In comparison to well-known western style Japanese food (yoshoku) such as hamburger steak, omurice, and Japanese curry, Menchi Katsu (メンチカツ) may not be as recognizable outside of Japan. However, if you are at butcher shops and delis in Japan, you will get to buy freshly made, juicy and delicious minced meat cutlets aka Menchi Katsu. They are actually pretty easy to make, so give this recipe a try at home!
What is Menchi Katsu?
Simply speaking, Menchi Katsu (メンチカツ) is ground meat cutlet. In Kansai (Osaka area), it’s called Minchi Katsu (ミンチカツ) as Minchi or Menchi in Japanese means “minced”, and katsu is “cutlet”, anything panko-breaded and deep-fried. If you have tried hambagu (Japanese-style Salisbury steak), Menchi Katsu is basically a hambagu that’s breaded in panko breadcrumbs like tonkatsu, and then deep-fried. Like a smaller size hamburger, but with an extra layer of crunchiness from the flake-like panko. Menchi Katsu originated in a western style Japanese restaurant in Tokyo during the Meiji era, which is over 100 years ago. Then early Showa era, it became popular in Kansai region where it’s known as Minch Katsu. Today, one of the best places to enjoy Menchi Katsu is at the butcher shops as they use the freshest quality meat to make the patties and deep fry at the store.
3 Easy Tips to Remember When Making Menchi Katsu
1. Use the combination of beef and pork
Typically menchi katsu is made with both beef and pork, with beef being slightly more than pork. You can adjust the ratio as you like, but using these two types of meat makes the patties juicy and tender.
2. Knead the meat mixture until sticky and pale in color
It’s important to knead the meat well with your hands or wooden spatula. The mixture will turn into a pale color and become sticky.
3. Rub the oil on hands before shaping the meat mixture
To avoid the meat sticking to your hands, make sure to use a small amount of oil to rub on your hands before shaping the meat patties with your hands.
4. Release the air by tossing the patties
When the air pockets appear in the patties, it can be easily broken into pieces. Make sure to toss the patties between your hands and let the air escape from the meat patty.
5. Refrigerate the patties for at least 30 minutes
While you are shaping the meat mixture into patties, some fat gets melted. To achieve juicy patties, you will need to solidify the fat that has melted. Refrigerate the patties for 30 to 60 minutes before moving to the next step will do the trick.
Enjoy Menchi Katsu with Homemade Tartar Sauce
Menchi Katsu is delicious as it is without any sauce, but sometimes it is served with tonkatsu sauce, Worcestershire sauce (Japanese Usuta-sauce), or a combination of the tonkatsu and Worcestershire sauce. I like to serve Menchi Katsu with homemade tartar sauce. The creamy egg and mayo along with tangy pickles go really well with Mechi Katsu. In general, deep fried food goes well with tangy sauce, which is why Tonkatsu or Worcestershire sauce works best. If you don’t have time to make the homemade tartar sauce, just serve Menchi Katsu straight up or with a simple sauce like Tonkatsu sauce or Worcestershire sauce.
No Deep Frying at Home? How about Baked Menchi Katsu?
You can use my pre-toasting panko technique to make Baked Menchi Katsu just like the Baked Chicken Katsu, Baked Tonkatsu, and Baked Croquette recipes. Enjoy Menchi Katsu with a bowl of steamed rice and a side of miso soup.
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