Joshua Lin’s Pork Tonkatsu

Tonkatsu is delicious and suprisingly easy to make at home. Follow this recipe to learn how.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup panko
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 tbsp neutral oil
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 boneless pork loin chops
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 3 cups neutral oil

Instructions.

1. Gather all the ingredients.
2. If you are using dry panko from the store, place ½ cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) in a deep dish and spray with water until the panko is moist (I use a mister). Set aside for 15 minutes, or until the panko becomes soft and tender.
3. Meanwhile, prepare the other breading ingredients. Crack 1 large egg (50 g w/o shell) into a deep dish or my favorite prep trays. Add ½ Tbsp neutral oil and whisk together until well combined. Then, prepare another dish or tray with 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour (plain flour).
4. Use a sharp knife to remove the extra fat from 2 boneless pork loin chops (½ inch thick). Then, make several small slits on the connective tissue (the white area) between the meat and fat.
5. Flip the meat and make several slits on the other side of the connective tissue.
6. Pound both sides of the meat with the back of a knife or a meat tenderizer/mallet.
7. Mold the cutlet back into its original shape with your hands.
8. Season both sides with ½ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt and ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper.
9. First, dredge the pork in the flour and dust off any excess. Next, dip the pork into the egg mixture and coat well. Tip: Excess flour will prevent the egg mixture from adhering to the pork.
10. Lastly, dredge the pork in the fresh panko and gently press it to adhere to the cutlet. Gently shake off any excess, then place the breaded cutlets onto a tray or plate. Set them aside for 5–10 minutes to set the breading.
11. Add 3 cups neutral oil to a pot. Make sure your oil is 1¾–2 inches (5 cm) deep. I use the tip of a chopstick to measure. Preheat on medium heat and bring the oil to 340ºF (170ºC).
12. Gently put one pork cutlet into the oil and let it cook for 1 minute. Don‘t flip it or touch it for 30 seconds.
13. After a minute, flip the pork and cook the other side for 1 minute.
14. Remove the pork and let the excess oil drip off by holding the cutlet vertically over the pot for a few seconds. Place it on a wire rack or paper towel and prop it on its side, if possible, to drain excess oil. Let it sit for 4 minutes. The residual heat will continue to cook the meat as it rests.
15. While the first cutlet is resting on the wire rack, deep-fry the second cutlet for 1 minute without flipping. Do not touch it for 30 seconds.
16. Flip and cook the other side for 1 minute.
17. Take out the pork and drain the excess oil as before. Place it on the wire rack and let it rest for 4 minutes. Clean the oil of fried crumbs.

Enjoy!

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