[Explanation of how to fry! ] How to freeze and thaw pork cutlet, remake recipe!

Have you ever had a problem because you made too much tonkatsu, or you bought tonkatsu as a side dish, but you couldn't eat it all?

In such cases, if you know how to store tonkatsu before and after frying, you can use it as a convenient stock dish!

You can think of many ways to arrange tonkatsu, such as changing the sauce or making it into a rice bowl. If you freeze it and save it, it will become a strong ally for housewives.

Here we will introduce all the ways to freeze tonkatsu that you will benefit from knowing.

Advantages of freezing tonkatsu

Can shorten cooking time

A simple explanation of how to prepare tonkatsu is as follows: 1) cut the sinew of pork, pre-treat it with salt and pepper, 2) dip it in flour, egg liquid, and breadcrumbs, and 3) fry it.

Especially if you try to do steps 2 and 3 every time, the kitchen will get dirty and it will be a hassle. By making a large amount and storing it in the freezer, you can skip the troublesome steps and enjoy delicious tonkatsu.

Convenient to make as a side dish

Frozen pork cutlets can be arranged as you like. Even if you have a lot of stock, it is convenient because it is easy to serve on the table.

There are various ways to arrange it, such as making the sauce tomato-based, eating it with bread, or cooking it as a rice bowl (katsudon, sauce katsudon, etc.). If you cut it into small pieces and freeze it, you can conveniently use it for lunch boxes.

How to freeze tonkatsu

We will introduce how to freeze tonkatsu in two ways: ``deep-fried'' and ``pre-fried'' (with batter on it).

How to freeze fried food

1) Remove the heat from the fried tonkatsu. Wait until the center has cooled completely (about 20 to 30 minutes).
If you freeze the food before it has cooled down, it may get damaged during freezing.

2) Wrap the cooled pork cutlets one by one in plastic wrap, arrange them on a metal tray so they don't overlap, and put them in the freezer.

3) Once 2) is frozen, put it in an airtight container (freezer bag, Tupperware, etc.), remove as much air as possible, and then put it back in the freezer to save.

How to freeze before frying

1) Cook the pork cutlet until coated.
2) Wrap each piece in plastic wrap, arrange them on a metal tray so they don't overlap, and put them in the freezer.

3) Once 2) is frozen, put it in an airtight container (freezer bag, Tupperware, etc.), remove as much air as possible, and then put it back in the freezer to save.

When you thaw frozen pork cutlets, drips (gravy) will come out easily. Therefore, be careful not to get burned as the oil may splash while frying.

[Points for freezing tonkatsu deliciously]
- Metal trays have good thermal conductivity, allowing heat to quickly escape from the material. Therefore, by placing the food on a metal tray and placing it in the freezer, it will freeze more quickly and will not lose its deliciousness.

・To prevent deterioration such as oxidation caused by exposure to air in the freezer, transfer the tonkatsu to a sealed container.

How to defrost tonkatsu

We will explain how to defrost tonkatsu in two ways: before frying (frying or using the oven) and after frying.

How to defrost tonkatsu before frying

■How to fry frozen tonkatsu
1) Remove the plastic wrap from the frozen tonkatsu and fry it in oil while still frozen.
*If you thaw it, it will become sticky and difficult to fry.
*If there is any frost on it when frozen, remove it thoroughly before adding it to the oil. It is dangerous as the oil may splash.

[Key points for skillfully frying frozen tonkatsu]
The temperature of the oil is low at first (160℃), and once it is cooked, fry it at a high temperature (180℃) to cook through the batter without burning it and to give it an even crispier texture. can do.

If you fry a lot of frozen pork cutlets at once, the temperature of the oil will drop too much and you won't be able to fry them properly. Try to put about 1 to 2 pieces in the oil as much as possible.

If you are frying a few pieces or a large amount, you can fry them all in low-temperature oil and then fry them twice in hot oil.

■How to cook in the oven
1) Line the frozen tonkatsu with parchment paper on a plate in the oven and arrange them so they don't overlap.

2) Heat at 200-220℃ for 15-20 minutes.
Please adjust the heating temperature and time depending on the size and thickness of the tonkatsu.
3) It's done when it's golden brown and cooked through.

How to defrost tonkatsu after frying

1) The day before cooking, move it to the refrigerator and thaw it. If you don't have time, you can use the defrost function in the microwave.
2) Remove the plastic wrap and bake in a toaster oven, fish grill, or microwave.

To make it even more crispy, you can also spray it with salad oil or olive oil and then heat it.
3) Once the tonkatsu is browned and warmed through, it's done.
*Make sure the whole thing is warmed up. If the center is not warm, keep an eye on it and heat it up.

Storage period of tonkatsu

-Approximately half a day at room temperature. It depends on the season and indoor temperature, but as a general rule, don't store it at room temperature, but instead put it in the refrigerator.

-Approximately 2 days if refrigerated. If you have more than that, please freeze it.

・The storage period when frozen is approximately 1 month.
You can eat it even after the storage period has passed, but we recommend eating it as soon as possible to avoid losing its umami and flavor.

5 Arranged Pork Cutlet Recipes

One-bite pork cutlet perfect for lunch box ~ Soy sauce garlic ~

Source: https://cookpad.com/recipe/2769627

It's seasoned well, so you can enjoy it as is as a delicious side dish to rice. Perfect for lunch boxes.

☑材料 （６個分）
豚モモ肉　１７０ｇ
にんにく（すりおろし、チューブでも可） 半片
砂糖　小さじ１
醤油　大さじ１
あらびきこしょう　少々
卵　１個
小麦粉　大さじ２
揚げ油 適量

<How to make>
1) Cut the pork into bite-sized pieces that are easy to put in lunch boxes.
2) Mix grated garlic, sugar, soy sauce, and pepper, and marinate the pork for 30 minutes.
3) Lightly squeeze out the water from step 2) and mix it with eggs and flour in a bowl.
4) Coat step 3) in bread crumbs and fry in oil to complete.

Pork cutlet arrangement Cheese cutlet with tomato sauce

Source: https://cookpad.com/recipe/4456941

You can change your mood by making some changes to frozen tonkatsu.

☑材料 （2人分）
とんかつ（残り物でも、お惣菜でも、冷凍でもなんでもOK）２枚
ピザ用チーズ　２つかみくらい
トマト　半分
玉ねぎ　半部
オリーブオイル 大さじ１/２
ケチャップ　大さじ２
ブラックペッパー　少々
乾燥パセリ　適量

<How to make>
1) Cut the tonkatsu (defrost if frozen) into bite-sized pieces. Place on crumpled aluminum foil and top with cheese.
2) Place in the toaster to warm and melt the cheese. (If there is a fry warming mode, use that mode)
3) Finely chop the tomatoes and onions. Fry the onions in olive oil, and when they soften, add the tomatoes and stir.
4) Stir-fry the tomatoes while breaking them up, and when the water comes out, add the ketchup. Mix well, sprinkle with black pepper and turn off the heat.
5) Once the tonkatsu from 2) is warm, place it on a plate, sprinkle with tomato sauce, and sprinkle with parsley.

Boiled pork cutlet in soy sauce

Source: https://cookpad.com/recipe/3560198

Adding seasoning to the soy sauce base gives the usual tonkatsu a different feel. This recipe goes well with rice and is perfect for lunch boxes.

☑材料 （１人分）
とんかつ　３枚（水な分量でOK）
醤油　適量
みりん　適量
だし　適量

<How to make>
1) Place soy sauce, mirin, and dashi in a pot and bring to a boil. The key point is that it's similar to the soup stock used when making katsudon. If you like it sweeter, add more mirin, or if you want something lighter, add more dashi stock.
2) Place the pork cutlet in a pot and simmer lightly.

Ankake pork cutlet bowl

Source: https://cookpad.com/recipe/1584117

Arrange your usual katsudon! This is a convenient arrangement menu because you can use your favorite vegetables or the vegetables you have in the fridge.

☑材料 （１人分）
温かいご飯　250g（お好み量）
豚かつ（残り物でも冷凍品でもなんでもOK）1枚
玉ねぎ　４分１個
長ネギ　１本弱
麺つゆ（濃縮） ６５cc
水　２００cc
玉子　1個
片栗粉 適量
水（片栗粉と同量）適量

<How to make>
1) Cut half of the green onion diagonally. Cut the remaining half into small pieces. Also thinly slice the onion.
2) Cut the pork cutlet into bite-sized pieces. Make a broth by combining the mentsuyu and water.
Prepare potato starch dissolved in water.
3) After serving the rice in a bowl, pour the broth from 2) into a frying pan and bring to a boil. When it boils, add pork cutlet and simmer.
4) Once the pork cutlet from 3) is cooked, place it on top of the rice.
5) Add the onion and green onion from 2) to the frying pan where the pork cutlet was stewed and bring to a boil. When it boils, lower the heat and add the potato starch dissolved in water to thicken it.
6) Bring 5) to a boil again, mix the eggs gently and add them, turn the heat off when the eggs are half-cooked. Pour over the pork cutlet from 4) and top with small green onions if you like.

Kim cheese scissors pork cutlet with salt koji

Source: https://cookpad.com/recipe/1765842

Make an arranged tonkatsu using thinly sliced pork. The salt and koji, kimchi, and cheese go together in perfect balance!

☑材料 （2人前）
豚肉（生姜焼き用）4枚程度
キムチ（お好みで）適量
ピザ用チーズ（お好みで）適量
大葉　4枚程度
★塩麹　大さじ1
★酒　少々
★あらびき胡椒　少々
★化学調味料　少々
〇パン粉 150ｇ
〇オリーブオイル 大さじ1
添え用野菜（お好みでなんでもOK）適量
チャーピル　少々

<How to make>
1) Mix the ★ seasonings, add the pork and marinate for at least 1 hour.
2) Place shiso leaves, kimchi, and cheese on top of one piece of pork, then place another piece of pork on top and sandwich.
3) Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a frying pan and stir-fry the breadcrumbs over low heat, being careful not to burn them.
4) Once the breadcrumbs from 3) are browned, coat the tonkatsu from 1) with the breadcrumbs.
5) Depending on the model, bake it in the fry mode of the microwave.
If using a grill, heat for about 17 to 20 minutes, being careful not to burn the surface.

Conclusion

What did you think? Tonkatsu is a popular menu item, but if you find it troublesome to make it often, please try making a large quantity and freezing it in stock.

You'll also be happy to know that if you keep the following points in mind when defrosting, you can keep it crispy and delicious even after defrosting.

Also, if you put a little effort into arranging the usual pork cutlet, you can serve it as a completely different dish. You can easily expand your cooking repertoire, so please give it a try.