Pork Tonkatsu (aka Japanese Schnitzel)

Chris recently took two work trips, one to Germany and the other to Japan. Upon his return, he could not stop raving about the schnitzel he had over in Germany. It was so good, he ordered it every night.

Chris in love with Schnitzel

When I saw this recipe in July's Bon Appetit, I thought it would be a fun way to combine his two experiences into one meal. While I don't pan fry often, if you control the heat of your pan well you don't use that much oil, and the panko crunch kind of simulated a deep fry without all that fat.

It was also incredibly fast to make, the only prep I recommend is pounding down the cutlets to an even width around 1/8-inch so they cook evenly and quickly.

My version

Pork Tonkatsu
Bon Appetit, July 2011 

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 
• 1 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper plus more 
• 2 large eggs 
• 2 cups panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) 
• 4 4-ounce boneless center-cut pork chops, pounded to 1/8" thickness 
• 6 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided 

1. Whisk eggs and 1 tablespoon mustard in a medium bowl. Combine panko, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper on a large plate. Season pork lightly with salt and pepper. 
2. Dip in egg mixture, then in panko, pressing to adhere. 
3. Working in 2 batches, heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat and cook pork until golden brown and cooked through, about 2 minutes per side, adding 1 tablespoon vegetable oil after turning. Drain on paper towels. 

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3