An easy oven baked pork tonkatsu: extra thick, super juicy pork chop done up tonkatsu style, with light and crispy panko, only baked instead of deep-fried.
If you’ve been to Japan, I’m sure you’ve seen those absolutely awesome restaurants dedicated to tonkatsu: that crispy panko breadcrumb crusted deep fried juicy porky deliciousness. I am straight up obsessed with it. I love tonkatsu with rice, in sandwiches, with curry, in salad rolls; give me tonkatsu anyway any day and I’m happy.
My addiction is extreme but sometimes you want tonkatsu when you don’t want to deep fry. This easy oven baked tonkatsu is for those times. I never imagined a oven-baked tonkatsu would be good, but it is just as (or maybe even better because it’s easier) good as deep-fried.
Figuring out this tonkatsu was a journey. I’m not the greatest at making pork chops (unless they’re deep fried). Mike on the other hand is a pork chop master. He’s been making these reverse sear pork chops that are so juicy and meaty and tender. He suggested doing a reverse sear tonkatsu and it was brilliant: juicy on the inside with a crispy breadcrumb coat. Serve it up with fluffy white rice, shredded cabbage, and tonkatsu sauce and it’s almost like you magicked your way to Japan, no flight needed.
Why You Should Make Oven Baked Pork Tonkatsu
- You love pork chops and deep-fried foods without the deep frying
- You want to feel like you’re in Japan
- You’re all about hands off cooking
- You want to eat but don’t want to hang out near the stove
Pro Tips
- Panko breadcrumbs are vastly different from regular breadcrumbs – they’re fluffier and larger which makes them crunchier. Take the time to get a package of panko, it won’t disappoint.
- Toast your panko in a dry pan before coating your pork chop. The deeply golden signature Tonkatsu color is part of what is so appetizing about this dish. The panko won’t get enough color baking in the oven so take the time to toast them in a pan beforehand.
- Cooking the pork chop at a low temp ensures that it’s perfectly cooked though, juicy and not at all dry. The idea is cooking it low and slow.
- The key to perfectly cooked pork chops is a meat thermometer – it takes the guessing out of cooking. Science can and will make you a better cook.
- Don’t forget to serve your tonkatsu up with all of the regulars: shredded cabbage, white rice, and of course, tonkatsu sauce!
Happy tonkatsu-ing!
Easy Oven Baked Pork Tonkatsu
Ingredients
- 1 cup panko
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 1 thick cut pork loin pork chop
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1 egg lightly beaten
To Serve
- rice, shredded cabbage, tonkatsu sauce
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 275°F. While the oven is heating, toast the panko. Add the panko to a dry pan and toast over medium heat, stirring. Drizzle on the oil and stir until golden and toasty. Remove from the heat and place the panko in a shallow bowl to cool.
- Season both sides of the chop, then dust with flour, shaking of the excess.
- Dip into the lightly beaten egg, then into the panko, pressing to make sure that it is completely coated. Place on a lightly oiled wire rack on a foil lined baking sheet.
- Bake until the internal temperature reaches 120°F, about 30-45 minutes depending on the thickness of your pork chop. The pork chop pictured was 1.5 inches thick and took 40 minutes. Turn the heat up to 450°F and continue to cook until the internal temperature reaches 135, about 5 minutes.
- Slice and serve with fluffy white rice, shredded cabbage, tonkatsu sauce, and Japanese mustard.
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-Steph & Mike
Arigatōgozaimashita
Mmm… That’s delicious! Tho heavy for my stomach. I’m gonna cook it for my family for Thanksgiving dinner. We love Japanese cuisine, and I’m sure my husband and children will be happy about this meal because everybody in my family is literally fed up with that boring turkey :D
Thank you for sharing this recipe, Mike & Steph!
Made it tonight for dinner. It worked beautifully and turned out just exactly as you described. Thanks for another great recipe!
Thanks for this great recipe! As usual, the photos are mouth watering. Question, when turning the oven up to 450F from 275F, do you keep the tonkatsu/pork in the oven?
yes, just keep it in there!
i just tried this at home. i have to say, i’m a big fan of Tonkatsu this was super satisfying..
Silly question but “Place on a lightly oiled wire rack on a foil lined baking sheet.“
So is that literally laying a sheet of baking paper, on a sheet of foil, on the wire rack?
sorry for the late reply!
it’s a lightly oiled wire rack on a foil lined (baking) sheet pan. no sheet of baking paper required!!
What did you use for the sauce?
Hi Susan, we used Otafuku Tonkatsu Sauce, you should be able to find it in most Asian supermarkets too.
Hi, I do not have a wire rack so I baked on greaseproof parchment paper. Sometimes the panko/egg layer sticks to the paper (even on the occasion I greased the paper), so it tears away from the pork loin. Any tips to avoid it sticking? Thanks.
hi joni,
unfortunately since the pork is leaning on the paper it’ll tend to stick. if you have a bunch of wooden chopsticks, you can lay them out next to each other to create a sort of rack. hopefully that helps :)
It’s 90 degrees here today so I made this in the air fryer. Lowest setting was 300. I had 1/2 inch thick pork chops and they took 18 minutes total. The 25 additional degrees didn’t seem to make a difference. The pork was juicy, crisp and delicious! I will definitely make this again!
so happy to hear it worked in the air fryer! thanks for the info!
Yummy recipe! I have tried baking with wire rack before, but the bottom side still gets very soggy. Any tips to get both sides crispy? Thanks!
hi yvonne,
you need to have a a lot of space between the wire rack and your baking sheet so that the air flows underneath :) if you have convection oven, that will help too!
This recipe looks delicious! Very excited to make this. For the cabbage, it is just raw or do you dress it with something?
hi ashley,
sometime we just have it plain, sometimes we dress it with ponzu, and sometimes we use this dressing: How to Make That Awesome Salad Dressing You Have at Every Japanese Restaurant: Wafu Japanese Salad Dressing
Thank you for all the tips. Will make this tomorrow.
This recipe is fantastic! Thank you for sharing as each time I have made this my boys keep asking for it again and again. Well done!