Korean Pork Cutlet Recipe (돈까스, Donkkaseu)
A crisp pork cutlet, a little rice and a heap of finely shredded cabbage can turn a few familiar ingredients into a satisfying dinner.The contrast is the attraction: a crunchy breadcrumb shell around tender pork, with a tangy brown sauce for dipping or spooning over just before eating.
In Korea, this breaded pork cutlet is called donkkaseu (돈까스), also written donkatsu or donkaseu.It belongs to the family of cutlets associated with Japanese tonkatsu, and Korean versions range from thin, broad cutlets served with sauce to thicker restaurant-style cuts.This recipe makes two modest, thin cutlets at home, with a simple sauce served separately so the crust stays crisp.
Serve the sauce on the side to keep the panko crust crisp.
Serves: 2Preparation: about 20 minutesCooking and resting: about 15–20 minutesTotal: about 35–40 minutesStyle: mild pork main dish; sauce served on the side
Jump to recipeWhat Makes This Version Easy?
Boneless pork loin chops are easy to portion and flatten to an even thickness.Three shallow dishes keep the coating sequence straightforward: flour, egg, then panko.The sauce needs only a short simmer in a separate saucepan, so you can make it before you heat the frying oil.
This is a crisp home-style version, rather than a large restaurant cutlet covered in a roux-based gravy.If you prefer sauce over the top, add it at the table; the coating will soften wherever it touches the sauce.
Ingredients
For the pork cutlets
- 2 boneless pork loin chops, about 150–180 g (5–6 oz) each, initially about 1–1.5 cm thick
- ¼ tsp fine salt, divided between both cutlets
- ⅛ tsp ground black pepper
- 40 g (about ⅓ cup) all-purpose flour, for coating
- 1 large egg, beaten; have a second egg available if needed
- 75 g (about 1½ cups, loosely measured) panko breadcrumbs, plus extra if needed
- Neutral frying oil, such as canola or rice bran oil, enough for a depth of about 2 cm in your pot
For the quick sauce
- 3 tbsp ketchup
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp regular soy sauce
- 1 tsp sugar, or to taste
- 2 tbsp water, plus a little more if needed
To serve
- Cooked rice for two
- About 100–150 g finely shredded cabbage, washed and drained well
- Your preferred cabbage dressing, optional
Use a 15 ml tablespoon and a 5 ml teaspoon.Panko volume varies with the size of the crumbs, so the weight is the more dependable guide.Not all of the flour, egg or breadcrumbs will stick to the pork; discard the portions that have contacted raw meat.Oil quantity depends on the width of the pot: use the depth as your guide, and keep the filled oil level well below halfway up the pot.
Useful equipment
Have a meat mallet or rolling pin, three shallow dishes, a wide heavy pot with high sides, tongs and a wire rack over a tray ready.An oil thermometer helps control browning, and a thin-tip food thermometer checks the pork itself.Use a pot wide enough for one cutlet to lie flat without folding.
Prepare the breading station before handling the raw pork.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Make the sauce and prepare the sides.
Put the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, sugar and water in a small saucepan.Bring to a gentle simmer over low heat and stir for 2–3 minutes, until smooth and slightly thickened.Taste, adding a little more water if it seems too strong or too thick.Set aside; warm gently again before serving if necessary.
Prepare the rice and drain the shredded cabbage thoroughly.Keep the cabbage and other ready-to-eat foods away from the board and utensils used for raw pork.
2. Flatten and season the pork.
Pat the chops dry with paper towels.Make a few small cuts through the firm strip of fat or connective tissue at the edge, without cutting through the chop; this helps it lie flat.Place each chop between sheets of food-safe wrap or inside a sturdy food bag.Pound gently from the center outward to an even thickness of about 7–8 mm, avoiding holes or torn edges.
Remove the wrap and season both sides with the measured salt and pepper.Even thickness matters more than making the cutlet extremely large: a very thin edge can dry out while the center is still cooking.
3. Coat with flour, egg and panko.
Put the flour, beaten egg and panko in three separate shallow dishes.Coat one cutlet lightly in flour and shake off the loose excess.Dip it in the egg, lift it out and let the extra drip off.Lay it in the panko and press gently so crumbs adhere to both sides and the edges.
Transfer to a tray and repeat with the second cutlet.A thin, even flour layer helps the egg adhere; a thick flour coating can leave dry patches beneath the crust.Keep one hand for the dry ingredients and the other for the egg if you want less coating stuck to your fingers.Wash hands and clean raw-pork utensils before handling the cooked food.
Press the breadcrumbs gently onto both sides and around the edges.
4. Heat the oil and fry one at a time.
Pour oil into the heavy pot to a depth of about 2 cm, leaving plenty of empty space above it.Heat to about 170°C (340°F), then adjust the heat to maintain roughly 165–175°C (330–350°F) while frying.Lower one cutlet carefully into the oil, away from you, and keep the other ready for the next batch.
Fry for about 2–3 minutes per side as a starting guide for a 7–8 mm cutlet, turning carefully once.The coating should become golden, but thickness and stove output change the timing.Check the center with a thin-tip food thermometer inserted horizontally from the side.For these whole-cut pork chops, reach at least 63°C (145°F) before removing from the heat, then rest for at least 3 minutes before slicing.
If the crust darkens before the pork reaches the required temperature, reduce the heat and continue cooking, turning as needed.Do not judge doneness by crust color alone.Lift onto a clean wire rack, and let the oil return to its target temperature before frying the second cutlet.Skim loose browned crumbs between batches so they do not burn onto the next cutlet.
Fry one cutlet at a time and check the oil temperature between batches.
5. Rest, slice and serve.
Rest each cutlet on the rack for at least 3 minutes after cooking.Avoid stacking them, which traps steam against the crust.Use a clean board and knife to slice into strips.Serve with rice, cabbage and the sauce on the side, or spoon a little sauce over the cutlet just before eating.
Rest the cutlet before slicing, then serve while the crust is still crisp.
How to Keep the Coating Crisp
- Dry the pork before coating, and shake off excess flour.
- Press the panko gently onto the egg-coated surface, including the edges.
- Fry one cutlet at a time so the oil temperature does not drop sharply.
- Drain on a rack rather than letting the underside sit in pooled oil.
- Keep sauce and wet cabbage dressing away from the crust until serving.
Easy Adjustments
Can I use store-bought tonkatsu sauce?
Yes.Use it in place of the quick sauce and serve the amount you prefer.The homemade sauce here is a quick tangy alternative, not an exact copy of every bottled sauce or Korean restaurant gravy.
Can I use ordinary breadcrumbs?
Yes, but expect a finer, more compact coating.Panko gives a coarse, visibly flaky crust.Check seasonings if using flavored breadcrumbs, and keep the pork seasoning light.
Can I replace the pork with chicken?
Chicken needs its own cooking check rather than the pork temperature given above.For a chicken cutlet, use an even thickness and cook the center to at least 74°C (165°F).Timing will vary with the size and thickness.
Is it vegetarian or gluten-free?
This recipe contains pork, egg and wheat.Worcestershire sauce often contains anchovies, and soy sauce may contain wheat; check the exact labels if avoiding an ingredient.A gluten-free version needs suitable flour, breadcrumbs and sauces throughout, rather than just changing one ingredient.
Serving Ideas
A bowl of clear soup is a useful companion to the crisp cutlet.If you have already prepared our Kongnamul Guk (Korean Soybean Sprout Soup), serve a small bowl alongside.Keep the soup and sauce in separate bowls so the cutlet stays crisp on the plate.
Leftovers and Reheating
Refrigerate cooked cutlets in a shallow covered container within 2 hours, or within 1 hour if the room is above 32°C (90°F).Keep at 4°C (40°F) or below and use within 3–4 days.Store the sauce separately to help preserve the coating.
Reheat cutlets on a rack in a preheated oven at about 180°C (350°F), or in an air fryer following its instructions, until the center reaches 74°C (165°F).Start checking after about 8 minutes in the oven; thickness and appliance performance change the time.A microwave will warm them but usually softens the crust.
References and Photo Note
The preparation and cooking times are estimates and may vary with your equipment and cutlet thickness.The five photographs are AI-generated recipe illustrations, not a record of a personally tested cooking session.
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