Healthy Pork Tonkatsu Recipes

TONKATSU

Steps:

• Place the pork chops between two sheets of heavy plastic (resealable freezer bags work well) on a solid, level surface. Firmly pound the pork with the smooth side of a meat mallet to a 1/4-inch thickness (about .75 cm). Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Pour oil into a skillet about 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) deep. Heat the oil over medium-high heat to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Place the flour, egg, and panko crumbs in separate bowls. Coat each cutlet in flour, then egg, and finally in bread crumbs. Tap off any loose crumbs.
• Fry the cutlets until golden brown and cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.

JAPANESE AIR-FRIED PORK TONKATSU

Steps:

• Preheat an air fryer to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) according to manufacturer's instructions.
• Stir together eggs, avocado oil, and salt in a small bowl. Place panko crumbs on a separate plate.
• Set a length of parchment or waxed paper about 15 inches long on a platter or cutting board.
• Dip each pork chop into the egg mixture, allowing excess to drip back into the bowl, then turn chops in panko crumbs. Cover the top of the chop with crumbs and press down to encourage them to stick. Place coated chops on the prepared parchment or waxed paper. Repeat until all chops are coated with panko crumbs on both sides.
• Spray both sides of each pork chop with cooking spray and place 2 or 3 chops into the air fryer basket, depending on the size of the basket.
• Air fry for 6 minutes. Flip and cook until golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reads 145 degrees F (63 degrees C), about 5 minutes more. Transfer chops to a plate and keep warm. Repeat with remaining chops.
• Serve chops with rice, shredded Savoy cabbage, and tonkatsu sauce.

HEALTHY PORK TONKATSU

Steps:

• In a saucepan, bring the ketchup, applesauce, worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, dijon mustard and rice vinegar to a simmer, transfer to a bowl and let cool.
• Put the flour, egg whites and panko in 3 separate bowls. Dredge the pork in the flour, then the egg white, followed by the panko, pressing the crumbs to adhere.
• In a large skillet, heat 2 T oil over moderate heat. Add the cutlets and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Brush the remaining oil on the cutlets, flip and cook until golden and cooked through, about 5 minutes longer.
• Transfer the tonkatsu to a work surface and cut into strips. Serve with rice and the dipping sauce.
• NOTE: The sauce can be refrigerated for up to a month.

PORK TONKATSU

Steps:

• Slash the fat rimming one side of the loin cutlet to keep the meat from curling when deepfried. Pound to flatten to about 1/4 inch. Salt and pepper both sides of each cutlet. Dredge each in flour, then dip into beaten eggs and press into bread crumbs to coat both sides.
• Heat a large skillet with about 1/2 inch of oil until hot. Lay 1 or 2 cutlets in the hot oil. Deep-fry until golden brown, about 5 to 7 minutes, turning them once or twice. Drain the cutlets on paper towels and cut the pork into bite-size strips that can be eaten with chopsticks.
• Arrange the pork on a platter lined with the shredded cabbage, and garnish with lemon wedges. Serve the sauce on the side for dipping, or pour it over the pork and cabbage.
• Prepare the recipe for Pork Tonkatsu, using 4 turkey cutlets, each about 1/2inch thick, in place of the pork loin.

TONKATSU PORK

Steps:

• Remove the large piece of fat on the edge of each pork loin, then bash each of the loins between two pieces of baking parchment until around 1cm in thickness - you can do this using a meat tenderiser or a rolling pin. Once bashed, use your hands to reshape the meat to its original shape and thickness - this step will ensure the meat is as succulent as possible.
• Put the flour, eggs and panko breadcrumbs into three separate wide-rimmed bowls. Season the meat, then dip first in the flour, followed by the eggs, then the breadcrumbs.
• In a large frying or sauté pan, add enough oil to come 2cm up the side of the pan. Heat the oil to 180C - if you don't have a thermometer, drop a bit of panko into the oil and if it sinks a little then starts to fry, the oil is ready. Add two pork chops and cook for 1 min 30 secs on each side, then remove and leave to rest on a wire rack for 5 mins. Repeat with the remaining pork chops.
• While the pork is resting, make the sauce by whisking the ingredients together, adding a splash of water if it's particularly thick. Slice the tonkatsu and serve drizzled with the sauce.