldog tonkatsu sauce.

BAKED TONKATSU

Steps:

• Gather all the ingredients. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC). For a convection oven, reduce the temperature by 25ºF (15ºC). Prepare a rimmed baking sheet with an oven-safe wire rack or line it with parchment paper. I prefer using the wire rack as it allows hot air to circulate around the cutlets and prevents the panko underneath from getting crushed.

TONKATSU PORK

Steps:

• Remove the large piece of fat on the edge of each pork loin, then bash each of the loins between two pieces of baking parchment until around 1cm in thickness - you can do this using a meat tenderiser or a rolling pin. Once bashed, use your hands to reshape the meat to its original shape and thickness - this step will ensure the meat is as succulent as possible.
• Put the flour, eggs and panko breadcrumbs into three separate wide-rimmed bowls. Season the meat, then dip first in the flour, followed by the eggs, then the breadcrumbs.
• In a large frying or sauté pan, add enough oil to come 2cm up the side of the pan. Heat the oil to 180C - if you don't have a thermometer, drop a bit of panko into the oil and if it sinks a little then starts to fry, the oil is ready. Add two pork chops and cook for 1 min 30 secs on each side, then remove and leave to rest on a wire rack for 5 mins. Repeat with the remaining pork chops.
• While the pork is resting, make the sauce by whisking the ingredients together, adding a splash of water if it's particularly thick. Slice the tonkatsu and serve drizzled with the sauce.

TONKATSU

Steps:

• Place the pork chops between two sheets of heavy plastic (resealable freezer bags work well) on a solid, level surface. Firmly pound the pork with the smooth side of a meat mallet to a 1/4-inch thickness (about .75 cm). Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Pour oil into a skillet about 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) deep. Heat the oil over medium-high heat to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Place the flour, egg, and panko crumbs in separate bowls. Coat each cutlet in flour, then egg, and finally in bread crumbs. Tap off any loose crumbs.
• Fry the cutlets until golden brown and cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.

TONKATSU (JAPANESE-STYLE CRISPY FRIED PORK CUTLETS)

Steps:

• Place pork chops on a paper towel to absorb any excess moisture. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Whisk egg and soy sauce together in a small bowl.
• Place flour on a small plate and panko in another. Dredge a pork chop in the flour, pressing it in using your fingertips to cover all crevices along the surface. Turn to evenly coat all sides.
• Dip the pork into the egg mixture, coating completely. Transfer immediately to the bowl of panko, pressing in to evenly coat. Repeat process with the second pork chop.
• Heat oil in a wide pan or wok on medium-high heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lower a pork chop into the oil. Fry until bottom side is golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn; cook until other side turns golden and pork is slightly pink in the center, 2 to 3 minutes more. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 145 degrees F (63 degrees C). Pick up the cutlet and hold it on its side for a few seconds to let the oil drip off. Drain on a paper towel. Repeat with the second pork chop.

TONKATSU JAPANESE FRIED PORK

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Cut the edge of the pork chops in several places. Season with salt and pepper.
• Set up a breading station with 3 shallow dishes. Place flour in the first dish, lightly beaten egg in the second dish, and panko breadcrumbs in the third dish.
• Coat each pork chop generously with flour, shaking any excess off.
• Dip pork into beaten egg.
• Coat pork with panko breadcrumbs and set aside on a platter.
• In a deep pan, heat the canola oil to around 340 F as measured on a frying thermometer.
• Deep-fry breaded pork for 5 to 6 minutes.
• Turn pork over and fry about 5 more minutes or until cooked through and browned.
• Remove pork from oil and drain on paper towels.
• While pork is resting, finely shred green cabbage and soak in ice-cold water.
• Drain shredded cabbage well.
• Cut each tonkatsu lengthwise into small pieces and serve on plates with a side of the shredded cabbage. Drizzle some of the tonkatsu sauce over tonkatsu before eating. Serve karashi (hot Japanese mustard) on the side if you prefer. Enjoy.

TONKATSU (DEEP FRIED PORK)

Steps:

• Make small cuts all over pork chops with tip of knife. Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of meat.
• Coat the meat with flour, dip in eggs, then cover with bread crumbs.
• Heat deep frying oil to 350 F, and deep fry crumb-covered meat. You can check the temperature by dropping a bread crumb. If it comes up to the oil surface right after it's dropped, it's good.
• Fry until color turns golden brown and meat floats in the oil, about 5-8 minutes, turning once or twice.
• Set the meat on a cooling rack for a minute. Cut into 5-6 pieces.

TONKATSU (JAPANESE PORK CUTLET)

Steps:

• Gather all the ingredients. For Tonkatsu, I highly recommend getting fresh panko (we call it nama panko) from a Japanese grocery store. If you can't get it, follow my instructions to make fresh panko. Make sure to use a Japanese brand of panko from Japan. Western "panko breadcrumbs" are a bit different from authentic Japanese panko.

HEALTHY PORK TONKATSU

Steps:

• In a saucepan, bring the ketchup, applesauce, worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, dijon mustard and rice vinegar to a simmer, transfer to a bowl and let cool.
• Put the flour, egg whites and panko in 3 separate bowls. Dredge the pork in the flour, then the egg white, followed by the panko, pressing the crumbs to adhere.
• In a large skillet, heat 2 T oil over moderate heat. Add the cutlets and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Brush the remaining oil on the cutlets, flip and cook until golden and cooked through, about 5 minutes longer.
• Transfer the tonkatsu to a work surface and cut into strips. Serve with rice and the dipping sauce.
• NOTE: The sauce can be refrigerated for up to a month.

PORK TONKATSU

Steps:

• Slash the fat rimming one side of the loin cutlet to keep the meat from curling when deepfried. Pound to flatten to about 1/4 inch. Salt and pepper both sides of each cutlet. Dredge each in flour, then dip into beaten eggs and press into bread crumbs to coat both sides.
• Heat a large skillet with about 1/2 inch of oil until hot. Lay 1 or 2 cutlets in the hot oil. Deep-fry until golden brown, about 5 to 7 minutes, turning them once or twice. Drain the cutlets on paper towels and cut the pork into bite-size strips that can be eaten with chopsticks.
• Arrange the pork on a platter lined with the shredded cabbage, and garnish with lemon wedges. Serve the sauce on the side for dipping, or pour it over the pork and cabbage.
• Prepare the recipe for Pork Tonkatsu, using 4 turkey cutlets, each about 1/2inch thick, in place of the pork loin.