The Simple Mistake To Avoid For The Best Katsu, According To An Expert

Pork katsu, also called tonkatsu, is a Japanese comfort food that has become ubiquitous. When made properly, it's a marriage of juicy pork surrounded by a coating of crunchy goodness, served on a bed of shredded cabbage or rice, happily embracing a layer of thick tonkatsu sauce. The crispy pork is also often used as a sandwich filling. But without the proper technique, your breaded katsu can fall apart when frying.

According to Chef Makoto Okuwa, there's a crucial step for getting katsu to hold together. Okuwu hails from Nagoya, Japan, and is a master sushi chef and proprietor of multiple restaurants, including Makoto Vail, his newest addition in Colorado. He told Daily Meal, when you bread katsu, "Ensure to coat the pork with flour before egg wash, and entirely cover the meat with the egg wash and panko. This ensures the coating stays on the meat, instead of slipping off during frying!" It's a tricky balance to get the coating to stick to the meat while it faces the deep fryer, but with Okuwa's advice, you'll be ready to tackle pork or chicken katsu with confidence.

Breaded, crispy-fried cuts of meat seem to take many forms around the world. In America, you could compare katsu to chicken fried steak; in Germany, you'll find it similar to wiener schnitzel. Chicken parmigiana also comes to mind, smothered in tomato sauce and melted cheese. 

Katsu can be made from a variety of proteins. Most commonly, you'll find it made from chicken or pork, but it can also be made from salmon, ground beef, or steak. If you are going the pork route, use the chef-approved best cut of pork for katsu. Once you've mastered the proper way to prep your katsu meat, and thanks to Chef Makoto Okuwa, you know how to bread it properly, it's time to get creative. Make a delicious katsu sando and place the crispy meat between two slices of soft white bread with kewpie mayo, or slice it and place it on top of sweet Japanese curry. You can't go wrong with adding perfectly crunchy katsu to a variety of dishes.