Ham Katsu (Deep-fried Panko Breaded Ham)

Ham Katsu is a deep-fried, panko coated cutlet made with thinly sliced ham. It’s made the identical manner as Tonkatsu, however a thick slice of pork is changed by a really skinny, spherical piece of processed ham.

That is one in every of my nostalgic meals that I sometimes get an urge to eat. I have to say the genuine Ham Katsu incorporates a really small quantity of protein in comparison with the coating that consists of flour, egg, and panko breadcrumbs. However this unbalanced proportion makes the cutlet extraordinarily crunchy.

About Ham Katsu

Ham Katsu originated in Japan after WWII. It’s stated that pressed ham was created after the conflict and other people began frying it at delicatessen retailers. Even low-quality low-cost ham turned scrumptious when deep-fried with panko breadcrumbs.

Previously, freshly cooked Ham Katsu had been served by butchers together with Korokke, and sometimes purchased and eaten by youngsters. I used to be one in every of them.

Maybe due to this, Ham Katsu had connotations of low-cost meals, and ranked beneath the opposite cutlets akin to Tonkatsu. Through the excessive financial development interval in Japan, Ham Katsu was even known as a poor man’s meals.

Genuine model of ham cutlet.

It’s certainly an affordable dish to make in comparison with Tonkatsu, and it turned in style amongst frequent individuals.

The unique Ham Katsu used a really skinny slice of spherical ham with a thick panko coating. Should you halve it, you possibly can see a slice of paper-thin ham sandwiched within the thick crumbed coating.

As of late, Ham Katsu makes use of a thick slice of ham, like ham steaks. Maybe it tries to compete towards Tonkatsu, however I have to admit that I like the unique skinny model of Ham Katsu higher than the fashionable Ham Katsu.

The fashionable model of thick ham cutlet.

Immediately’s recipe is the panko breaded ham cooked identical to how I bear in mind it in my childhood, besides that I used 2 slices of ham per piece of cutlet.

What’s in My Ham Katsu (Deep-fried Panko Breaded Ham)

• Thinly sliced pork ham (spherical form)
• Pepper
• Flour
• Egg
• Panko breadcrumbs
• Oil to deep fry (not within the photograph above)

I purchased a pack of thinly sliced smoked ham, however you should use any spherical ham. The diameter of my ham was about 9cm/3 9⁄16″, the thickness was lower than 2mm/3⁄32″. As a result of the ham is so skinny, I used 2 slices with the intention to actually style the ham.

You solely want pepper for seasoning for the reason that ham is already salty.

Serving

I added a small quantity of Japanese mustard, karashi, as a condiment. It goes properly with Ham Katsu. I made karashi from the karashi powder (the proper photograph above), however karashi paste in a tube (the left photograph) is OK too. Should you don’t have karashi, you should use English mustard.

I ate my Ham Katsu with fruity tonkatsu sauce, however you should use Worcestershire sauce or chūno sauce as a substitute. I typically eat them with out a sauce.

Methods to Make Ham Katsu (Deep-fried Panko Breaded Ham)

There may be nothing particular about making Ham Katsu. That is maybe the best of all of the cutlet recipes since you hardly spend any time on making ready the ham.

1. Put 2 slices of ham collectively and season the floor of the ham with pepper.
2. Coat the ham with flour, egg, and panko breadcrumbs.
3. Warmth oil to 170-180°C/338-356°F and deep-fry the crumbed ham till golden brown.
4. Lower the spherical fried ham in half and serve with greens, karashi mustard, and a sauce of your selection.

Don’t overcrowd the oil with too many cutlet items. In case you are frying the cutlet in batches, take away the breadcrumbs within the oil utilizing a advantageous skimmer earlier than placing the subsequent batch within the oil.

You might be in all probability consuming extra breadcrumbs than ham, however that is the genuine Ham Katsu. It doesn’t cease you from utilizing a thick slice of ham to make Ham Katsu, and the method is identical, besides that you will want to deep-fry a bit longer.

You can even put a slice of cheese between the 2 slices of ham and deep-fry. The melting cheese is appetising.

What makes me smile after I chunk into my Ham Katsu is the sound of the crunchiness that comes from the thick breadcrumb coating with the paper-thin ham.

Yumiko

Ham Katsu (Deep-fried Panko Breaded Ham)

Ham Katsu is a deep-fried panko coated cutlet made with thinly sliced ham. It’s made the identical manner as Tonkatsu, however a thick slice of pork is changed with a really skinny, spherical piece of processed ham.

Cook dinner Time assumes that one Ham Katsu is deep-fried at a time. Should you fry two or 4 items at a time, the Cook dinner Time can be halved or quartered respectively.

Do not forget to see the part ‘MEAL IDEAS’ beneath the recipe card! It offers you an inventory of dishes that I’ve already posted and this recipe that may make up a whole meal. I hope it’s of assist to you.

Recipe Sort:

Important

Delicacies:

Japanese

Key phrase:

ham cutlet recipe, Ham recipe

Serves: 2

Creator: Yumiko

Substances (tbsp=15ml, cup=250ml)

• 8
  slices
  thinly sliced ham
  (80g/2.8oz, notice 1)
• 2
  pinches
  pepper
• 2
  tbsp
  flour
• 1
  egg
• 1⅓
  cups
  panko breadcrumbs
• Oil to deep fry

Directions

1. Put two slices of ham collectively with the intention to deal with them as whether it is one slice of ham. You’ll have 4 units of ham.

2. Sprinkle pepper on each side of every set of ham.

3. Take one set of ham at a time, coat the ham with flour then pat to shake off extra flour. Place the floured ham within the egg and coat throughout (notice 4). Switch to the breadcrumbs and totally cowl the ham with breadcrumbs.

4. Warmth oil in a frying pan or a shallow saucepan to 170-180°C/338-356°F. You solely want 2-2.5cm/1” deep of oil.

5. Gently put hams within the oil with out overlapping (notice 5), and fry for 1-1.5 minutes. Flip them over and cook dinner for one more minute or so till the floor turns into golden brown.

6. Switch the Ham Katsu onto a tray with a rack, or lined with a few layers of paper towel to empty extra oil.

7. Lower every Ham Katsu in half, making two semi-circle items (notice 6).

8. Place shredded greens on one aspect of a serving plate and place 4 semi-circle Ham Katsu subsequent to it. Put a knob of mustard on the aspect of the plate and serve with a sauce of your selection in a small jar or a bowl.

Recipe Notes

1. I used smoked leg ham, which weighed 10g/0.4oz per slice. It was spherical and about 9cm/3 9⁄16″ in diameter. The thickness was lower than 2mm/3⁄32″. I used thinly sliced ham in the present day in order that I could make an genuine model of Ham Katsu.

You should use thicker ham to make the dish extra substantial. You’ll need to deep-fry the thick Ham Katsu for a barely longer interval.

2. You don’t have to make use of mustard, however I feel that it goes properly with Ham Katsu. You may substitute Japanese karashi mustard with English mustard.

3. I like to make use of fruity thick tonkatsu sauce after I eat deep-fried crumbed dishes akin to Ham Katsu, Tonkatsu, and Korokke. However you may also use a much less fruity sauce akin to chūno sauce and Worcestershire sauce.

4. The egg typically doesn’t stick on the flour, particularly when there may be an excessive amount of flour on the ham. It is very important coat the ham with the egg totally in order that the breadcrumbs can stick with the ham higher.

5. Don’t overcrowd the oil with too many Ham Katsu items. My pot couldn’t take multiple, however if in case you have a big pan, you possibly can match extra.

In case you are frying the Ham Katsu in batches, take away the breadcrumbs within the oil utilizing a advantageous skimmer earlier than placing the subsequent batch within the oil.

6. Should you choose, serve Ham Katsu with out halving them.

7. Diet per serving. It’s assumed that the oil absorption charge is 20%.

serving: 127g energy: 437kcal fats: 27g (35%) saturated fats: 3g (15%) trans fats: 0.2g polyunsaturated fats: 5.1g monounsaturated fats: 17g ldl cholesterol: 119mg (40%) sodium: 683mg (11%) carbohydrates: 30g (11%) dietary fibre: 1.8g (6%) sugar: 2.7g protein: 17g vitamin D: 1mcg (4%) calcium: 81mg (6%) iron: 2.7mg (15%) potassium: 249mg (5%)