Baked Tonkatsu

Tonkatsu  or Japanese pork cutlet is a delicious and popular dish
yet it’s not common to make at home.

Another important tip for oven-baked tonkatsu is that you can’t use thick pieces of pork loin.  It will take too long for the pork to cook through so keep in mind that the thickness of pork should be no more than 1/2 inch (1.2 cm).  And remember to use good quality meat and pound it so that the pork loin will be nice and tender after it’s being cooked.  When the food is as simple as this, quality of the ingredient speaks itself.

Baked Tonkatsu

Author: Namiko Chen

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• ¾ cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 pieces pork loin (1/2 lb ,226 g), ½ inch (1.2 cm) thickness
• 1 tsp. salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 1 large egg
• Tonkatsu Sauce (or Make homemade Tonkatsu Sauce)
• 1 Tbsp. black and/or white sesame seeds
  

Instructions

1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 400F (200C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Combine the panko and oil in a frying pan and toast over medium heat until golden brown. Transfer panko into a shallow dish and allow to cool.
   
3. Get rid of the extra fat and make a couple of slits on the copnnective tissue between the meat and fat. The reason why you do this is that red meat and fat have different elasticity, and when they are cooked they will shrink and expand at different rates. This will allow Tonkatus to stay nice and flat and prevent Tonkatsu from curling up.
   
4. Pound the meat with a meat pounder, or if you don’t have one then just use the back of knife to pound. Mold the extended meat back into original shape with your hands.
   
5. Sprinkle salt and freshly ground black pepper.
   
6. Dredge each pork piece in the flour to coat completely and pat off the excess flour. Then dip into the beaten egg and finally coat with the toasted panko. Press on the panko flakes to make sure they adhere to the pork.
   
7. Place the pork on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until the pork is no longer pink inside, about 20 minutes.
   
8. Cut Tonkatsu into 1 inch pieces (so you can eat with chopsticks) by pressing the knife directly down instead of moving back and forth. This way the panko will not come off. Transfer to a plate and serve immediately.
   
9. To make special sesame tonkatsu sauce, grind black and white sesame seeds in a mortor and add tonkatsu sauce. Mix all together.
   

http://www.justonecookbook.com/baked-tonkatsu/