Ingredients

2 pork sirloin cutlets, pork loin, or boneless porkchops

salt

pepper

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 eggs

1 cup panko crumbs

oil for frying (canola, vegetable, corn, or peanut)

Cooked short-grain white rice

Kimchi (optionalish - it's really good with tonkatsu)

pickled daikon (optional, the package looks big, but it lasts almost indefinitely in the fridge)

Bottle of Tonkatsu sauce OR if you can't find any:

2 tbsp ketchup

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce

Equipment

Gallon heavy duty ziplock bag

Meat tenderizer

5 clean plates (preferrably high-rimmed plates, wide shallow bowl would also work) + additional for serving

Large cast iron or stainless steel skillet

Instant read thermometer

Cookie sheet, flat or rimmed

Wire cooling rack

Step

Direction

Getting Ready for Serving

1

If you don't have access to Tonkatsu sauce, we're going to make some ahead of time - If you have a bottle of Tonkatsu sauce, skip ahead to the pork setup

In a small jar, mix together equal parts of ketchup, worchestershire sauce, and low sodium soy sauce - for two pieces of pork, I recommend 2 tbsp of each.

Put the lid on the jar and set aside

2

Cut up some pickled daikon if using and set that aside

Preparing the Pork for Frying

1

One at a time, place each piece of pork in a heavy duty gallon ziplock bag.

On a meat-safe cutting board, use a meat tenderizer to gently flatten the meat

Until 1/4 inch thick

Transfer to a plate and repeat for remaining pork

2

Sprinkle a pinch of salt and pepper on your cutting board

Place the pork on the cutting board and sprinkle more salt and pepper on top

3

Prepare your breading station by gathering four high-rimmed plates and placing them in a row

4

In the first plate, put 1/2 cup flour

5

In a small bowl, beat together two eggs with a fork, then put the eggs on the second plate

6

In the third plate, put 1 cup panko crumbs

7

The fourth plate is your landing pad for the pork after it is breaded

8

One at a time, working left to right, coat the pork with flour, dip it in the egg, coat it with the panko crumbs, and then place the cutlet on the fourth plate.

9

Repeat with the remaining pork

Frying the Pork

1

Set up the landing pad for your fried tonkatsu. Gather a sheet pan or cookie sheet and put it next to your stove.

Place a layer or two of paper towl on the pan.

On top of the paper towel, put a wire cooling rack.

2

Put a cast iron pan or stainless steel skillet on the stove and fill it with 1/2 in of frying oil

On high heat, heat up the oil and monitor the temperature with an instant read thermometer

Until the oil is 350 degrees F

3

Using tongs or chopsticks (if you're not confident in your chopstick skills, definitely use tongs), like tucking a child into bed, you're going to lay one piece of pork in the pan away from you to keep any oil splatters going the other direction

Cook the pork in the oil

***test this with timer*** Until the bottom is set (about 1-2 minutes)

4

Flip the pork over and cook

***test with timer*** Until the top is set (about 1-2 minutes)

5

Flip the pork every couple of minutes

until golden brown on both sides

Then transfer the pork to your landing pad on the wire rack

6

Make sure the temperature of the oil is still about 350 degrees F, if not bring it back up to 350 degrees F.

7

Repeat with the remaining pork

Serving

1

On a clean cuttingboard, slice the fried tonkatsu into strips

2

Put your cooked rice on the plate, and top it with the tonkatsu

3

Serve with kimchi, pickled daikon slices, and tonkatsu sauce (bottled or homemade substitute). You can drizzle the sauce on top, or my preferred way is on the side for dipping so my pork stays crispy as I eat