Katsu-don is a Japanese rice bowl combining crispy deep-fried pork cutlet, tender onions, and a soft egg cooked together in dashi and sweet soy sauce. This recipe yields restaurant-quality katsu-don by teaching both the tonkatsu and sauce technique in one guide.
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Lightly pound the pork to tenderise. If there is connecting tissue separating red meat and a band of fat, cut the tissue every 2-3cm (1”). This will prevent the meat from curling when cooked.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper on both sides of meat.
Coat the meat with flour, egg, then breadcrumbs.
Heat oil to 170C (338F) (note 2) and fry the meat for 2 minutes. Turnover and fry further 2 minutes (note 3).
Turn over again and fry for 1 minute, then put aside on kitchen paper.
Cut each tonkatsu into 2cm (¾") wide strips.
If you are making tonkatsu for katsu-don, go to Katsu-don instructions.
If you are having just tonkatsu, instead of making katsu-don, then serve with shredded cabbage (not in Ingredients) and Bulldog tonkatsu sauce (note 4).
Mix the Sauce ingredients.
In a very small fry pan or skillet, about 18cm (7"), add half of the sauce and half of the sliced onions and cook over medium high heat.
When the sauce starts boiling, reduce heat to medium and add 1 person worth of tonkatsu in the centre. Cook for 2 minutes.
Beat an egg and pour it over with swirling motion from the centre towards the outer edge.
Place a lid on and cook for 30 seconds or until the egg is almost cooked but slightly runny (note 5).
Turn the heat off. Slide the katsu-don topping including sauce onto the rice in a bowl.
Repeat steps 2-6 to make the second katsu-don. Serve immediately.
If you are using a larger fry pan to make both at once, follow the same steps but place each tonkatsu in the centre of the semi-circle area so that you can divide the katsu-don topping in half easily. (note 6)
Tonkatsu keeps refrigerated for up to 3 days; reheat in the sauce (step 10) for 2 minutes before adding the egg. Katsu-don is best served immediately after assembly.
18cm (7") skillet or small fry pan · Meat mallet or tenderizer · Instant-read thermometer (for oil temperature) · Lid for skillet
Yes, fry the tonkatsu (steps 1–5) up to 4 hours ahead and store at room temperature. Reheat by placing it in the sauce (step 10) for 2 minutes before adding the egg.
Heat oil to 170°C (338°F). Fry for 2 minutes per side, then 1 minute on the first side again for a total of 5 minutes.
Cook covered for 30 seconds until the egg is almost set but still slightly runny on top; it will continue to cook from residual heat.
Yes. Use chicken breast or thigh (similar thickness), pound thin, and follow the same breading and frying steps at 170°C (338°F) for 2 minutes per side, then 1 minute.
Use an 18cm (7") skillet to cook one katsu-don at a time, or a larger pan to cook both simultaneously (step 16).
