How to fry tonkatsu
Deep-fry tonkatsu twice, in oil at 340°F (170°C), then 355°F (180°C) for about 1 min per side + 30 sec per side, until the crust is golden and crisp after the second fry. Treat the time as a starting point and confirm with a food thermometer. Whole cuts of beef, pork, veal and lamb: 145°F (63°C), then rest for 3 minutes.
- Oil temperature
- 340°F (170°C), then 355°F (180°C)
- Method
- Deep fry
- Starting time
- 1 min per side + 30 sec per sidedouble fry: 340°F first, 355°F second
- Piece size
- pork loin chops ½ inch thick
- Done when
- the crust is golden and crisp after the second fry
- Safe internal temp
- 145°F (63°C) + 3 min rest
Numbers from Just One Cookbook: Tonkatsu · safe temperature from the FoodSafety.gov chart. Celsius values are rounded.
Getting it right
- Use a heavy, deep pot or a countertop fryer and fill it no higher than its safe fill line. The oil rises when food goes in.
- Clip a frying thermometer to the pot and bring the oil to 340°F (170°C), then 355°F (180°C). Keep the sensor in the oil, off the base of the pot.
- Pat the food dry before any coating. Water on the surface spits in hot oil and steams the crust soft.
- Lower a small batch in, away from you. The temperature will drop; adjust the burner so it climbs back toward the target.
- Lift out with a skimmer onto a rack over a tray, salt while hot, and let the oil recover before the next batch.
- Lift a piece out and check its thickest part with an instant-read thermometer before serving. Whole cuts of beef, pork, veal and lamb: 145°F (63°C), then rest for 3 minutes.
Why the temperature matters: oil that is too cool lets the coating soak up fat before it sets, so the outside goes heavy and pale. Oil that is too hot browns the outside before the middle is ready. The thermometer is how you hold the window between the two.
Golden chicken cutlets