Pork Katsu (Tonkatsu)

I grew up eating Pork Katsu all the time because it was one of my aunt’s specialties and she often made it when we would go over to her house. She usually made hers a la carte over a bed of finely shredded cabbage, with a bowl of rice on the side. I loved it! It was always so perfectly crispy, not greasy in the slightest, and very juicy in the center.

Our version today is a recipe for pork katsu sandwich! I love the crispy exterior of the katsu against the soft milk bread. It’s such a simple sandwich, but every works so well together. The crispy and juicy pork, the pillowy soft milk bread, the finely shredded cabbage for added crunch and freshness, the thin spread of mayo for creamy balance, along with the tangy katsu sauce – delicious!

What is Pork Katsu?

Katsu itself consists of a thin piece of protein breaded in Japanese breadcrumbs (called panko), fried until super crisp, then cut into thin strips, and served with a tangy sauce called tonkatsu sauce.

In our version we use pork, but also chicken is also very popular to use for katsu. We’ve also made our pork katsu into a sandwich, which is another very popular way to serve it!

How to Make a Pork Katsu Sandwich

Ingredients

Process

1. Season each pork chop generously with salt and pepper, on both sides.
2. Dredge each pork chop in flour, until fully coated, and shake to remove any excess coating.

3. Next, dip each pork chop in the beaten egg until fully coated.
4. Then dredge into panko breadcrumb and Italian breadcrumb mixture until completely coated, shaking to remove any excess coating. Transfer coated pork chops onto a baking sheet lined with a cooling rack and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

5. Remove pork chops from the refrigerator and carefully drop into the hot oil and fry for 3 ½ to 4 minutes, until golden brown and pork has just cooked through. Remove both chops from oil and transfer to a baking sheet with a cooling rack. Season with salt.

6. Spread mayo over slices of bread. Top two of the slices each with ½ cup shredded cabbage. Place a fried pork over each pile of cabbage and drizzle with katsu sauce. Top with remaining slices of bread.Gently press down on the sandwiches while slicing each in half and serve.

Tips for Making the BEST Pork Katsu Recipe

• Place the coated cutlets in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. This will really help the breading to adhere to the chops and prevent it from sliding off.
• Allow the fried katsu to drain on a baking sheet lined with a cooling rack instead of paper towels. I prefer using this method because it still allows for any excess oil to drain, but ensures your katsu won’t get soggy from sitting against paper towels.
• Don’t try to replace the panko with all Italian breadcrumbs. Part of the greatness of pork katsu is the extra crisp exterior, which can only be achieved with panko breadcrumbs.
• Although you don’t have to add any additional breadcrumbs we love using a little bit of Italian breadcrumbs in combination with the panko, in our pork katsu sandwich, bc the fine granules of Italian breadcrumbs help to absorb some of the moisture, which equals a very crisp coating!

Air Fryer Pork Katsu Instructions

We love using our air fryer to make our pork katsu because you still get the same extra crispy and juicy results without the excess oil.

To make the pork katsu in the air fryer, follow the same breaded and refrigerating instructions, but instead set your air fryer for 360˚F. Coat the air fryer basket with cooking spray and also generously coat each side of the katsu with cooking spray. Air fry for about 15-18 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking.

Freezing Instructions

I love making some of these ahead of time and freezing them, so whenever the craving strikes I can just fry or air fry one up. I don’t really recommend cooking them ahead of time, just taking them through the breading steps.

Once the chops are breaded, place them onto a parchment lined baking sheet and freeze until frozen solid, 1-2 hours. Once the chips are frozen, transfer them to a freezer safe resealable bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

When ready to use follow the same frying the air frying instructions, but increase the cooking times by about 1 to 2 minutes.

What to Serve with Pork Katsu

We love eating our katsu in sandwiches, but you can also serve it sliced up á la carte with the sauce on the side for dipping.

You can also serve it Hawaiian style with a couple scoops of steamed rice and a couple scoops of macaroni salad!

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