Description
Menchi Katsu is a delicious Japanese ground meat cutlet made with a flavorful mixture of sautéed onions, ground beef, and seasonings, coated in panko breadcrumbs, and fried to a crispy golden brown. Perfectly juicy inside with a crunchy exterior, this dish is a comforting and satisfying meal best served hot with homemade katsu sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat Mixture
- 100 g onion, finely diced
- 250 g ground beef (for frying)
- 1 egg yolk
- 3 tbsp panko breadcrumbs
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 tbsp mirin
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Coating
- 85 g all-purpose flour (for dusting)
- 1 egg (beaten, for coating)
- Cooking oil, for frying
- Additional panko breadcrumbs for coating
To Serve
- Homemade katsu sauce
Instructions
- Sauté Onions and Brown Meat: Heat butter in a frying pan over medium heat and sauté the finely diced onions until golden and translucent. Add the ground beef and cook thoroughly until browned and no pink remains, breaking it up as it cooks.
- Season and Cool Mixture: Stir in mirin and Worcestershire sauce to the cooked meat mixture. Remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool down to room temperature to ensure the egg yolk and breadcrumbs mix well later on.
- Mix Meat Mixture: In a mixing bowl, combine the cooled meat mixture with the egg yolk, 3 tablespoons of panko breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper. Mix until fully incorporated but avoid overmixing.
- Shape and Chill Patties: Form the mixture into evenly sized patties. Place them on a tray and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to firm up, which helps maintain their shape during frying.
- Coat Patties: Prepare a breading station with three shallow dishes: one with all-purpose flour for dusting, one with beaten egg, and one with panko breadcrumbs. Dredge each patty first in the flour, then dip it fully into the beaten egg, and finally coat generously with panko breadcrumbs.
- Fry Patties: Heat cooking oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Fry the coated patties in the hot oil until golden brown and crispy on both sides, about 3-4 minutes per side. Ensure the patties are cooked through and reach a safe internal temperature.
- Serve: Remove the patties from the oil and drain excess oil on paper towels. Serve hot with homemade katsu sauce for dipping, enjoying the crunchy exterior and juicy inside.
Notes
- For best results, use fresh ground beef with about 15-20% fat content to maintain juicy patties.
- Ensure the oil is hot enough before frying to avoid greasy cutlets; around 170-180°C (340-360°F) is ideal.
- The chilling step is important to help the patties hold their shape and create a better crust.
- Panko breadcrumbs create a lighter and crunchier coating compared to regular breadcrumbs.
- Homemade katsu sauce can be made by mixing ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, and a little sugar.
- Leftover Menchi Katsu can be reheated in an oven or air fryer to retain crispiness.
