If you love bold, savory flavors and garlic-heavy dishes, you’re in for a treat.
Tonteki is a beloved local dish from Yokkaichi City in Mie Prefecture, Japan. It features thick cuts of pork steak, seared to perfection and coated in a sweet-and-savory garlic sauce that pairs beautifully with steamed rice.
This dish is often made with pork loin, but in this recipe, we’re using pork shoulder for a juicier texture and deeper flavor.
Despite its rich taste, tonteki is surprisingly easy to make at home—and it’s guaranteed to impress.
What kind of dish is tonteki?
"Tonteki" is said to be a dish that originated in a Western-style restaurant in Yokkaichi City shortly after the war. It is a hearty, stamina-boosting dish made of thickly sliced pork grilled with garlic and coated in a sweet and spicy sauce based on Worcestershire sauce.
Unlike tonkatsu, tonteki is not fried but simply grilled, making it easy to prepare. Shredded cabbage is a standard garnish, and even the cabbage that has soaked up the sauce is delicious with tonteki.
Ingredients (for 2 people)
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Pork shoulder loin (for pork cutlets)...2 slices
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Salt and pepper...to taste
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Flour...appropriate amount
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Garlic...1 clove (you can add more if you like)
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Salad oil...appropriate amount
Combined seasoning
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Worcestershire sauce…1 tablespoon
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Mirin...1 tablespoon
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Soy sauce…1 tablespoon
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Sake...1 tablespoon
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Sugar…2 tablespoons
How to make it
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Preparing the pork : Make cuts in the tendons and fat of the pork shoulder using a paring knife (to prevent shrinkage when cooked).
Season with salt and pepper and lightly coat with flour.
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Heat salad oil in a frying pan to bring out the garlic aroma , add halved garlic, and cook over low heat until the aroma comes out. Be careful not to burn the garlic. You can adjust the amount to your liking, but adding too much will make it a dish that will make you want to eat more rice!
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Cook the pork over medium heat. If the garlic is about to burn, move it on top of the pork.
It's ready when both sides are golden brown. -
Add the mixed seasonings and gently simmer over medium heat while mixing until combined with the pork.
Turn it over a few times and simmer until it thickens.
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To serve, place the pork on a plate lined with plenty of shredded cabbage, pour over all the sauce remaining in the frying pan, and it's done!
Benefits of using pork shoulder roast
While pork loin is usually used for tonteki, the pork shoulder used this time is characterized by its strong flavor and the fact that it does not get tough even when cooked. It has a good balance of fat and lean meat, and blends well with the flavor of the sauce.
summary
"Tonteki" is a dish with a punch of garlic and sweet and spicy sauce that will have you hooked once you try it. This time, I used pork shoulder loin to make a simple arrangement, but the taste and texture were both very satisfying. Please try enjoying this local gourmet dish from Yokkaichi at home!
