# Tonkatsu: Japanese Pork Loin!!



## shinoni (May 31, 2012)

This is a quick an easy recipe to make at home for yourself or company. I  first came across this recipe when in Gifu,Japan in a small Tonkatsu  Restaurant. Please read the recipe first before making your dish. If you do not know how to make panko go to my previous post here

http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f21/how-to-make-japanese-panko-79704.html

You will need the following 

Pork Loin  about 1/4 pound and cut about 1/2 inch thick
1 egg
Flour 
Salt 
Pepper
Panko Bread Crumbs  
Cooking oil

1.  Take your pork loin and put little cuts in the fatty parts to make it  tender. Tenderize the pork loin like any other piece of meat with meat  tenderizer or rolling pin.

2. Add a sprinkle of salt and pepper to each side

3. Put a lite coat of flour on each side of the pork loin.

4. Take about 1/2 egg into a bowl add about 1 table spoon of water, mix well, then dip both sides of the pork loin in it.

5. Dip the both sides of the pork loin in the panko flakes.

6. Place  pork loin in cooking oil and fry until golden brown.

Notes:  Make sure your oil is about 350F before putting your pork loin in. This  meal is typically served over rice,caramelized onions and topped with  an egg. I hope you enjoy this quick and tasty Japanese meal. I will  publish later "How to make your own Panko Crumbs and dipping sauce" in  another page.

Mike


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## TATTRAT (Jul 23, 2012)

Can't do katsu, without katsu sauce, I recommend the Bull Dog brand:


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## Andy M. (Jul 23, 2012)

OK.  Do you slice it then bread and fry it as the OP's recipe suggests or bread and fry it whole then slice it as the picture in the link in post #2 suggests?


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## Andy M. (Jul 23, 2012)

> Sorry had to edit this post - I think OP's recipe asks for "little cuts" on the surface which is not slicing it all the way through.
> 
> So: tenderize (little cuts) > bread > fry > slice



OK.  This statement '_Pork Loin  about 1/4 pound and cut about 1/2 inch thick_' is confusing.  Also, a quarter pound of pork loin may be about two inches thick or so.  Is tonkatsu that small?


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## Andy M. (Jul 23, 2012)

TATTRAT said:


> Can't do katsu, without katsu sauce, I recommend the Bull Dog brand:




Hey Tatt, your tonkatsu sauce has expired.


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## Harry Cobean (Jul 23, 2012)

i'm sure i'm missing something here and,having been on the site for 3 months or so,i'm sure someone will point it out to me(fast learner me!!) but isn't this just schnitzel in panko with tatts out of date sauce!!don't get me wrong,i love anything fried in breadcrumbs but i can't see any real difference?


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## Andy M. (Jul 23, 2012)

Harry Cobean said:


> i'm sure i'm missing something here and,having been on the site for 3 months or so,i'm sure someone will point it out to me(fast learner me!!) but isn't this just schnitzel in panko with tatts out of date sauce!!don't get me wrong,i love anything fried in breadcrumbs but i can't see any real difference?




Based on the recipe in the OP, you're basically right.  IT seems the larger piece is breaded and fried then sliced afterwards.  So it's not really a schnitzel.  Look at the photo in the link in post #2.


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## Harry Cobean (Jul 23, 2012)

Andy M. said:


> Based on the recipe in the OP, you're basically right.  IT seems the larger piece is breaded and fried then sliced afterwards.  So it's not really a schnitzel.  Look at the photo in the link in post #2.


ahh,gotcha,missed that one.hmmmmmm,looks good.cheers andy


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Jul 23, 2012)

Harry Cobean said:


> i'm sure i'm missing something here and,having been on the site for 3 months or so,i'm sure someone will point it out to me(fast learner me!!) but isn't this just schnitzel in panko with tatts out of date sauce!!don't get me wrong,i love anything fried in breadcrumbs but i can't see any real difference?


It's not schnitzel in Japan.  Just as Roulaide is French, while Rouladen is Doiche for the same preparation.  

I have made this dish and before and just called it panko breaded pork loin.

Their are some foods that are so good, that they are made in many places in the world, and just called something different in each language.  For instance, Sashlik in Russia is Lamb shish-Kabob in Michigan.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## Andy M. (Jul 23, 2012)

I looked at some recipes online and there is a variety.  All versions show the meat fried then served sliced.  In some cases the fried meat is a thin cutlet sliced, sometimes it's a pork chop fried then sliced and in some cases it's a thick chop or small loin roast fried and sliced.

Finally, in one recipe the photo and the recipe are different.


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## Harry Cobean (Jul 23, 2012)

Chief Longwind Of The North said:


> It's not schnitzel in Japan.  Just as Roulaide is French, while Rouladen is Doiche for the same preparation.
> 
> I have made this dish and before and just called it panko breaded pork loin.
> 
> ...





Andy M. said:


> I looked at some recipes online and there is a variety.  All versions show the meat fried then served sliced.  In some cases the fried meat is a thin cutlet sliced, sometimes it's a pork chop fried then sliced and in some cases it's a thick chop or small loin roast fried and sliced.
> 
> Finally, in one recipe the photo and the recipe are different.


well,ye lives & learns...excellent,thanks chaps


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## Gravy Queen (Jul 23, 2012)

That is pretty much it from what I can see too Harry, the Japanese bit is using Panko crumbs? 

That sauce reminds me of HP Fruity Sauce, dont even know if you can still get it.....


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## Margi Cintrano (Jul 23, 2012)

Buonasera,

Thanks for posting your Japanese Breaded Lion of Pork recipe. I shall give it a whirl in August.

Ciao,
Margi.


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## Greg Who Cooks (Jul 23, 2012)

I've made this recipe for years, after originally enjoying it in Japanese restaurants. It is essentially a pork cutlet, pounded to about 1/2" thick, floured to stick the egg, dipped in egg then breaded in Panko crumbs (name brand, or generic, or DIY) and pan fried in oil. Tonkatsu is then cut into strips for serving. I've used Kikkoman Tonkatsu sauce with good results.


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## Harry Cobean (Jul 23, 2012)

Gravy Queen said:


> That is pretty much it from what I can see too Harry, the Japanese bit is using Panko crumbs?
> 
> That sauce reminds me of HP Fruity Sauce, dont even know if you can still get it.....


nope hun,i thought that but,as andy pointed out,take a look at the link in post #2....looks good to me your magnanamousness!!


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## taxlady (Jul 23, 2012)

Andy M. said:


> OK.  This statement '_Pork Loin  about 1/4 pound and cut about 1/2 inch thick_' is confusing.  Also, a quarter pound of pork loin may be about two inches thick or so.  Is tonkatsu that small?


I just had a look at a 497 gram piece of frozen pork loin. It's about 2-2.75 inches thick (I didn't cut it quite straight). So I think we're in the ball park with 1/2 inch thick for a quarter of a pound.


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## Greg Who Cooks (Jul 23, 2012)

Whenever I've seen Tonkatsu recipes, and the version I cook, you start out with pork loin pieces about 1" thick and pound them out to be about 1/2" thick. If you cut them 1/2" thick I suspect it would result in a different texture.

The cutlets start out being about the size of a person's palm, and after pounding about the size of a full hand. I'm guessing the cutlets are about 1/4 pound, i.e. 4 ounces.


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## powerplantop (Jul 23, 2012)

Greg Who Cooks said:


> I've made this recipe for years, after originally enjoying it in Japanese restaurants. It is essentially a pork cutlet, pounded to about 1/2" thick, floured to stick the egg, dipped in egg then breaded in Panko crumbs (name brand, or generic, or DIY) and pan fried in oil. Tonkatsu is then cut into strips for serving. I've used Kikkoman Tonkatsu sauce with good results.



That is basically what I do but after I put the breading on I pop them in the freezer for a bit to set the coating. But I make my own sauce. 




Tonkatsu by powerplantop, on Flickr


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## taxlady (Jul 23, 2012)

powerplantop said:


> That is basically what I do but after I put the breading on I pop them in the freezer for a bit to set the coating. But I make my own sauce.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


That looks terrific!

So, how thick was that piece of meat before and after pounding?

Would you give us the recipe for your sauce please?


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## powerplantop (Jul 23, 2012)

taxlady said:


> That looks terrific!
> 
> So, how thick was that piece of meat before and after pounding?
> 
> Would you give us the recipe for your sauce please?



They were just over 1/2" thick and I pounded them to just under 1/2".

Breading: Dip in flour, egg, back into flour, egg then Panko. The double flour and egg gives a nice thick breading but it is messy so place it in the fridge or freezer to set the breading. 
Fry at a low temp (235-245 F) until dark brown on both sides. 

Sauce:
½ cup ketchup
2 tablespoons soy sauce.
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon apple sauce
½ tablespoon spicy mustard
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Pinch of black pepper
1 or 2 tablespoons Ginger juice 
Juice of half a lemon
2 tablespoons of brown sugar
Boil for 2 minuets


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## taxlady (Jul 23, 2012)

powerplantop said:


> They were just over 1/2" thick and I pounded them to just under 1/2".
> 
> Breading: Dip in flour, egg, back into flour, egg then Panko. The double flour and egg gives a nice thick breading but it is messy so place it in the fridge or freezer to set the breading.
> Fry at a low temp (235-245 F) until dark brown on both sides.
> ...


Thank you. I have never seen ginger juice. Could I use grated ginger instead? I'll have to try it without the soy sauce, because I'm not supposed to eat soy. Sounds tasty.


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## powerplantop (Jul 23, 2012)

taxlady said:


> Thank you. I have never seen ginger juice. Could I use grated ginger instead? I'll have to try it without the soy sauce, because I'm not supposed to eat soy. Sounds tasty.



For ginger juice I grate then squeeze ginger. But you could just use the ginger.  

Leave out the soy but taste for salt.


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## taxlady (Jul 23, 2012)

powerplantop said:


> For ginger juice I grate then squeeze ginger. But you could just use the ginger.
> 
> Leave out the soy but taste for salt.


Good point.


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