Indulge in my Katsudon recipe: crispy pork over a bed of rice, topped with onions, tender egg, and an exquisite sauce. A comforting Japanese dish, perfect for a quick and flavorful preparation.
What is Katsudon?
Katsudon is a comforting Japanese dish combining a breaded and fried pork cutlet (Tonkatsu pork) with rice, all covered with a mixture of lightly beaten eggs, onions, and a savory sauce.
The name “Katsudon” breaks down into “katsu” for the breaded pork and “don” for donburi, which refers to a bowl of rice with toppings. It’s also known as Tonkatsu Donburi. This dish beautifully combines crispiness, tenderness, and richness of flavors. It is a great classic of Japanese cuisine
Tips for Successful Katsudon
Choice of meat: Opt for quality pork chops, neither too lean nor too fatty, to ensure a texture that is both tender and juicy after cooking. The beef version is called gyudon, the non-fried version butadon… and the sandwich version katsu sando or even miso with miso katsu
Perfect breading: Ensure that the panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) adheres well to the meat for a crispy Tonkatsu. Don’t skimp on the quality of the panko for optimal results. A small tip is to spray a little water on it after rolling in the breadcrumbs. By the way, you can make your tonkatsu pork in the air fryer
Egg cooking: The beaten egg poured over the dish should be just cooked, creating a soft texture that binds all the ingredients without masking their taste.
Serve immediately: To fully enjoy the varied textures, serve the Katsudon as soon as it’s prepared so that the Tonkatsu remains crispy.
The Main Ingredients of Katsudon
Panko: These Japanese breadcrumbs ensure the characteristic crispiness of Tonkatsu.
Eggs: Beaten and cooked until just set, they add a silky texture.
Dashi stock: The foundation of the sauce, it’s essential for its umami. Find my homemade dashi recipe here
Pork: Use well-marbled pork, you can also replace it with chicken in the style of chicken katsu
Light soy sauce: you can replace it with Japanese tamari soy sauce, it adds saltiness and umami to the dish
Mirin: a sweet Japanese condiment made from sake, it is essential for the good taste of the dish
Authentic Japanese Katsudon
Ingredients
- 2 Pork Chops Boneless, pounded until “1 cm” thick
- 1 pinch pepper
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tablespoon flour For Sprinkling
- 1 egg
- 100 g of panko breadcrumbs
- Oil for Frying
- 120 ml Dashi Stock Homemade or Using a Powder Base
- 2 teaspoons of sugar
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons Mirin
- 2 eggs
- 1 Thinly Sliced Onion
- 2 portions of cooked white rice
- 1 Sliced Green Onion
Procédé
- Season the pork chops with salt and pepper, then lightly dust them with flour.
- In a shallow dish, beat the egg. Place the panko in another shallow bowl.
- Add a thin, even layer of oil to a cast iron skillet or pan over medium heat. The oil is ready when you drop a piece of panko into the oil and it sizzles.
- Dip the pork in the egg to coat. Transfer the pork to the panko and press evenly to coat the meat well.
- Carefully place the pork chops in the hot oil and cook for 5-6 minutes on one side, until golden brown.
- Flip and cook the other side for an additional 5-6 minutes. Drain on a plate lined with paper towels.
- While the pork is resting, add the stock, sugar, soy sauce, and Mirin to a small bowl. In another bowl, lightly beat 2 eggs.
- Add a tablespoon of oil to a pan over medium heat and add the sliced onion. Sauté the onions until translucent and slightly caramelized.
- Pour the stock mixture over the onions.
- Cut your tonkatsu into pieces and place on top of the onions.
- Pour the egg over. Cook over medium-low heat until the egg is just set.
- Serve over bowls of rice and garnish with green onions.
