This pork tonkatsu recipe uses the Japanese pork cutlet frying method that gives you a crispy crust and juicy center. It’s served up with a dark, sweet, and tangy sauce and freshly shaved cabbage. I make it with wild boar cutlets since I have a freezer full, but farmed pork is the classic go-to meat. Either way, you just need a pork loin that’s been pounded to about 1/2-inch pieces.
If you’ve had pork schnitzel, the method will look familiar, but tonkatsu has its differences. Both are fried until golden brown, but the panko gives it a crispier crust, while the sauce adds another dimension. And if we’re being picky, tonkatsu is generally a little thicker.
Why This Recipe Works
The cutlets are pounded thin enough to cook quickly, but not so thin that they dry out. The panko gives you the light, crisp shell that makes tonkatsu different from other breaded pork cutlets. And the sauce brings the sweet, tangy contrast that the fried pork pairs so well with.
This technique works well with fatty farmed pork or lean wild boar. Farmed pork gives you a little more juiciness, while wild boar brings a deeper flavor profile. If you cook with a lot of wild hog, check out my collection of wild boar recipes.
Preparation Tips and Notes
Before you get started with this recipe, here are a few important details to keep in mind.
- Keep the cutlets even. If one end is thicker than the other, they will not fry at the same rate.
- Don’t skip pounding. While thick fried pork chops are tasty, they aren’t as tender as pounded cutlets.
- Press on the panko. A loose coating can fall off in the oil. Press the breadcrumbs onto the meat to promote adhesion.
- Don’t overfill the oil: Use a frying pan or pot that holds about 2 inches of oil, leaving several inches of space above it. Once you add the pork, the oil level will rise, and if the pan is too full, it can spill over onto the stove.
- Let the breaded pork rest before frying. Resting the pork for a few minutes can also help the breading stick to the pork. I like to rest the breaded cutlets at room temperature for up to 30 minutes.
- Keep the oil temperature near 350°F. Too low and the crust gets soggy and greasy. Too high and the panko can burn before the pork cooks through.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan. If the oil temperature drops hard, the tonkatsu pays for it.
- Use a wire rack after frying. Placing the cooked cutlets on a rack helps keep the crust crispy by promoting airflow. Placing them on a paper towel can trap steam, which will make the crust soggy and fall apart.
Key Ingredients
Pork cutlets
Pork loin cutlets are the standard here. You can buy them from your local butcher or pound out boneless pork chops yourself.
Panko
This is what gives pork tonkatsu its crispy shell. Regular breadcrumbs do not fry the same way, so I don’t recommend substituting.
Flour and Eggs
The flour helps the egg stick, and the egg helps the panko hold on.
Frying oil
Use a neutral oil. You’ll need a couple of inches in your skillet for shallow frying.
Tonkatsu sauce
Ketchup, Worcestershire, brown sugar, soy sauce, and hoisin make a sauce that is sweet, tangy, and savory enough to pair with fried pork.
Shredded cabbage
Shredded cabbage adds texture and lightens the dish a bit with its crisp, clean flavors.
How to Make It
1. Prep the pork
If the cutlets are not already pounded out, place them between sheets of plastic wrap or parchment and pound them to about 1/2 inch thick. Lightly season both sides with kosher salt and black pepper.
2. Set up the breading station
Put the flour in one shallow bowl, the beaten eggs in another, and the panko in a third. Dredge each cutlet in the flour and shake off the excess. Dip it into the egg and let the excess drip off. Then press it into the panko until both sides are evenly coated. Set the breaded cutlets on a plate or wire rack and let them sit for 5 to 10 minutes before frying. That little rest helps the crust hold together better.
3. Make the sauce
In a medium bowl, whisk together the ingredients below and set aside:
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon hoisin
4. Heat the oil
Pour 2 to 3 inches of oil into a deep, heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven. Heat it to 350°F. You want enough oil to at least cover the cutlets halfway.
5. Fry the pork
Carefully lower the cutlets into the oil and fry until golden brown on the first side. Flip and cook the second side until golden brown and cooked through. At 1/2 inch thick, this usually takes about 2 to 4 minutes per side, depending on the size of the cutlet and how steady the oil temperature stays.
The crust should look dry and crisp. And the pork’s internal temperature should reach 145°F. Transfer the cutlets to a wire rack and lightly season them with a little more salt and pepper right away.
6. Slice and serve
Slice the tonkatsu into about 1/2 inch strips and serve it with the sauce and a pile of shredded cabbage.
Serving Suggestions
Pork tonkatsu is best served hot with:
- Shredded cabbage
- Tonkatsu sauce
- Steamed white rice or Duck fat rice
- Lemon wedges
- Freshly sliced cucumbers or spicy cucumber salad
Storage and Leftovers
- Leftover pork tonkatsu will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat it on a wire rack in a 350°F oven or toaster oven until hot and crisp again. An air fryer works well too.
- The sauce will keep in the refrigerator for around 5 days.
FAQ
The biggest mistakes are uneven cutlets, oil that is too hot or too cool, weak panko coverage, and overcrowding the pan. Those are the things that usually ruin the texture.
You tenderize the pork by pounding it. Pounding the meat breaks down the muscle fibers. You can use a meat mallet or the back of a pan.
If you make this pork tonkatsu recipe, drop a comment or leave a review. And if you have any cooking questions regarding pork or want to share your latest food photos, give me a shout on Instagram at @larry__white.
Pork Tonkatsu (Crispy Fried Japanese Pork Cutlet)
Ingredients
- 4 boneless pork loin slices, pounded to about 1/2 inch thick
- 2 cups panko
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- kosher salt, to taste
- ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 eggs, beaten
- oil for frying, as needed
For the tonkatsu sauce
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon hoisin
- 2 teaspoons sesame seeds, optional
For serving
- shredded cabbage
Instructions
Pound and Season the Pork
- Lightly season both sides with kosher salt and black pepper.
- Pound the pork cutlets to about 1/2 inch thick.
Bread the Cutlets
- Set up a breading station with flour in one bowl, beaten eggs in another, and panko in a third.
- Dredge each cutlet in the flour and shake off the excess. Dip into the egg, let the extra drip off, then press into the panko until both sides are evenly coated.
- Set the breaded cutlets aside for 5 to 10 minutes.
Make the Sauce
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, soy sauce, and hoisin until smooth.
Fry the Pork and Serve
- Pour 2 to 3 inches of oil into a deep, heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven and heat to 350°F.
- Fry the pork until golden brown on both sides and cooked through, about 2 to 4 minutes per side depending on thickness and oil temperature.
- Transfer to a wire rack and lightly season with a little more salt and black pepper.
- Slice and serve with the tonkatsu sauce and shredded cabbage.
