Crispy Tonkatsu Donburi クリスピーとんかつ丼ぶり

When you serve super crunchy & juicy Japanese pork cutlet over a bed of steamed rice and shredded cabbage, you get this Crispy Tonkatsu Donburi. A rice bowl that will get everyone to the kitchen table in seconds! Drizzle with Japanese mayo and tonkatsu sauce as you like.

When I was little, I wasn’t a big meat eater and I had a hard time swallowing a big chunk of meat. As attentive and amenable as a mom can be, my mother made this Crispy Tonkatsu Donburi (クリスピーとんかつ丼ぶり) instead of regular Tonkatsu for me. Even though I have longer any problem chewing my meat, I continue to make this dish to my family as the cutlets have a lighter and crispier texture which we enjoy very much.

Use “Shabu Shabu Pork” Meat for Crispy Tonkatsu

Tonkatsu is usually made of a piece of thick cut pork chop, breaded and then deep fried. To make ultra crispy tonkatsu, the trick is to stack up a few thinly sliced pork loins to make thin-cut meat. These thinly sliced pork loins are specifically prepared for “shabu shabu” which is a type of Japanese hot pot dish. You can find them at Japanese or Asian grocery stores and look for packages like the one pictured below where they are labeled as “for shabu shabu (しゃぶしゃぶ用)”.

Using thinly sliced pork is much more economical than using a pork chop because you don’t need as much meat for one serving. If you find the thinly sliced pork for Sukiyaki, the you can use one slice per Tonkatsu or use 2 slices for one Tonkatsu.

Difference between Tonkatsu made with Pork Chop and Thinly-Sliced Shabu Shabu Meat

Both Ton (pork) Katsu (cutlet) are equally delicious. The difference comes down to the matter of preparation and textural styles. Tonkatsu made with shabu shabu meat is thinner and crispier, and it cooks a lot faster too. You will only need a very small amount of oil to deep fry, so it’s much easier to clean. Regular Tonkatsu is juicier and more satisfying as you bite into the thick juicy meat. When I prepare regular Tonkatsu, I usually give the piece of pork chop some trimming and light pounding before coating it with egg mixture and the panko breadcrumb. With the shabu shabu meat, you don’t need to trim or pound the meat at all.

If you have young children at home, this thin-cut style tonkatsu will be their favorite. It is simple enough for any busy parents to make when the kids ask for fried food. It is also a good choice if you prefer to cook with less oil. Follow the steps in the recipe, you will get some really juicy tontaksu with an irresistible crust. Get your steamed rice ready in the bowl, pile with a bed of shredded cabbage, and then place the tonkatsu on top before you drizzle in the sweet brown sauce. I like to serve this Crispy Tonkatsu Donburi alongside with miso soup, but that’s optional.

Sign up for the free Just One Cookbook newsletter delivered to your inbox! And stay in touch with me on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and Instagram for all the latest updates.

Crispy Tonkatsu Donburi

4.62 from 13 votes

When you serve super crunchy & juicy Japanese pork cutlet over a bed of steamed rice and shredded cabbage, you get this Crispy Tonkatsu Donburi. A rice bowl that will get everyone to the kitchen table in seconds! Drizzle with Japanese mayo and tonkatsu sauce as you like.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 15 minutes mins

Total Time: 30 minutes mins

Servings: 3

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ ¾ lb thinly sliced pork loin (I used thinly sliced "pork for shogayaki/ginger pork" from a Japanese grocery store)
• ▢ ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• ▢ ¼ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
• ▢ ½ cup all-purpose flour (plain flour)
• ▢ 2 large eggs (50 g each w/o shell) (beaten)
• ▢ 1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
• ▢ 1 cup neutral oil

To Serve

• ▢ 3 servings cooked Japanese short-grain rice (typically 1⅔ cups (250 g) per donburi serving)
• ▢ 2 leaves green cabbage (cut into julienned strips)
• ▢ Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise
• ▢ tonkatsu sauce (for homemade tonkatsu sauce recipe, click here)
• ▢ pickled red ginger (beni shoga or kizami beni shoga)
• ▢ green onions/scallions

Japanese Ingredient Substitution: If you want substitutes for Japanese condiments and ingredients, click here.

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

 

• Before You Start: Gather all the ingredients. For the steamed rice, please note that 2¼ cups (450 g, 3 rice cooker cups) of uncooked Japanese short-grain rice yield 6⅔ cups (990 g) of cooked brown rice, enough for 3 donburi servings (5 cups, 750 g). See how to cook short-grain rice with a rice cooker, pot over the stove, Instant Pot, or donabe.

  I use thinly sliced pork for shogayaki (ginger pork), which is slightly thicker than thinly sliced pork for shabu shabu. If you only have shabu shabu meat, you need to layer the pork with 2–3 slices.
  
• Sprinkle salt and pepper on the meat. Then dip each slice of meat into the flour first, then dip in egg, and finally coat it with Panko.
  
  
• In a large non-stick frying pan, heat ½ inch of oil on medium-high heat. Check how to deep fry food ifyou are not familiar with deep frying techniques.
  
• When it’s hot, put 2 pieces, laying it flat. Turn over when the bottom side is browned.
  
• When both sides are cooked and golden brown, remove the meat from the oil and place it on paper towels.
  
  
• Serve rice in a Donburi bowl and spread cabbages over the top. Crisscross the cabbage with Japanese mayonnaise.
  
  
• When Tonkatsu cools down a bit, cut it into half-inch strips crosswise. Place the meat on top of cabbage and drizzle with a bit of Tonkatsu sauce. Enjoy!
  

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Crispy Tonkatsu Donburi

Amount per Serving

Calories

565

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

25

g

38

%

Saturated Fat

 

17

g

106

%

Trans Fat

 

1

g

Polyunsaturated Fat

 

2

g

Monounsaturated Fat

 

5

g

Cholesterol

 

162

mg

54

%

Sodium

 

303

mg

13

%

Potassium

 

541

mg

15

%

Carbohydrates

 

48

g

16

%

Fiber

 

1

g

4

%

Sugar

 

1

g

1

%

Protein

 

34

g

68

%

Vitamin A

 

127

IU

3

%

Vitamin C

 

1

mg

1

%

Calcium

 

48

mg

5

%

Iron

 

4

mg

22

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Author: Nami

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Japanese

Keyword: donburi, pork cutlet, rice bowl, tonkatsu

©JustOneCookbook.com Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any website or social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.

Did you make this recipe?If you made this recipe, snap a pic and hashtag it #justonecookbook! We love to see your creations on Instagram @justonecookbook!

Editor’s Note: The post was originally published on March 21, 2011. The post was updated with new images in July 2018.