Go Back
–+ servings

Katsu Sando (Japanese Pork Cutlet Sandwich) with Homemade Sauce

Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Author Yuto Omura
Servings 2 portions

Ingredients 
 

For the cutlet

For the karashi butter

  • 1 ½ tbsp unsalted butter softened
  • 1 tsp Japanese mustard (karashi) or smooth Dijon or Colman's

For the sauce

To assemble

  • 4 slices white bread shokupan, square loaf, 8-slice, untoasted
  • shredded cabbage optional

Instructions 

  • Cut the 300 g pork tenderloin fillet in half, butterfly each piece, and pound them flat.
    3 step cutting directions for katsu sando using pork tenderloin block
  • Score the sinew with a few shallow cuts. Fold the edges in and press each into a square 1.5 to 2 cm thick (0.6 to 0.8 inch).
    tenderized pork fillet on a wooden chopping board
  • Season both sides with ¼ tsp salt and a sprinkle of white pepper, wrap, and freeze 30 minutes.
    tenderized pork fillet shaped into a rectangle and wrapped with plastic wrap
  • While the cutlets firm up, cream 1 tsp Japanese mustard (karashi) into 1 ½ tbsp unsalted butter until smooth, then set on the counter for later.
    karashi mustard and butter mixed together in a bowl
  • Warm 2½ tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tbsp ketchup, and 1 tsp honey in a small saucepan over low heat, and simmer until slightly thickened. Off the heat, stir in 1 tsp ground sesame seeds.
    katsu sauce in a saucepan with ground sesame seeds added
  • Heat cooking oil for deep frying to 165 to 170°C (330 to 340°F). Beat 1 egg with 1 tbsp whole milk and 1 tsp cooking oil. Set out a plate of cake flour or all-purpose flour and a plate of 100 g panko breadcrumbs.
    3 trays containing flour, whisked egg and panko breadcrumbs
  • Unwrap a frozen cutlet. Coat it thinly with flour and shake off the excess, run it through the egg, then pack panko onto every face, pressing firmly to secure it.
    pork cutlet coated in panko breadcrumbs in a metal container
  • Slide the cutlet into the oil at 165 to 170°C (330 to 340°F). Fry until the center reaches an internal temperature of 63 °C (145 °F), about 5 minutes.
    first fry of pork katsu for katsu sando
    • No kitchen thermometer? Cook until the vigorous bubbles turn quiet and small, then remove it and make a small discreet cut in the thickest part to check the juices run clear.
  • Lift the cutlet onto a wire rack and rest at least 3 minutes.
    pork cutlet resting on a wire rack after first fry
  • Trim the crusts off the 4 slices white bread if you like. Spread karashi butter to the corners on the inner side of every slice.
    karashi butter spread over two pieces of bread
  • Lay a cutlet on each bottom slice and drizzle the sauce over the top. If using cabbage, mound the dry shreds on the cutlets, then close each sando with a top slice.
    spooning homemade katsu sauce over pork cutlets to make katsu sando
  • Press each sando flat with your palm, wrap, and rest for 2 to 5 minutes.
    A katsu sando (Japanese pork cutlet sandwich) wrapped with plastic wrap on a wooden cutting board
  • Cut each sando in half with a sharp knife, drawing the blade through the wrap rather than pressing down. Unwrap and serve. Enjoy!
    A katsu sando (Japanese pork cutlet sandwich) cut in half on a wooden cutting board

Notes

Judge the pork by its center, not the crust: A lean tenderloin browns long before the middle is safe, so a golden coating can hide a raw core. Check the center with a thermometer, the internal cooked temperature should reach 63C or 145F before resting. If you don't have a thermometer, cut into the thickest part and check that the juices run clear.
Rest the sando before you cut, and draw the knife: Slicing the moment you close it, before the layers knit, is a common reason a katsu sando falls apart. Press it, wrap it, wait 2 to 5 minutes, then draw a sharp knife through in a single motion.
Spread the karashi butter corner to corner: Soggy bread is a barrier problem, not a bread problem. A film of fat across both inner faces keeps the sauce and the cutlet's juices off the crumb, which is what lets the sando sit and still cut clean.
Reduce the sauce until it clings: A thin, loose sauce runs straight off the cutlet and into the bread. Simmer it until it coats the back of a spoon and drips off slowly, so it stays where you put it instead of soaking the crumb.
Dry the cabbage completely if you use it: Cabbage is optional, but any water it carries can work past the butter into the bread. A shake is not enough. Pat it thoroughly dry with a towel, and if it stays damp, leave it out.
British Worcestershire works with more ketchup: If you cannot find Japanese usuta sauce, Lea & Perrins does the job. It runs sharper and less fruity, so stir a little extra ketchup into the sauce to bring the sweetness back into balance.