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 lettuce with a bowl of rice on the side. I loved it! It was always so perfectly crispy, but not greasy 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.
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
Process
- Season each pork chop generously with salt and pepper, on both sides.
- Dredge each pork chop in flour, until fully coated, and shake to remove any excess coating.
- Next, dip each pork chop in the beaten egg until fully coated.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 Italian breadcrumbs we love using it 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.
More Delicious Sandwich Recipes You Will Love
Pork Katsu (Sandwich)
INGREDIENTS
pork katsu
- 2 (4 ounce) boneless pork chops (about ½” thick)
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup Italian breadcrumbs
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cup vegetable oil for frying
assembly
- 4 slices soft, milk bread, crusts removed soft, white bread is fine
- 1/2 cup katsu sauce
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup very finely shredded green cabbage
INSTRUCTIONS
- Fill a pot, with tall sides, with about 1 ½” oil and preheat to 325˚F.
- Season each pork chop generously with salt and pepper, on both sides.
- Dredge each pork chop in flour, until fully coated, and shake to remove any excess coating.
- Next, dip each pork chop in the beaten egg until fully coated, 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. (this step is optional, but will help the coating stay on the pork chops).
- 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.
- 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.
Did you make this recipe? We want to see!
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Hello! While cruising around your web site, your recipe for Pork Katsu Sandwiches caught my eye. I hustled over to our nearby grocery store and picked up the ingredients I was missing. I followed your directions and the sandwiches were wonderful. A friend visiting was the recipient along with me, of course. She loved the sandwich. I see you cut the crusts off your bread, also. My mother always told me, “Nancy, eat your crusts.” When I got away from home, I just cut them off the bread and fed the crusts to the birds!! Hey, thanks for sharing. I’ll be back.
I have very little experience with Korean Food. If this is any indication of what I’m missing, I need to remedy that right away!
What is katsu sauce? I’d like to try this with chicken as I don’t eat pork. I’ve never heard of this sauce. Can I make it?
I have a recipe for Katsu sauce for you.
1/2 C ketchup
2 T Soy sauce
2 T Brown sugar
1 T Mirin
2 t Worcestershire sauce
1 t freshly grated ginger
1 t freshly grated garlic
Mix all together and let it rest for at least 30 minutes. Hope this helps, not sure how long ago you posted this 😊
Katsu sauce is Bomb, thanks!
I had to toss my store-bought stuff, and when I saw your recipe, I had to make it! It’s great! I added a couple drops of ACV and my whole fam loves it :) thanks!
This looks amazing!