The Katsu sandwich’s elegance is not determined by its price tag… or maybe it is.
INGREDIENTS:
Slaw:
1/2 head of green cabbage, thinly sliced
3 green onions, thinly sliced
2 cloves of garlic grated
juice of 1 lemon
1/3 cup (68g) mayonnaise
salt and pepper to taste
Tonkatsu Sauce:
1/2 cup (128g) ketchup
3 tablespoons (38g) oyster sauce
1/4 cup (59g) Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons (42g) sugar
Katsu:
4 pork center loin chops. ½” thick, 4 - 5” wide
1 cup (150g) all-purpose flour
3 eggs
1 tablespoon (12g) water
2 cups (150g) panko
Salt to taste
Assembly:
White bread
Tonkatsu sauce
mayo for spreading
Assembly:
White bread
Tonkatsu sauce
mayo for spreading
A5 Katsu Sando
Saffron Black Garlic Hokkaido Bread
Tangzhong
2 tablespoons (18g) unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons (24g) water
1/4 cup (60ml) Whole Milk
Dough:
1/2 cup water, steaming hot
1.5 teaspoon (<1g) saffron threads
1/2 cup (118ml) whole milk
2.5 teaspoons (9g) instant yeast
1 large egg
1 egg yolk
3 tablespoons (42g) granulated sugar
2 teaspoons (5g) fine sea salt
3g amylase (43g) - Optional
3.5 cups (525g) of bread flour
3 tablespoons (42g) unsalted butter, softened
1 head of black garlic
Tangzhong
Bonito Tonkatsu Sauce:
2 tablespoons (25g) sake (alcohol burnt off)
1/4 cup (59g) Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons (2g) bonito flakes
3 tablespoons (38g) oyster sauce
3 tablespoons (42g) sugar
1/2 cup (128g) ketchup
Kimchi Slaw:
1/2 head of green cabbage, thinly sliced
1 shallot, thinly sliced/washed
1 tablespoon (18g) gochujang
1 tablespoon (14g) spicy chili crisp
5 garlic cloves
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup (98g) kewpie
salt
Shirodashi Yuzu:
1/2 cup (118ml) yuzu
1/2 cup (118ml) shirodashi
1 tablespoon (14g) soy sauce
Spray bottle
Sansho Togarashi:
2 tablespoons (19g) kosher salt
1 tablespoon (9g) togarashi
1.5 teaspoon (2g) sansho powder
A5 Katsu:
1 a5 wagyu striploin (at least 1 inch thick)
1 cup (150g) all-purpose flour
3 eggs - Already purchased
1 tablespoon (12g) water
2 cups (150g) panko
sansho spice mix
shirodashi yuzu mist
Assembly:
saffron bread
bonito Tonkatsu sauce
1/2 cup (98g) kewpie for spreading
kimchi slaw
INSTRUCTIONS:
Slaw:
In a large bowl, add cabbage, green onions, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste and mayo; toss together until combined and evenly coated.
Tonkatsu Sauce:
In a small saucepan, add ketchup, oyster sauce, Worcestershire, and sugar; heat over medium while constantly stirring until the sugar dissolves. Set aside.
Katsu:
Breading station: in three separate medium-sized bowls, add flour, beaten eggs with a splash of water, and panko crumbs.
Season your pork chops with salt, coat them with flour, shake off the excess, dip them in the egg mixture, fully covered (no dry spots), and dip them into the panko pressing down to coat thoroughly. Place them on a sheet tray to the side.
Fill up a heavy bottom pot just over halfway with vegetable oil. Heat to 350F, then fry your pork chops, two at a time to avoid overcrowding, for 4 - 6 minutes or until crispy, golden brown, and the internal temperature reads 165F, remove with a spider and drain on a sheet tray with a wired rack. Season with salt immediately.
Assembly:
Spread Tonkatsu sauce on the bottom bun and mayo on the top one. Add on your Katsu and a nice stack of your slaw on top. Top your sandwich, then cut off the edge on every crust to a perfect square.
Cut in half and serve immediately.
A5 Katsu Sando
Saffron Black Garlic Hokkaido Bread
Tangzhong
In a small saucepan, add all the ingredients and mix to combine. Heat that over medium while constantly stirring until thickened; it should have a paste consistency. Set aside to cool down completely.
Dough:
Preheat the oven to 375F.
Add water to a container, add saffron threads, and blend with an immersion blender. Add milk to your saffron; once the temperature reaches 95F, add yeast and whisk until dissolved. Then beat in one large egg and one egg yolk to homogenous.
In a bowl of a standing mixer, add flour, sea salt, and sugar. Optionally add amylase. Mix all together, add your saffron mixture and Tangzhong; place on your stand mixer with the hook attachment and mix on medium speed until you get a rough dough.
Add butter, and allow it to mix for 3 - 5 minutes, or until smooth and extensible. Remove from the mixer, and spread it on an unfloured surface.
Shape it into a rough rectangle, about 6x10”, and spread black garlic across the surface of the dough. Scrape the edges with a bench scraper and fold the edge towards the middle, then the right over that, and then fold the top towards you.
“Slap and fold” and knead the dough until homogenous. Form into a light ball and place into a greased ball. Wrap with plastic, and proof overnight in the fridge.
Punch your dough down, divide it into 2 pieces and roll each piece into a rough rectangle, about the same as a 9x5” loaf pan. Next, spray your loaf pan with cooking spray, roll up your dough into a log, add in your log seam side up, and lightly wrap with greased plastic wrap (or a lid)—proof for 2 hours or when the bread is barely peaking over the top.
Bake for 18 - 20 minutes or until golden brown. Brush with melted butter as desired, cool completely on a wire rack, with your bread turned on inside to keep the top domed until cooled to room temperature.
Bonito Tonkatsu Sauce:
In a saucepot, add sake, set to medium-high, boil, and reduce by half. Add the rest of the ingredients and continue to heat until the sugar dissolves. Pass through a fine strain mesh strainer.
Kimchi Slaw:
In a medium size, bowl add all ingredients and combine until thoroughly mixed—season to taste with salt and set aside.
Shirodashi Yuzu:
In a container, mix all ingredients, mix, and place in a spray bottle.
Sansho Togarashi:
In a small bowl, combine all ingredients and mix until combined.
A5 Katsu:
Breading station: in three separate medium-sized bowls, add flour, beaten eggs with a splash of water, and panko crumbs.
Season A5 generously with salt, coat them with flour, shake off the excess, dip them in the egg mixture, fully covered (no dry spots), and dip them into the panko pressing down to coat thoroughly. Place them on a sheet tray to the side.
Fill up a heavy bottom pot just over halfway with vegetable oil. Heat to 360F, then fry your A5 for 4 - 6 minutes or until crispy and golden brown. Remove with a spider and drain on a sheet tray with a wired rack. Spray your A5 with your “yuzu mist” and season with your “sansho togarashi Spice.”
Assembly:
Get 2 slices of your bread, spread katsu sauce on the bottom, and kewpie mayo on the top. Next, lay down your A5 Katsu, add kimchi slaw generously, and top your katsu sandwich with the other half.
Slice in half and enjoy.
