Menchi Katsu

A beloved yoshoku (Western-influenced Japanese) creation born in Tokyo's Meiji-era butcher shops and yōshoku restaurants, menchi katsu encases a juicy, well-seasoned minced beef and pork patty in a crackling golden panko crust. Today it is the quintessential depachika (department store basement) snack and a staple of late-night shotengai (shopping street) stalls.

Serves: 4 (8 cutlets)

Ingredients

Filling

• 250g (9 oz) minced beef
• 250g (9 oz) minced pork
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 1 tbsp (15ml) butter
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 3 tbsp panko breadcrumbs
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Breading

• 60g (½ cup) plain flour
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 150g (1½ cups) panko breadcrumbs

Frying & Serving

• Vegetable oil for deep-frying
• Bull-Dog tonkatsu sauce or Worcestershire sauce
• Shredded cabbage and English mustard to serve

Instructions

1. Sweat the diced onion in butter over medium heat until soft and translucent, 8–10 minutes. Spread on a plate and cool completely.
2. Combine minced meats, cooled onion, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, nutmeg, egg, and panko. Season well. Mix thoroughly with clean hands until the mixture is sticky and cohesive.
3. Divide into 8 equal portions (about 90g/3 oz each). Shape each into an oval patty about 1.5cm (½ inch) thick, pressing firmly to eliminate air pockets.
4. Set up a breading station: flour, beaten egg, panko. Dredge each patty in flour, dip in egg, then coat thoroughly in panko, pressing lightly so the crumbs adhere.
5. Heat oil to 170°C (340°F) in a deep pot or wok. Fry 3–4 patties at a time for 5–6 minutes, turning once, until deep golden brown and cooked through (internal temp 75°C/165°F). Do not crowd the pot.
6. Drain on a rack. Rest 2 minutes before serving with shredded cabbage, mustard, and generous lashings of tonkatsu sauce.

Cook's Notes: The trick to juicy menchi katsu is cooking the onions down before mixing — raw onion releases water and steams the meat from inside. Some shops add a small cube of cheese in the centre for a gooey surprise.