Crispy breaded pork cutlets are completely seasoned on this simple Pork Katsu recipe. This scrumptious pork dinner is a should for a flavorful but fast weeknight meal!
Simple Japanese Tonkatsu Recipe
In the event you like Japanese meals (or Hawaiian meals! Katsu is well-liked there, too) – let me simply say, you’ve bought to do that recipe. It takes primary boneless pork cutlets to a complete new scrumptious stage. With crunchy breading and flavor-packed katsu sauce, you’ll by no means cross over these skinny little pork chops on the grocery retailer once more! Plus, this dish is tremendous fast and simple to make.
“However Katerina, isn’t frying pork chops type of a ache?” I hear you, I hear you. However belief me on this: shortly frying the cutlets within the minimal quantity of oil is fairly simple. When you have a kitchen thermometer or a deep fryer, it’s even simpler! Sure, you will want to bread the cutlets, however if you happen to arrange your “breading station” first, that’s no drawback, and I’ll present you precisely easy methods to do it. And you’ll swoon once you chunk into the crunchy, crispy Japanese-seven-spiced cutlet!
Nonetheless not satisfied? In the event you like, you may completely skip the deep frying course of and use your air fryer – try the recipe ideas part beneath!
What Is Katsu?
There are lots of sorts of katsu on the market as a result of katsu means meat that’s been thinly lower, breaded, and fried. Katsu is sort of at all times served lower into slices so you may see each the crispy exterior and the juicy inside. It’s additionally served with katsu sauce, a Japanese model of barbecue. It’s tangy, candy and has oyster sauce for a deep, umami taste that’ll preserve you coming again for extra.
Recipe Substances
Are you hungry but? I’m! Simply typing this all out has made my abdomen growl for pork katsu. I suppose I do know what’s on the menu for tonight’s dinner!
- Pork Cutlets: These are thinly-sliced, boneless items of pork. In the event you don’t see pork cutlets on the retailer, attempt getting thick, boneless chops and reducing them in half, crosswise, to make skinny cutlets.
- Panko: Plain panko works superb, or you should use the pork rind panko to decrease the carbs. Gluten-free panko works if you’re on a gluten-free weight-reduction plan.
- Shichimi Togarashi Chili Powder: Often known as Japanese seven spice, this extremely flavorful spice combination is made with dried citrus, sesame seeds, dried chili, furikake, and extra.
- Eggs: Giant, complete eggs, crushed.
- Pink Miso: Overwhelmed into the eggs for further taste.
- Flour and Cornstarch: Blended collectively, these additionally assist the egg and panko type a steady, satisfying breading.
- Vegetable Oil: Or one other high-heat oil, for frying.
Simple Variations
- Katsu Curry: Serve your pork katsu with Japanese curry sauce as an alternative of katsu sauce; it’s nice over rice.
- Katsu Sando: “Katsu sando” means cutlet sandwich. A heat, contemporary pork katsu in your favourite sandwich bread? It’s a sure for me! Bonus factors if you happen to add katsu sauce, mayonnaise, or one other tasty sauce.
- Rooster Katsu: It’s also possible to make this recipe for katsu with rooster cutlets as an alternative of pork. Simple and attractive!
Make Pork Katsu
Though it’d look like there are a variety of steps right here, the precise cooking course of may be very simple. Learn by way of the recipe a few instances to get acquainted, and let’s make katsu!
- Place the pork cutlets on a reducing board. Then, place some plastic wrap over the cutlets, and use a meat mallet, rolling pin, or the underside of a small saucepan to pound them skinny. You need them to be half an inch thick.
- Subsequent, beat the eggs and miso till the miso is dissolved. Place this in a shallow dish close to your frying pan. Mix the panko and a few teaspoons of shichimi togarashi, and place that in a shallow dish close to the egg combination. Lastly, combine the flour and cornstarch in a 3rd shallow dish, and place that close to the opposite two. Set a clear, dry baking sheet or bigger platter close by as properly.
- Warmth the Oil and Bread the Pork. Add vegetable oil to a pot over medium warmth, and use a sweet thermometer to verify it heats as much as 350°F (or you may check the oil’s warmth within the subsequent couple of steps). Whereas the oil heats, dredge the pork cutlets within the flour combination till they’re fully coated. Then dip them within the egg combination, and eventually, the panko, urgent the crumbs firmly to assist them stick. Place the breaded cutlets in your clear baking sheet or platter as you go.
- Fry. In the event you’re not utilizing a sweet or kitchen thermometer, test the oil’s temperature by dipping a small nook of one of many cutlets into the oil. If it sizzles instantly, you may decrease the entire cutlet into the oil. If it doesn’t sizzle, flip up the warmth, wait a couple of minutes, and check out once more. As soon as the oil is sizzling sufficient, fry every cutlet for a couple of minutes on all sides or till cooked by way of.
- Get pleasure from! Cool the pork katsu on a wire rack or a clear dish lined with paper towels. After they cool for a minute or two, use a pointy knife to slice them into one-inch strips. Drizzle with katsu sauce, sprinkle with salt (to style), and serve.
Ideas for Success
The tough components of this recipe are most likely the weird substances and the deep frying methodology, so let’s speak about that! Right here’s what it’s essential know, to ensure that this pork katsu recipe to be clean crusing.
- Shichimi Togarashi Chili Powder: In the event you can’t discover this spice combine at your native grocery retailer, attempt ordering on-line, or make a fast substitute: orange zest, crushed crimson pepper flakes, finely chopped nori, some ginger, and a few sesame seeds. One style, and also you’ll wish to shake this into each dish you make!
- Pink Miso: Substitute any type of miso paste right here, or depart it out if you happen to choose.
- Air Fryer: To make these within the air fryer, observe the prep and breading steps, however don’t warmth up oil on the range. As a substitute, preheat your air fryer to 400°F. Prepare the breaded pork cutlets within the air fryer basket in a single layer, not touching (you’ll have to work in batches). Spritz with non-aerosol cooking oil, and air-fry for five minutes. Flip, spray once more, and air-fry for 3 to five minutes extra, or till the inner temperature of the pork registers at 145˚F.
What to Serve With Japanese Pork Cutlets
You’ll be able to serve these cutlets in a variety of other ways. I already talked about the curry model and the sandwich model. And as you may think about, pork katsu is tremendous yummy with a inexperienced salad or lower up into small items with ornamental toothpicks for an appetizer! Want extra katsu inspiration? Attempt these simple, tasty concepts:
Retailer & Reheat Leftovers
- You’ll be able to retailer pork katsu in your fridge for 3 to 4 days. Cool it down, pop it right into a meals storage bag or hermetic container, and refrigerate.
- To reheat, use your oven (350°F) or prepare the katsu in a skillet over medium warmth. It’s also possible to reheat it within the air fryer. Don’t use the microwave, or the pork katsu shall be soggy.
Can I Freeze This?
- Sure, you may freeze the leftovers for as much as three months or freeze the breaded, raw katsu and fry them later. Both manner, stack them in an hermetic container with wax or parchment paper between them to stop sticking. Thaw the pork cutlets within the fridge earlier than reheating or cooking.
ENJOY!
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Flatten the cutlets: Place the cutlets on a chopping board. Place some parchment paper or plastic wrap over them. Use a meat mallet or rolling pin to pound them all the way down to 1/2″ thickness.
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Make the egg combination: In a small bowl, crack the eggs and whisk till properly mixed. Add the crimson miso paste and stir till it has fully dissolved. Set it apart.
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Make the spicy panko: In a big plate or bowl, whisk collectively the plain panko with 2 teaspoons of the shichimi togarashi chili powder.
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Combine the flour: In a separate bowl, whisk collectively the all-purpose flour and cornstarch. Set it apart.
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Dredge the cutlets: Place the pork cutlets within the flour combination. Dredge them with the flour till they’re fully coated.
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Add vegetable oil to a big skillet and set it over medium warmth. Let the oil warmth as much as 350˚F. You need to use a kitchen thermometer to check the temperature. If you do not have one, you may test if it is sizzling sufficient within the subsequent couple of steps.
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Coat them with miso-egg: Place the dredged cutlets into the miso-egg combination. Coat them totally after which dredge them within the spicy panko. Press the panko onto the cutlets so it sticks on all sides.
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Fry them: If you do not have a kitchen thermometer, check the oil’s temperature by dipping a small nook of one of many cutlets into the oil. It is prepared if it sizzles instantly. If not, enhance the flame. The dimensions of the bubbles needs to be huge once you add the pork. As soon as the oil is sizzling sufficient, gently decrease one pork cutlet into the oil. Let it fry for 3 to 4 minutes or till golden brown; flip and proceed to cook dinner for 3 extra minutes or till cooked by way of. Pork is cooked by way of when its inner temperature registers at 145˚F. Proceed to cook dinner the remainder of the cutlets, one after the other. Necessary: Utilizing a superb mesh strainer, take away the leftover fried/burnt crumbs from the oil earlier than including the subsequent cutlet to the cooking oil.
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Cool and slice: Take away the pork cutlets from the oil and set them on a wire rack to chill; allow them to cool for 3 to 4 minutes, after which slice the cutlets into 1″-wide strips.
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Drizzle with tonkatsu sauce and sprinkle extra salt to style if wanted. Serve.
- Pork Loin Cutlets: The time period cutlet refers to a boneless, skinny lower of meat – rooster, veal, pork – that cooks shortly and is normally pan-fried. Most cutlets are made by pounding the meat to a good thinness and are sometimes dusted with flour or coated in breadcrumbs earlier than cooking.
- Panko: I used plain panko (Japanese) breadcrumbs for this katsu recipe, however you can too use gluten-free panko, common breadcrumbs (although katsu is strictly made with panko crumbs), or low-carb pork rind crumbs.
- Shichimi Togarashi Chili Powder is often known as Japanese Seven Spice. Shichimi togarashi’s base is chili pepper, and cayenne pepper or crimson pepper flakes are appropriate subs. It’s also possible to make your personal fast substitute: combine collectively some orange zest, crushed crimson pepper flakes, finely chopped nori, some ginger, and a few sesame seeds.
- Utilizing a superb mesh strainer, take away the leftover fried crumbs from the cooking oil earlier than including the subsequent cutlet to the pan.
Energy: 507 kcal | Carbohydrates: 59 g | Protein: 42 g | Fats: 10 g | Saturated Fats: 3 g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 2 g | Monounsaturated Fats: 3 g | Trans Fats: 0.04 g | Ldl cholesterol: 170 mg | Sodium: 761 mg | Potassium: 700 mg | Fiber: 4 g | Sugar: 4 g | Vitamin A: 423 IU | Vitamin C: 0.01 mg | Calcium: 113 mg | Iron: 5 mg | Internet Carbs: 55 g
Dietary data is an estimate and supplied as courtesy. Values might range based on the substances and instruments used. Please use your most popular dietary calculator for extra detailed data.
