12.23.2020
TONKATSU WITH HOMEMADE GLUTEN FREE TONKATSU SAUCE
*alert! Since I made this dish about 10 days ago, Peter likes it so much that we had it three times, all the sauce is gone!
I have a wonderful recipe for Tonkatsu sauce, but I couldn’t find it. The following is what I came up with. It is actually better than my recipe that has gone missing and closer to this Japanese restaurant that we used to go all the time when our kids were infants/toddlers. It is there that Peter and I discovered the joys of tonkatsu in the early 1980’s.
Tonkatsu is breaded deep fried thin (3/8”) slice of pork which are crispy and crunchy. On the plate would be a small mound of shredded cabbage, the fried pork chop is in ¼ " slices and drizzled with this special sauce (Tonkatsu sauce), more sauce was served on the side as well as white rice. It is a simple dinner, but so very yummy.
Prep what you will need:
Oil – about 2 c, flavorless and with a high smoking point
Pork chops – 4 – 6 very thinly sliced, (I bought some marked ‘scallopini’ which are very thinly sliced pork shoulder) I generally like center cut, thinly sliced chops. If you can only find thicker chops, just pound them down to the thickness you want, ¼" is what I like.
Kosher salt – ½ t
Ground black pepper – ¼ t
Baking soda – 1 t
Cornstarch – ½ c, I prefer half rice flour and half cornstarch
Egg – 1 large, beaten
Gluten Free breadcrumbs – 1 + cups, I find finely ground crumbs gets the crispiest end product. *
To serve:
Homemade gluten-free Tonkatsu sauce*
Shredded green cabbage with salt and pepper and drizzled with sriracha mayo, I shred about ½ c per person
White rice
Let's get cooking:
Cook the rice.
Toss the pork slices with the salt, pepper and baking soda and set aside.
Shred or thinly slice the cabbage and set aside. Shred how much you feel you would like.
Heat up the oil in a deep skillet to 350F.
Dredge the porkchops in the cornstarch/rice flour mixture. Place in a strainer and shake to get rid of excess.
Dip in egg, then dip in the breadcrumbs and press the crumbs on to the porkchops. Shake off excess.
Fry in a deep skillet in about 1 ½" of oil. Fry till the cutlet turns golden, remove from oil and place on a drying rack. I find paper towels and brown paper bags just keeps the excess oil trapped on the fried item instead of draining and airdrying on a rack.
Serve with
*TONKATSU SAUCE:
Ketchup – ½ c
Soy sauce, gf – 2 T }
Coconut aminos – 2 T } option, use 5 T of GF Soy sauce
Tamari, gf – 1 T }
Apple Cider Vinegar – 1 T
Worcestershire sauce – 2 t
Ginger, fresh – 1 t, grated
Garlic, fresh – 1 t, grated
The Prep is to measure everything into a measuring cup and whisk it together. Then zap for 1 minute, remove, whisk and zap 1 more minute. Let cool, pour into a sterilized jar and store in the refrigerator for up to 6 weeks, I think. This sauce never lasts in our refrigerator for more than a few days.
* I don’t like the gf panko crumbs found in stores and it is rather difficult to make the panko crumbs at home. I use white sandwich bread.
Cut off the crusts and keep separately with the heels.
Layout crustless bread on a sheet pan and leave in the oven with the light on. Overnight is ok.
Turn the bread over and let dry some more. Bread should be totally dry.
Break into small pieces and whir till very fine.
The crusts should have been dried in sperate sheet pans and whir after the bread slices.
Store separately in the freezer.
Use the crusts/heels crumbs for things such as meat loaves and meatballs. I have discovered that fine crumbs make for a moist and tender meatballs or meat loaves.