Katsudon is a Japanese rice bowl featuring a crispy fried pork cutlet topped with silky scrambled eggs and caramelized onions in a savory dashi broth. The key to restaurant quality is controlling the egg-to-broth ratio and not overcooking the cutlet.
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To make the cutlet, crack the eggs. Leaving a little of the egg yolk will make it easier for the coating to stick.
Season the pork loin.
Coat the surface of the pork loin with flour and lightly tap it off.
Dip the flour-coated pork loin into the beaten egg and coat with panko breadcrumbs.
Fry the cutlet, brought back to room temperature, in oil at about 170℃ for about 2 to 2.5 minutes. For katsudon, fry it lightly so it doesn't overcook. 【Here's the secret!】 If you find it troublesome to use oil and a pot for frying, you can also use pre-made fried cutlets.
Remove the fried cutlet to a wire rack or similar and let it rest for about 1.5 minutes to finish cooking with residual heat.
Slice the fried cutlet slightly thickly.
Cut the onion into wedges.
Add the sliced onion, 100cc of dashi, 20cc of soy sauce, 5g of sugar, and 30cc of mirin for simmering to the pot.
Once the onion starts to soften slightly, add the sliced cutlet. This allows the umami from the pork to dissolve into the simmering liquid.
Add the eggs in two stages. First, pour in the first portion of the egg mixture over the entire pot to create a chunky texture.
Once it reaches a good consistency, turn off the heat.
After that, let it steam for about 20 seconds before serving over rice.
Serve the cooked rice into bowls and top with the simmered cutlet and egg.
Garnish with chives. 【Here's the secret!】 Don't make the katsudon broth too watery. If the ratio of egg to dashi is 1:1, it will turn out like tamagoyaki (rolled omelet). If there's too much dashi, it will become mushy.
Katsudon is best served immediately. Leftover cutlets and broth can be stored separately in airtight containers for up to 2 days; reheat broth gently and serve over fresh rice.
deep pot or heavy-bottomed pan for frying · wire rack or cooling rack · thermometer (to verify 170°C oil temperature)
Fry at approximately 170°C (338°F) for 2 to 2.5 minutes. This lighter fry prevents overcooking and keeps the cutlet juicy inside.
Too much dashi liquid makes the dish mushy. Maintain a 1:1 egg-to-dashi ratio (2 eggs to 100cc dashi) for the proper creamy texture without excess broth.
Yes. The recipe notes you can use pre-made fried cutlets if frying at home is inconvenient. Skip to step 8 and proceed with the broth and egg preparation.
Pour the egg mixture in two stages: first over the entire pot to create texture, then turn off heat once it reaches the desired consistency. Let it steam 20 seconds before serving.
Resting on a wire rack for 1.5 minutes allows residual heat to finish cooking the interior while the exterior stays crispy.
