• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
UmamiPot
  • Recipes
  • By Ingredient
  • Get Started
  • About
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • By Ingredient
  • Get Started
  • About
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • By Ingredient
  • Get Started
  • About
×
Home » Recipes » Main Dishes

Tonteki (Japanese-Style Pork Steak with a Rich Flavor)

Published: Aug 19, 2022 · Modified: Sep 7, 2023 by Ryo Hikita · Leave a Comment

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.

Step-by-Step Recipe
or
Recipe Card

tonteki-1
Jump to:
  • What is Tonteki?
  • Criteria for authentic tontoki
  • About tonteki sauce
  • Ingredients
  • Step-by-step instructions
  • Tips on how to make
  • Recipe Card

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 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 tontoki

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 cabbage.

When making it at home, it's 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, in particular, representing its distinctive feature.

About tonteki sauce

There are many recipes for tonteki sauce, but it is often made rich and slightly sweet using ingredients such as Japanese Worcestershire sauce, sugar, and soy sauce. Since the sauce is a crucial element, even if you're adding your own twist, be careful not to compromise its dark color.

Here, I'll share with you my favorite tonteki sauce recipe, which includes butter. The rich flavor of the sauce also complements the accompanying cabbage nicely.

tonteki-2

Ingredients

Servings: 2

  • 2 (10.6oz./300g) boneless pork loin chops (thickness: 0.6-inch/1.5cm)
  • - pinch of salt (for pork)
  • - pinch of ground black pepper (for pork)
  • ⅛ (4.2oz./120g) cabbage
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 ½ Tbsp Japanese Worcestershire sauce (A)
  • ½ Tbsp mirin (A)
  • 1 tsp sugar (A)
  • 1 Tbsp soy sauce (A)
  • 0.18 oz. (5g) butter

Step-by-step instructions

🕒 Total 15 mins

tonteki_1

Step 1
Shred the cabbage. Peel the garlic and thinly slice it.


tonteki_2

Step 2
Mix A (Japanese Worcestershire sauce, mirin, sugar, soy sauce) in a small bowl.


tonteki_3

Step 3
Make several incisions with the tip of a knife along the border between the lean and fatty parts of the pork. Then, sprinkle salt and black pepper on both sides of the pork.


tonteki_4

Step 4
Heat oil in a pan over low heat and add the sliced garlic. Once it has turned golden brown, remove it to a plate.


tonteki_5

Step 5
Put the pork in the pan and cook it over medium-high heat until the surface browns. Once it's browned, flip it over and continue cooking over medium-low heat until it's cooked through.


tonteki_6

Step 6
Add the seasoning mixture from the bowl and the butter to the pan, then bring them to a boil for about 30 seconds.


tonteki_7

Step 7
Remove the pork from the pan and slice it into 0.8 inch (2cm) wide pieces.


tonteki_8

Step 8
Serve it on each plate alongside the shredded cabbage. Pour the sauce from the pan over the pork, and then sprinkle the garlic chips from the plate 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 and ensures even cooking.
  • Use medium heat when cooking pork. Avoiding high heat will prevent the pork from becoming tough.

Recipe Card

tonteki

Tonteki (Japanese-Style Pork Steak with a Rich Flavor)

No ratings yet
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.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 8 minutes mins
Cook Time 7 minutes mins
Total Time 15 minutes mins
Servings: 2

Ingredients
  

  • 2 (10.6oz./300g) boneless pork loin chops (thickness: 0.6-inch/1.5cm)
  • - pinch of salt (for pork)
  • - pinch of ground black pepper (for pork)
  • ⅛ (4.2oz./120g) cabbage
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 ½ Tbsp Japanese Worcestershire sauce (A)
  • ½ Tbsp mirin (A)
  • 1 tsp sugar (A)
  • 1 Tbsp soy sauce (A)
  • 0.18 oz. (5g) butter

Instructions

  • Shred the cabbage. Peel the garlic and thinly slice it.
  • Mix A (Japanese Worcestershire sauce, mirin, sugar, soy sauce) in a small bowl.
  • Make several incisions with the tip of a knife along the border between the lean and fatty parts of the pork. Then, sprinkle salt and black pepper on both sides of the pork.
  • Heat oil in a pan over low heat and add the sliced garlic. Once it has turned golden brown, remove it to a plate.
  • Put the pork in the pan and cook it over medium-high heat until the surface browns. Once it's browned, flip it over and continue cooking over medium-low heat until it's cooked through.
  • Add the seasoning mixture from the bowl and the butter to the pan, then bring them to a boil for about 30 seconds.
  • Remove the pork from the pan and slice it into 0.8 inch (2cm) wide pieces.
  • Serve it on each plate alongside the shredded cabbage. Pour the sauce from the pan over the pork, and then sprinkle the garlic chips from the plate on top.

Notes

  • You can store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Calories: 487
Author: Ryo Hikita (UmamiPot)
Cuisine: Japanese
Category: Main Dishes, Pork, Quick
Keyword: cabbage, garlic, pork loin
Enjoyed this recipe?I would be happy if you could share it with your friends.

More Main Dishes

  • sakana no nitsuke
    Sakana no Nitsuke (Japanese Simmered Fish)
  • butabara daikon
    Butabara Daikon (Japanese Simmered Pork Belly and Daikon)
  • butter and soy sauce rice
    Butter and Soy Sauce Rice
  • takoyaki (octopus balls)
    Takoyaki (Osaka's Octopus Balls)

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




CAPTCHA


Primary Sidebar

Konnicihwa! I'm Ryo

UmamiPot-logo

Konnichiwa(Hi)! I'm Ryo. I'm Japanese and a devoted food enthusiast as well as a culinary researcher living in Osaka, Japan. I’d like to share with you authentic and healthy Japanese recipes that are actually eaten in Japan.

More about me »

Latest Recipes

  • yuzu daikon
    Yuzu Daikon (Pickled Daikon Radish with Yuzu)
  • hoshi imo
    Hoshi Imo (Japanese Dried Sweet Potatoes)
  • satsumaimo no lemon-ni
    Satsumaimo no Lemon-ni (Simmered Sweet Potatoes with Lemon)
  • satsumaimo gohan
    Satsumaimo Gohan (Japanese Sweet Potato Rice)

Footer

Recipes

  • Main Dishes
  • Side Dishes
  • Soups
  • Pickles
  • Desserts
  • Sauces
  • By Ingredient

Umami Pot

  • About
  • Contact

Copyright © 2022 Umami Pot - Privacy Policy