Tonkatsu - Two Ways (Classic vs Modernist)

Shokupan (Japanese milk bread) requirement

Ultra-tender, fluffy, slightly sweet - Alternative: "Store bought white bread" (less ideal) - Texture foundation for authentic tonkatsu

"Store bought white bread"

Crust removal** before processing - "Help make sure that all of our Nama Peno very tender and consistent" - Uniform texture throughout 3. **Cut into planks** that fit food processor - Manageable sizing for freezing - "Cut these in half just because it's going to fit into my bag nicely" 4. **Complete freezing required** before shaving - "Rock hard...a lot easier to work with and shave" - "Before it was in there it's just super tender and fluffy this is going to really mash up your panco" - Frozen = clean shaving; fresh = mushes 5. **Slicer attachment (mandolin attachment)** precision - "Actually called a slicer attachment" - **1/16" thickness setting** for ideal shavings - "This is going to give us really nice shavings of the bread" 6. **"Beautiful Lacy slices"** texture goal - "This is exactly what you're looking for here" - "Not like how you've seen panko before" - "Super tender in this state" 7. **Minimal handling** to preserve structure - "For moving around every time you touch it these beautiful Lacy slices of fresh bread will break apart" - "We kind of want to preserve that" 8. **Bag while cold** with moisture trapped - "While it's still cold like this while all the moisture is still trapped in there we're going to bag it up" - Prevents premature drying 9. **Damp towel in storage bag

"I like to have a damp towel...this is going to add a little extra moisture just a little" - Maintains ideal humidity

"I like to have a damp towel...this is going to add a little extra moisture just a little"

Boneless 1" thick pork chops** starting point - Standard retail cut - Uniform thickness for even cooking 14. **Score fat cap every 2"** before pounding - "Cut through that cap cuz otherwise if you don't cut those this whole thing might curl up in the fryer" - "Nicely separated apart it'll help it fry real flat" 15. **Weigh before pounding** for salt calculation - "That weight is going to help us know the exact amount of salt we going to use" - Record initial weight (packaging may show it) 16. **1% salt to total weight** of pork (classic method) - Precision seasoning formula - Not visual/taste-based (mathematical) 17. **Ziplock bag pounding method** (sides trimmed off) - "Trim it away so now that our bag's ready" - Creates open pounding surface - Prevents tearing/sticking 18. **Pound 1" → 1/2" thickness** target - Exact doubling of surface area - "Looking for just about a half inch" - Check multiple spots (fat may be thicker) 19. **Even thickness critical** for uniform frying - "Some spots like I'm seeing over here on the fat it's a little high" - "Pounded that out a little thinner" - Visual + ruler checking 20. **Dry brining: 1% salt, 1 hour fridge rest

"We're going to season it and we're going to allow it to sit in the fridge for 1 hour" - Surface penetration + moisture retention

"We're going to season it and we're going to allow it to sit in the fridge for 1 hour"

Standard breading temp/time** (longer than sous vide) - Full cooking happens during frying - Meat starts raw → fully cooked in fryer 22. **Three-stage breading:** flour → egg → nama panko - "Can't do it without them" - Classic technique progression 23. **Fine mesh sieve for eggs

"Bead it well use a fine mesh sieve strain it" - Removes chalazae, ensures smooth coating

"Bead it well use a fine mesh sieve strain it"

Rack elevated drainage** after frying - "Rack set up on a tray that way when it comes out being all nice and crispy it's elevated still allowing that fat to drain" - Prevents soggy bottom 25. **Pastry brush flour application

"Not wanting to build up too much flour here just enough to fully coat the surface" - Light, even coating (not clumpy)

"Not wanting to build up too much flour here just enough to fully coat the surface"

Thorough drying before egg

"Make sure it's thoroughly dried" - Prevents egg dilution/sliding --- ### MODERNIST METHOD - PORK COLLAR (SOUS VIDE) **Cut:** Pork collar (neck end of shoulder) - "Best cut on a pig...super tender super juicy very rich and fatty" **Tenderization:** Time + temperature (sous vide) **Time:** 16 hours cook + 2-4 hour chill + 1-2 hour reheat **Chef Quote:** "How tough this cut is sous vide is going to be how we're going to tenderize it"

"Make sure it's thoroughly dried"

Three temperature options** for different textures: - **60°C:** "My favorite for staky yet tender" - **65°C:** "More tender" - **70°C:** "Converging on brazy" - All cook **16 hours** regardless of temp choice 28. **0.5% salt in bag** (half of classic method) - "Measure out a half% salt to the weight of the pork" - Lower concentration for long cook time 29. **Bag brine creation** during sous vide - "It's going to create a bag brine so while it's juices come out that's all mixed with it" - "Jump start the seasoning process" - Liquid develops naturally (not added) 30. **16-hour cook time** = collagen conversion - "All that collagen converted to gelatin and it is very tender now" - Enzymatic + thermal breakdown 31. **Gnarlier appearance post-cook** = normal - "This wild cut of pork is looking even gnarlier now" - "This is just the process of it tenderizing" - Don't judge by appearance 32. **Mandatory chilling: 2-4 hours** (4 hours ideal) - "Reason for chilling is it's going to firm up nicely allowing us to get really really clean portions" - "For this to chill all the way through to set up the fat" 33. **Cold portioning = clean cuts

"Portioning this while it's cold is going to be much easier" - Fat solidifies for knife control

"Portioning this while it's cold is going to be much easier"

2" thick portions** (not classic 1/2") - "Nice thick 2in chops here" - "Beautiful thick slices of ton KATU" - Dramatic presentation vs classic 35. **Square off end** before portioning - "Squaring off the end is going to help us get those nice beautiful portions" - Professional geometric standards 36. **Ruler or eyeball** for consistency - "The ruler you can eyeball it" - Visual consistency check 37. **"Rosy color really really well marbled"** quality indicators - Pink/red preservation from low temp - Visible intramuscular fat 38. **Reheating required** before frying (critical step) - "Reheat our chops...these chops have been cooked at 60° C" - Can't fry cold center (won't warm enough) 39. **Reheat 5° below cook temp** = safety margin - "To reheat it without running the risk of overcooking I like to set the bath 5° lower" - **Cook 60°C → Reheat 55°C

Prevents overcooking during reheat