A Chef's Recipe

Crispy Pork Katsu

Name: Crispy Pork Katsu with Jus Gras
Prep time: 50 min
Cook time: 1 h 45 min
Total time: 2 h 35 min
Yield: 2 serves
Cuisine: Japanese, French
Ingredients: 1 whole large chicken, broken down (reserve 1 breast for roasting); 8 chicken wings; 5 litres brown chicken stock; 2 large carrots, diced; 2 large onions, diced (skin left on); 2 garlic cloves; 50 g butter; 1 tbsp tomato paste; 300 ml white wine vinegar; 1 sprig tarragon; Lemon juice, to taste; 2 x 200 g pork topside steaks, trimmed and lightly flattened; Sea salt and cracked pepper; ½ cup plain flour; 2 eggs, beaten; 1½ cups panko breadcrumbs; Vegetable oil, for shallow-frying

with Jus Gras

by chef Darren O'Rourke

Serves 2 35 Minutes, Jus Gras Made Ahead

Panko-crumbed pork katsu, fried deep golden and sliced into strips, sitting in a pool of glossy jus gras in a white bowl

A pork steak crumbed in panko, fried until deep golden and sliced over jus gras, the rich French sauce built from roasted chicken and reduced stock. It's Japanese technique with a classic French sauce, and the jus can be made well ahead and kept in the freezer.

Topside is a lean, boneless cut from the pork leg. It comes whole and slices into steaks at home: two 200 g steaks, trimmed and lightly flattened, are all this recipe needs. Look for pork topside in store at Eltham or Laverton North.

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The Shopping List

The jus gras makes about 500 ml, more than two serves need. Make the base ahead, reduce it to a glaze and freeze it in ice cube trays, ready to reconstitute as required. For an extra-crisp crumb, double-crumb the pork with a second pass through egg and panko before frying.

The Jus Gras

1 whole large chicken, broken down (reserve 1 breast for roasting)
8 chicken wings
5 litres brown chicken stock
2 large carrots, diced
2 large onions, diced (skin left on)
2 garlic cloves
50 g butter
1 tbsp tomato paste
300 ml white wine vinegar
1 sprig tarragon
Lemon juice, to taste

The Pork Katsu

2 x 200 g pork topside steaks, trimmed and lightly flattened
Sea salt and cracked pepper
½ cup plain flour
2 eggs, beaten
1½ cups panko breadcrumbs
Vegetable oil, for shallow-frying
Jus gras (above)

The Method

The Jus Gras

Break down the chicken, reserving one breast for roasting and dicing the rest.
Roast the carcass and wings at 200°C until deep golden brown, then reserve the rendered fat.
In a large pot, brown the carrot, onion and garlic in a little oil, stir through the butter, then strain off excess fat.
Add the roasted chicken, diced breast, tomato paste and white wine vinegar, and reduce by half.
Pour in the brown stock and simmer, reducing until half the liquid has evaporated, then strain through a fine sieve.
Continue reducing to a light sauce consistency, season with lemon juice and stir through the reserved chicken fat.
Keep warm until ready to serve.

The Pork Katsu

Season the pork steaks with salt and pepper.
Dust in flour, dip in egg, then coat firmly in panko breadcrumbs.
Shallow-fry in vegetable oil over medium-high heat for 3 to 4 minutes each side until deep golden brown and cooked through.
Season with sea salt while hot then rest for a few minutes and slice into strips.
Plate and spoon warm jus gras generously around the pork.

In Store

Pick up the cut in store.

Look for pork topside in our retail outlets.

Eltham

2/266 Bolton Street
Eltham VIC 3095

Laverton North

10 Raymond Rd
Laverton North VIC 3026

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