豚カツ Best Tonkatsu Japanese Pork Cutlet

豚カツ Best Tonkatsu Japanese Pork Cutlet Recipe is a tender pork tenderloin deep fried until golden brown perfection! This crunchy Japanese fried pork cutlet is a popular Japanese dish with crispy fresh panko bread crumbs and served with savoury tonkatsu sauce, shredded cabbage side salad and white rice. Make this restaurant-quality delicious tonkatsu recipe in just 30 minutes at home.

Do you love Japanese deep-fried pork cutlets with panko breadcrumbs, but you are too busy? Work this juicy pork air fryer recipe into your family meal prep ideas for the week. This quick and easy cheat will guarantee dinner is ready in just 30 minutes! 

The textures and flavours complement each other wonderfully. A little bit sweet and savoury with the tangy tonkatsu sauce.

> In This Post: Everything You'll Need For Japanese Deep-Fried Pork Cutlet

Skip paying for overpriced deep-fried pork chops at Japanese tonkatsu restaurants. Making crispy, crunchy, tender-cut pork tonkatsu donburi is easy! Simply pop them into the air fryer! 

Check out this quick story summary of our recipe!

Jump to:

• > In This Post: Everything You'll Need For Japanese Deep-Fried Pork Cutlet
• What Is Pork Tonkatsu?
• What's the difference between Tonkatsu and Katsudon?
• Ingredients and Substitutes
• Instructions
• > Recipe
• 豚カツ Best Tonkatsu Japanese Pork Cutlet
• More Air Fryer Recipes

What Is Pork Tonkatsu?

Pork Tonkatsu is one of my favourite Japanese-style pork cutlet dishes. It is like a delicious pork schnitzel breaded with Japanese panko breadcrumbs and drizzled with delicious homemade tonkatsu sauce tastes just as wonderful as Japan's famous BullDog Tonkatsu sauce. 

What's the difference between Tonkatsu and Katsudon?

Pork Katsudon, on the other hand, is a delicious rice bowl served with crispy deep-fried Japanese pork cutlet とんかつ eggs and sauteed onions simmered in a sweet, savoury sauce.

I love Japanese food, especially their ramen and donburi rice bowls. If you love deep-fried pork chop with a crispy crust, here are some of my favourite delicious and easy recipes I know you will love!

• Easy Chicken Katsu Don recipe
• Chinese Salt and Pepper Pork Chops (Air Fryer)

Ingredients and Substitutes

Homemade tonkatsu recipe is quick and easy to make. You all need crucial ingredients commonly found at your local supermarket or Japanese grocer.

Pork Tenderloin - pork loins are the best cut for katsu donburi. I love this tender cut with no pork bones. 

All Purpose Flour - Use AP flour and panko breadcrumbs to bread fried pork cutlets. The layer of flour protects the pork katsu from drying out when air fried.

Japanese Panko Breadcrumbs - Use nama panko (fresh panko) or dry breadcrumbs for coarse grain breading to give Tonkatsu an airy, crispy, crunchier, less greasy bite. If can also opt for gluten-free panko breadcrumbs! 

Fresh Egg - Use the beaten egg mixture as a binder to coat the pork cutlets with panko.  

Homemade Tonkatsu Sauce - Make your own preservatives-free tonkatsu sauce just as good as the store-bought Bulldog brand with just 5 simple ingredients: Worcestershire sauce, mirin, ketchup, sugar and oyster sauce. Drizzle this zippy sauce over your fried cutlets for a delicious elevated taste! 

Cooking Oil - Use vegetable or avocado cooking oil spray for air frying.

Kosher Salt - for seasoning 

Black pepper - for seasoning 

Garnish

• Fresh Green Onion 
• Mitsuba (Japanese wild parsley)
• Shichimi Togarashi (Japanese chili pepper) 
• Furikake (Seaweed seasoning) 

Most dry goods ingredients, tools and supplies can be purchased at your local Asian grocery stores or online at my Amazon Store. I have linked the products for your convenience!

Instructions

Cooking the best tonkatsu Japanese pork cutlet recipe 豚カツ that kids and adults love is easy, even if it is your first time. Follow this general guideline for an air fryer classic tonkatsu recipe.

You can even efficiently meal prep specific steps of this Japanese restaurant's quality pork katsu!

Wash and pat dry pork tenderloin with a kitchen paper towel.

Tenderize the pork meat with a meat mallet or meat tenderizer needles on a heavy-duty cutting board.

Season with a dash of salt and pepper. Let marinate for at least 10 minutes.

Prepare the breading station for the Japanese fried pork cutlet. The best method is to arrange the breading ingredients in an assembly line. Put the AP flour, egg mixture, and Japanese panko breadcrumbs in shallow bowls.

Pro Tip: Use disposable food prep gloves to keep your hands clean, food clean and a mess-free cleanup. 

Coat both sides of the seasoned pork cutlet with a layer of flour. Dust of excess flour.

Then dip the floured coated cutlet into the beaten egg. Evenly coat both sides. 

Next, place the pork cutlet into the panko bowl and evenly coat both sides. Gently pat the pork cutlet with Japanese-style breadcrumbs. This will ensure a crunchy coating.

Pro Tip: Make extra fried pork chops. The best things about extra pork chops are that you can use the remaining pork chops for Katsu Curry, Katsu Sando or pork-based ramen broth!

Preheat the air fryer to 400°F.

Place breaded pork cutlet into the air fryer basket in a single layer. Spray the pork chops with cooking spray or with an oil mister.

One of the best things about using an air fryer is avoiding getting burned from hot oil and reducing excess oil used when deep frying in a large skillet or pot. Plus, the oil temperature never drastically changes in an air fryer! 

I've tried several large air fryers over the years, but I love THIS one! 

Pro Tip: Use air fryer parchment paper and line the bottom of the basket for easy cleanups. 

Set the cooking time to 12 minutes at 375F. Flipping halfway. Increase the temperature to 400F the for the second time to double fry.

Insert an instant-read thermometer at the thickest part of the chop and check that the internal temperature of the meat is at least 145F.

Air Fry until golden brown with crispy perfection.

Carefully transfer pork chops from the air fryer with tongs or a slotted spoon.

Work in small batches ex. If you are making a large plate of Tonkatsu, double batch the recipe but air fry half of the chops and repeat the process with the leftover pork chops!

Let these crispy pork pieces rest for a few minutes on a wire rack or on a serving plate lined with a few kitchen paper towels.

Cut the Tonkatsu into strips if desired.

Enjoy hot and serve with a heap of refreshing shredded raw cabbage, hot short-grain Japanese rice and tonkatsu sauce on the side. The sweet and savoury tonkatsu sauce is a famous dipping sauce in Japanese food.

Homemade Tonkatsu Sauce 

Add all the tonkatsu sauce ingredients into a small mixing bowl. Mix well until combined. Reserve.

You can also make extra tonkatsu sauce and store up to 1 week in the refrigerator. 

The best way to store leftovers is in this Rubbermaid brilliance container. I love that it is clear and 100% leakproof! 

How To Meal Prep

You can efficiently work the Japanese Fried Pork Cutlet recipe into your family meal prep ideas for the week. There are different variations for this double fry katsu recipe. 

Add this air-fried pork chop to cooked rice, ramen bowls, or Japanese curry sauces. 

This simple dish can be portioned airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.

How To Reheat Tonkatsu

You can reheat Tonkatsu using an air fryer or oven quickly. Set the air fryer to 375F for 5 minutes or in the oven at 375F for 15 minutes.

It is so easy you do not even need to rely on an Asian meal prep delivery service for takeout! I love that it makes my go-to order at Japanese restaurants at home!

What To Serve With Crispy Breaded Pork Chops

I love loading my crispy pork chops with shredded cabbage and homemade Tonkatsu sauce. If there are any leftover pork strips, I turn them into easy breakfast pork wraps for the family! 

This is one of the most popular dishes in Japanese cuisine. It is perfect as a make-ahead-of-time weekly meal prep bento box for two. Enjoy this flavourful pork chop as part of a one-pot meal or lunch meal prep for the week with miso soup. Complete the meal with the following delicious dishes.

• Mentaiko Spaghetti Wafu Pasta 明太子パスタ
• Crispy Chicken Katsu Don チキンカツ丼
• Carrots, Purple Cabbage, Easy Kale Salad Recipe (Alkaline)
• Vegan Unagi Don (Eggplant Unadon) うなぎ丼
• Chicken Cutlet Sandwich
• Curry Tonkatsu (Japanese Fried Pork Cutlets with Curry)
• Japanese Curry Chicken Cutlet

I'd love to see how you went with my recipes! Leave a comment below or tag me on Instagram @INSTANOMSS #INSTANOMSS.

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