<AUTHENTIC TONKATSU ～ JAPANESE PORK CUTLET～> (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between pork cutlet and tonkatsu? ›

Only two things distinguish it. First, katsu must be made with panko crumbs (as opposed to European-style breaded cutlets, where panko may occasionally be called for but is not a requirement). And second, it must be served with katsu sauce.

Cornstarch Vs Flour

If you don't have cornstarch, use flour. Both will work! I have made tonkatsu with both, and I prefer cornstarch because I feel that it clings to the pork better and yields a crispier crunch.

Tonkatsu (とんかつ, "pork cutlet") are thick slices of pork that are breaded and deep fried in a manner similar to German schnitzel. They are typically made from two cuts of pork: the lean and tender hire (ヒレ, tenderloin or filet) and the fattier rosu (ロース, loin).

Tonkatsu (豚カツ, とんかつ or トンカツ, pronounced [toŋkatsɯ]; "pork cutlet") is a Japanese dish that consists of a breaded, deep-fried pork cutlet. It involves coating slices of pork with panko (bread crumbs), and then frying them in oil.

This is how the name came about: ton means pig, and katsu is the abbreviation of katsuretsu. This, in turn, is the Japanese pronunciation of the English word Schnitzel, translated as "Schnitzel." So, Tonkatsu is nothing but a pork Schnitzel. Nevertheless, the Japanese version is unique.

Tonkatsu sauce mainly consists of vegetables and fruits such as tomatoes, prunes, dates, apples, lemon juice, carrots, onions, and celery. It also includes more than 10 kinds of spices along with soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar.

Several kinds of oils are used to make the frying oil, such as vegetable oil, lard, sesame oil, and olive oil. The amount of oil must be sufficient to completely submerge the meat. This is one of the secrets of frying, as it is this amount of oil which makes the tonkatsu so crispy, yet juicy inside.

I'm not going to write the specific amount of cabbage in my recipe because I always make a lot of shredded cabbage. Some tonkatsu restaurants have all-you-can-eat cabbage. Please enjoy shredded cabbage with tonkatsu as much as you like! Lemon is often put on the side of tonkatsu to make you feel refreshed.

While you can eat Tonkatsu on its own (on a plate, with maybe rice and veg), I sometimes like to make a bowl of it, placing it on top of the rice and adding some fresh vegetables to the mix. I've used shredded cabbage here (quite traditional with tonkatsu), along with some fresh cucumber and carrot slices.

Is pork tonkatsu healthy? ›

Tonkatsu

They are unhealthy but taste so good. Japan has one significant deep-fried dish that we can't simply take our hands off. Tonkatsu is a pork loin covered with breadcrumb and deep-fried, usually served with miso soup, rice, shredded cabbage and high-calorie thick & rich sauce.

In case you are still unaware, the US FDA has lowered the safe cooking temperature for pork to 63°C. (It used to be 71°C) That means you can safely eat pork slightly pink! That's great news of you love pork chops as the loin tends to get too dry when you cook it well done! The pork looks abit raw at the centre.

Pork cutlets are usually lean steaks similar to sirloin chops, but meatier and boneless. Sometimes medallions cut from a pork tenderloin a cutlet. Cutlets are classically pounded thinner, to make them even more tender, dredged in breadcrumbs, and pan-fried.

In Hawaii it is called "chicken katsu" but the Japanese refer to this dish as "torikatsu." It is referred to as "tonkatsu" when it is made with pork cutlets. The katsu sauce recipe uses ingredients readily available in most Canadian kitchens.

The difference is fairly easy: gyukatsu is made with beef, while tonkatsu is pork.

Tonkotsu ramen is a Japanese noodle soup made with a pork bone broth—ton means pork and kotsu means bone. When collagen-rich pig parts like pork trotters and neck bones are cooked in water over high heat, the collagen in the connective tissue transforms into gelatin, which gives bone broth its silky texture.