Toasted-Panko Oven Katsu with Ten-Minute Tonkatsu Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 lb boneless pork loin chops, about 3/4 inch thick
• 1 1/4 tsp kosher salt, divided
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1/3 cup ketchup
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1/2 small head green cabbage, cored and shaved as thin as you can stand
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

Steps

1. 1

   Heat the oven to 425F and set a wire rack inside a sheet pan — if you don't own a rack, skip it and flip the cutlets halfway instead.

2. 2

   Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat, add the panko, and toast it, stirring almost constantly, until it goes deep golden and smells like a bakery — 4 to 6 minutes. This is the whole trick. The breading browns here, in butter, so the oven only has to cook the pork. Slide the panko onto a plate and season it with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt.

3. 3

   Lay the pork chops between two sheets of parchment and pound them to an even 1/2 inch — thin and uniform beats thick and heroic. Season both sides with the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and the pepper.

4. 4

   Set up three shallow dishes: flour, beaten eggs, toasted panko. Dredge each cutlet in flour and shake off the excess, dunk it in egg and let the drips fall, then press it firmly into the panko on both sides — press, don't sprinkle. Arrange on the rack with space between each one.

5. 5

   Bake 12 to 15 minutes, until the pork registers 145F at the thickest point. Nothing needs to brown in there — it already did.

6. 6

   While the katsu bakes, whisk the ketchup, Worcestershire, soy sauce, Dijon, and sugar in a small bowl until glossy. Taste it. It should be sweet, sharp, and a little bossy.

7. 7

   Toss the shaved cabbage with the rice vinegar and sesame oil and a pinch of salt — it wilts fast, so do this last.

8. 8

   Let the cutlets rest 5 minutes, then slice crosswise into 3/4-inch strips and fan them out over the cabbage. Spoon the tonkatsu sauce over the top in a thick zigzag, scatter the scallions and sesame seeds, and serve with lemon wedges.