Tonkatsu Sauce

What do Italy, Germany, and Japan have in common? They all serve a family favorite: crispy, breadcrumb-coated, fried pork cutlets. In Italy, it's called Milanese and is made with chicken, pork, or veal. Germans call it schnitzel. In Japan, it’s called katsu, which roughly translates to "cutlet." Unlike other cutlets coated with fine-textured breadcrumbs, katsu is prepared with panko, a coarser textured crumb, resulting in maximum crispiness. 

Aside from the panko coating, what also sets katsu apart from fried cutlets in other countries is the sauce. Tonkatsu refers to deep-fried pork cutlets and is where the popular sauce derives its name. Tonkatsu is all about the sweet, tangy sauce, often referred to as Japanese-style barbecue sauce or katsu sauce. 

Tonkatsu sauce is super easy to make at home, especially if you can't find the popular brand Bull-Dog sauce at your local supermarket. Labeled as a fruit and vegetable sauce, all you need are four basic pantry ingredients—ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, and Dijon mustard. Another bonus: no cooking is required to make this recipe.

While tonkatsu refers to pork cutlets, tonkatsu sauce is used on all kinds of fried cutlets—chicken, beef, and even tofu. It's also the perfect dipping sauce for anything you'd normally pair with ketchup or barbecue sauce. Looking to boost your burger game? Tonkatsu sauce is the answer. Next time you're serving pulled pork, swap in this sauce for a Japanese twist on an American classic.