Crispy Pork Katsu Sandwich
Ingredients
Crispy Katsu Pork
- 1 x Otway Pork tenderloin (trimmed and butterflied)
- Plain flour
-
2 x eggs
-
A dash of milk
- Panko breadcrumbs
- Salt
- Smoked paprika
- Oil for shallow frying
Pickle Mix:
- ½ red onion, thinly sliced
- Sliced pickled gherkins
- Splash of gherkin pickling liquid
Fennel Mayo:
- Kewpie mayonnaise
- Finely chopped fennel fronds (sub with dill or parsley)
- Dash of pickling liquid + salt
To Serve:
- Bread of your choice (Milk bun, focaccia, sliced white bread)
Method
Trim and butterfly pork tenderloin, then gently flatten under cling film with a mallet or heavy pan
Set up three bowls:
- Flour + salt + smoked paprika
- Egg + milk
- Panko crumbs
Using one wet and one dry hand, coat the pork in flour -> egg -> panko
Press crumbs firmly, for a thicker crust repeat with egg -> panko
Shallow fry your katsu till golden and drain on a piece of kitchen towel. Season with salt while it’s still hot.
Toss red onion and gherkins with a little pickling liquid to soften and lightly pickle.
Mix mayo, fennel fronds, a little pickling liquid and salt.
To assemble, spread bread generously with fennel mayo, add pork, the onion gherkin mix, top with bread, slice in half (or not) and devour!
Notes
Note on crumbing: always have 1 wet hand and 1 dry hand. Set your crumbing station as below. (right handed)
Pork on the left > flour mix > egg mix > bread crumbs > clean plate.
Use your left hand (wet hand) to place the pork into the flour and cover on both sides, shake off excess flour then place into egg mix. Still with the left hand flip to cover other side with egg mix and once fully covered let any excess drain off then place into crumbs. Now with your right hand (dry hand) push crumbs onto the top of the pork then flip over. Push down to allow crumbs to stick then flip and repeat. Move finished pieces to clean plate then start again. Note. For a thicker crumb you can repeat the egg > crumb steps after the first crumbing has been done.
Recipe by Darren O’Rourke
