Menchi Katsu (Ground Meat Cutlet) メンチカツ

For Serving

• sauce of your choice (tonkatsu sauce, Worcestershire sauce, or ketchup + tonkatsu sauce; I like to serve mine with homemade Tartar Sauce; see Notes)

Before You Start

• This recipe requires 30 minutes of resting time. 

  Gather all the ingredients.

  

To Make the Meat Mixture

• Mince ½ onion (called mijingiri in Japanese). Place it cut-side down and make ¼-inch horizontal cuts toward the root, then vertical cuts, and finally slice crosswise for an even dice.

  

• Heat 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until translucent and golden brown. Transfer the onion to a large bowl and let cool to room temperature.

  

• Add 1 lb ground beef and pork combination, 2 Tbsp panko (Japanese breadcrumbs), 1 Tbsp milk, and 1 large egg (50 g each w/o shell) to the onions. Season with ½ tsp nutmeg, ½ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper.

  

• Knead the mixture by hand until it becomes pale and sticky. Divide it into 6 portions.

  Nami's Tip: To prep ahead, make the meat mixture the night before and chill it overnight—this actually helps the flavors meld. Shape, bread, and fry the next day. See Notes for more make-ahead tips.

  

• Roll each portion into a ball, then toss it between your hands about 5 times.

  Nami's Tip: Tossing releases trapped air from the meat, so the balls won't break apart while deep-frying.

  

• Shape into oval patties and arrange on a plate. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30–60 minutes to solidify the fat.

  

To Bread the Patties

• Prepare 3 separate bowls for ½ cup all-purpose flour (plain flour), 2 large eggs (50 g each w/o shell) (beaten), and 1½ cups panko (Japanese breadcrumbs). Dredge each patty in the flour, then coat in the beaten egg.

  

• Coat with panko, fix the oval shape, and set on a tray.

  

To Deep-Fry

• Heat 3 cups neutral oil to 340ºF (170ºC). Check the oil temperature with an instant-read thermometer or wooden chopsticks dipped in the oil—if small bubbles form around the tips, the oil is ready.

  Add 2–3 patties at a time and deep-fry in batches (I cooked 2 at a time).

  Nami's Tip: Do not crowd the pot, or the oil temperature will drop quickly. Your ingredients should take up no more than half the oil's surface area at any time. For more tips, read my How to Deep-Fry Food guide.

  

• Leave the patties undisturbed for the first 2 minutes so they don't break apart. Cook for 3 minutes, flip, and cook another 3 minutes, until golden brown.

  Drain on a wire rack for 1–2 minutes, then continue frying the remaining patties.

  Nami's Tip: Residual heat will finish cooking the inside. Before frying the next batch, scoop out any crumbs in the oil with a fine-mesh skimmer—otherwise they'll burn, stick to your new patties, and darken the oil.

  

To Serve

• Serve immediately, topped with the sauce of your choice. You can also tuck it into a Menchi Katsu Sandwich.

  Nami's Tip: I recommend Tonkatsu Sauce, Japanese Tartar Sauce, Worcestershire sauce, or a combination of ketchup + tonkatsu sauce or Worcestershire sauce.

  

To Store

• Cool completely, then store in an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month.

  To reheat, no need to thaw first—bake straight from frozen (or refrigerated) at 350ºF (180ºC) until warmed through, about 15–25 minutes for frozen (about 15 minutes if refrigerated).

  Nami's Tip: Crumple your aluminum foil first, then spread it out. This allows the grease to drain away and makes your food crispier.

Ingredients

• Tartar sauce: I like to serve this dish with homemade, Japanese-style Tartar Sauce.
• Tonkatsu sauce: Use store bought or make homemade Tonkatsu Sauce.

Make Ahead

• Prep the meat – Make the meat mixture the night before and chill—this actually helps meld the flavors. Shape, bread, and fry for dinner the next evening.
• Fry and freeze – Cook the patties, cool completely, and flash-freeze in a single layer. Transfer to a freezer bag and freeze for up to 1 month. To reheat, bake from frozen in a toaster oven at 350°F (175°C) for 10–12 minutes.
• Don’t freeze and fry raw – Deep-frying frozen raw patties is tricky, as the outside browns too quickly while the center stays undercooked. Also, freezing after frying preserves the quality better than freezing raw meat. Fry first, then freeze for best results.

Variations

• Adjust the meat ratio. More beef gives a firmer patty, while more pork makes it softer. Go all beef for ground beef katsu.
• Try chicken. Ground chicken or turkey makes a leaner patty. Add a little extra panko to bind it.
• Bake it. Pre-toast the panko, then bake the patties for a lighter cutlet. See my Baked Chicken Katsu recipe for the technique.
• Go meatless. Use a firm plant-based ground in place of the beef and pork.
• Make it a sando. Tuck a cutlet between toasted milk bread with shredded cabbage and sauce to make my Menchi Katsu Sandwich.

Calories: 477kcal, Carbohydrates: 25g, Protein: 32g, Fat: 27g, Saturated Fat: 15g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 8g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 182mg, Sodium: 425mg, Potassium: 506mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 169IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 74mg, Iron: 5mg