Tonkatsu pork is a classic Japanese recipe, much like soba noodles with homemade dipping sauce and oysters with ponzu sauce.
Japanese Pork Schnitzel
Every culture has a fried pork chop recipe, and the Japanese are no different. However, their tonkatsu is distinctive for its very crispy crust.
This is only achievable with the best breadcrumbs on the planet, panko.
Panko Breadrumbs
What sets panko apart from regular breadcrumbs is its texture. It is “light, airy, and delicate” such that it achieves a better crunch when toasted.
They are so popular that they are used on many Western dishes where a crispy crust is desired such as the topping for macaroni and cheese topping or coating of fried shrimp.
Use Pork Loin
Look for the loin piece, cut into 1/2 – 3/4″ slices. The white or dark part will do, but please choose according to your own personal preference.
The dark meat tends to be juicier and fattier, while the white meat is obviously leaner.
Do You Need to Flour the Pork Chops?
Conventional recipes will tell you to dip the pork in flour, egg, then panko. Do you really need the flour? It creates more of a definitive crust, however the egg and breadcrumb will adhere to the pork just fine without it.
Feel free to uninvite the flour dust fairy into your kitchen.
Special Ingredient: Tonkatsu Sauce
You will need to buy some tonkatsu sauce to dip the divine pork in. You could make this from scratch or give yourself one less pot to clean.
Quintessential Garnish: Unsexy Cabbage
After doing some research, no one quite seems to know why shredded cabbage is the classic accompaniment to this dish. Perhaps the raw, sanguine, vegetable is needed to counterbalance the richness of the red meat.
Nevertheless, it does make for an easy salad of sorts and offers a striking contrast to brown breadcrumbs on brown pork. Slice the cabbage as thin as possible.
It will make the cabbage fluffier, more fine-dining like, and less like a poor man’s vegetable with zero sex appeal.
Beer Pairing: Asahi Super “Dry”
A fizzy, cold beer goes so well with a fried pork chop. Look no further than a silo of Asahi, imported from Japan.
Note this is the Super “Dry” version, a style popularized in Germany that Asahi started brewing in 1987. The sugars have been fully fermented to alcohol, thus leaving lower carbohydrates in the beer.
No, it is not terribly complex and definitely not a beverage to drink on its own. After all, with little to no hops and a whisper of malt, this beer has been likened to bottled water with fizz.
However, let us not forget that the star of this show is the fried pork. Rather than detract from the flavor, the Asahi simply cleanses the palate to prepare us for the next mouthwatering morsel.
Helpful Tips
- You can vary the amount of oil in the pan from just floating halfway up side of the pork chop to covering the pork chop completely. It just depends on how much oil you want to dispose and clean up afterwards.
- If you would like a more distinctive crust, you can flour the pork chops prior to dipping in egg, but the flour is not necessary.
- If you don’t have tonkatsu sauce, you can just eat it plain maybe with a squeeze of lemon as the Germans do with pork schnitzel.
- Pair with Asahi beer or another light bodied beer.
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Pork Tonkatsu - Deep Fried Japanese Pork Chop
Ingredients
- 1 lb pork loin chops sliced into 4 pieces about 1/4 lb each and 1/2" thick
- 2 ea eggs whisked in a bowl
- 1 c panko breadcrumbs
- salt and pepper
- oil for frying
- store bought tonkatsu sauce
Instructions
- Heat about 1" of oil in a frying pan to 375 degrees. The oil will be hot enough when it is starting to look shiny and swirly, or a few panko crumbs turn golden brown when put inside.
- Season pork chops on both sides with salt and pepper. Dip in egg and then panko.
- Gently lay breaded pork chops in hot oil. Fry for 3-4 minutes on each side until panko crumbs are golden, dark brown. The center should register 145 degrees F, if using a thermometer.
- Remove pork chops to a paper towel lined plate to rest and drain excess oil. Slice on a cutting board and serve with tonkatsu sauce.
Notes
- You can vary the amount of oil in the pan from just floating halfway up side of the pork chop to covering the pork chop completely. It just depends on how much oil you want to dispose and clean up afterwards.
- If you would like a more distinctive crust, you can flour the pork chops prior to dipping in egg, but the flour is not necessary.
- If you don't have tonkatsu sauce, you can just eat it plain maybe with a squeeze of lemon as the Germans do with pork schnitzel.
- Pair with Asahi beer or another light bodied beer.
Nutrition
Do you love crispy pork? Spread the ♥, and please share!
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