Pork Tonkatsu With Shiso

A Japanese-style breaded and fried pork cutlet served with a tangy tonkatsu sauce. Thinly sliced pork loin is layered with aromatic shiso leaves, coated in a crispy panko breadcrumb crust, and fried until golden brown.

4 servings
1 hr 32 min

Ingredients

  • ½ cup ketchup
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 pound boneless pork loin with 1/4"-thick fat cap
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3 cups panko
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 to taste Kosher salt
  • 8 leaves fresh shiso leaves
  • 4 tablespoons vegetable oil

Cooking Instructions

  1. 1.

    Mix ketchup and Worcestershire sauce in a small bowl.

    2 min

  2. 2.

    Sauce can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and chill.

  3. 3.

    Freeze pork loin until firm around edges, about 1 hour. Slice pork 1/8" thick (or as thinly as you can). Place slices between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and gently pound until as thin as possible without tearing meat.

    60 min

  4. 4.

    Place eggs, panko, and flour in separate shallow bowls. Divide pork into 4 portions (you should have at least 4 slices per portion but may have more depending on how thinly you slice the meat). Working with 1 portion, season pork slices lightly on both sides with salt and stack, placing 2 shiso leaves, if desired, between any 2 slices. Keeping stack intact, dredge in flour, shaking off excess. Dip in eggs, letting excess drip off, then coat in panko, shaking off excess. Set on a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet and repeat with remaining shiso leaves and stacks of pork.

    15 min

  5. 5.

    Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Cook 2 stacks of pork until golden brown and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer back to wire rack. Wipe out skillet and repeat with remaining 2 tablespoons oil and 2 stacks of pork. Serve pork with tonkatsu sauce.

    15 min