The delightful combination of pork and garlic flavors, complemented by a rich sauce, can be found in Tonteki. While Japanese dishes are typically mildly seasoned, when they incorporate Western elements, you can enjoy them from a different perspective.
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What is Tonteki?
Tonteki is a dish that consists of thickly sliced pork seasoned with a rich sauce, topped with garlic, and accompanied by thinly shredded green cabbage on the side. "Ton" means pork, and "teki" refers to a shortened term for steak in Japanese. Originally, this dish was served at a restaurant in Yokkaichi City, Mie Prefecture, but it has spread throughout Japan due to its delicious flavor.
Broadly speaking, it can be thought of as a pork steak, but it possesses a distinct flavor that sets it apart from a typical pork steak. The heart of this dish lies in its sauce, mainly composed of Japanese Worcestershire sauce. Be sure to give it a try.
Criteria for authentic tonteki
To distinguish tonteki from a typical pork steak, Yokkaichi City, the birthplace of tonteki, has established the following criteria for using the name 'tonteki:'
- Use thickly sliced pork.
- Apply a rich, dark-colored sauce.
- Top it with garlic.
- Serve it with shredded green cabbage.
When making it at home, it is not strictly necessary to adhere to all of these conditions, but for an authentic taste, it is recommended to follow these requirements as closely as possible. Each of these elements is essential to tonteki, with the dark-colored sauce especially representing its distinctive feature.
Exploring tonteki sauce
There are numerous recipes for tonteki sauce, but it is commonly made with Japanese Worcestershire sauce, sugar, and soy sauce to give it a rich, slightly sweet flavor. Since the sauce is a crucial element for this dish, even if you are adding your own twist, be careful not to compromise its dark color.
Here, I will share my favorite tonteki sauce recipe, which includes butter. The rich flavor of the sauce also complements the accompanying cabbage nicely.
Ingredients
- 2 (10.6oz./300g) boneless pork loin chops (thickness: 0.6-inch/1.5cm)
- - pinch of salt (for the pork)
- - pinch of ground black pepper (for the pork)
- ⅛ (4.2oz./120g) green cabbage
- 1 clove garlic
- 0.18 oz. (5g) butter
Seasonings:
- 1 ½ Tbsp Japanese Worcestershire sauce (such as Kagome or Bull-Dog brand)
- ½ Tbsp mirin
- ½ tsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
Step-by-step instructions
🕒 Total 15 mins
Step 1
Shred the cabbage. Peel the garlic and thinly slice it.
Step 2
Mix the seasonings (Japanese Worcestershire sauce, mirin, sugar, and soy sauce) in a small bowl.
Step 3
Make several incisions along the border between the lean and fatty parts of the pork using the tip of a knife. Then, sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides.
Step 4
Heat oil in a pan over low heat and add the sliced garlic. Once it has turned golden brown, transfer it to a plate.
Step 5
Put the pork in the pan and cook over medium heat until the surface browns. Once it is browned, flip it over and continue cooking until cooked through.
Step 6
Add the seasoning mixture from the bowl and butter to the pan, then bring them to a simmer for about 30 seconds.
Step 7
Remove the pork from the pan and slice it into 0.8 inch (2cm) wide pieces.
Step 8
Serve the pork on plates alongside the shredded cabbage. Pour the sauce from the pan over the pork, and then sprinkle the garlic chips on top.
To Store
You can store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Tips on how to make
- Make several incisions along the border between the lean and fatty parts of the pork. This step prevents the pork from curling up.
- Use medium heat when cooking pork. Avoiding high heat will prevent the pork from becoming tough.
Recipe Card
Tonteki (Japanese-Style Pork Steak)
Ingredients
- 2 (10.6oz./300g) boneless pork loin chops (thickness: 0.6-inch/1.5cm)
- - pinch of salt (for the pork)
- - pinch of ground black pepper (for the pork)
- ⅛ (4.2oz./120g) green cabbage
- 1 clove garlic
- 0.18 oz. (5g) butter
Seasonings:
- 1 ½ Tbsp Japanese Worcestershire sauce (such as Kagome or Bull-Dog brand)
- ½ Tbsp mirin
- ½ tsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
Instructions
- Shred the cabbage. Peel the garlic and thinly slice it.
- Mix the seasonings (Japanese Worcestershire sauce, mirin, sugar, and soy sauce) in a small bowl.
- Make several incisions along the border between the lean and fatty parts of the pork using the tip of a knife. Then, sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides.
- Heat oil in a pan over low heat and add the sliced garlic. Once it has turned golden brown, transfer it to a plate.
- Put the pork in the pan and cook over medium heat until the surface browns. Once it is browned, flip it over and continue cooking until cooked through.
- Add the seasoning mixture from the bowl and butter to the pan, then bring them to a simmer for about 30 seconds.
- Remove the pork from the pan and slice it into 0.8 inch (2cm) wide pieces.
- Serve the pork on plates alongside the shredded cabbage. Pour the sauce from the pan over the pork, and then sprinkle the garlic chips on top.
Notes
- You can store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
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