Tonkatsu

Ingredients

• Boneless pork loin chops or tenderloin fillets, ½ inch thick
• 25 grams panko breadcrumbs per 100 grams pork
• 10 grams olive oil per 100 grams pork for panko (if baking)
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour per 100 grams pork
• 10 grams egg per 100 grams pork, approximately 1 egg per three pork chops
• 1/2 tablespoon olive oil per egg
• Oil for frying (if deep frying)
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Tonkatsu Sacue

Preparation

Prepare Pork

1. Cut slits through the fat layer of the pork roughly every half inch. This will keep the tonkatsu flat after cooking.
2. Pound both sides of the pork with a meat mallet to tenderize it.
3. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
4. Pat pieces of pork with a paper towel or let sit on wire rack to dry.

Prepare Panko for Baking

1. Gently mix oil with Panko and optionally toast in frying pan while frequently and gently until golden brown in a frying pan.

Dredging

1. Crack egg into a dish, add 1/2 tablespoon oil per egg and whisk together until well combined.
2. Dredge pork in flour, then egg mixture, and then panko.
3. Gently press the panko into the pork and then shake off excess.
4. Let the breaded pork sit for 5-10 minutes to allow the breading to set.

Baking

1. Place the pork on a wire rack and bake at 375°F with convection until inside temperature registers 145°F. About 20 minutes.

Frying

1. Heat oil to 340°F;
2. Gently place one piece of pork into the oil and cook for 1 minute without touching the pork.
3. Flip the pork and cook on the other side for 1 minute.
4. Remove pork from oil and place on wire rack or paper towel.
5. Remove any remaining bread crumbs from the oil with a fine-mesh strainer and allow oil to return to 240°F.
6. Repeat 9-12 with remaining pork pieces.
7. Raise the oil temperature to 355°F
8. Fry each piece of pork again on each side for 30 seconds, removing and remaining bread crumbs between pieces.
9. Drain the oil from each piece for a couple of minutes before serving.