Nicholas Gavin is the Culinary Creative Director of ChefSteps, where he develops recipes and is responsible for making all the food look beautiful. Nick has worked at ChefSteps for over a decade; he and ChefSteps co-founder Grant Crilly worked together at Modernist Cuisine. Nick has worked in professional kitchens both in the United States and abroad, most notably at Mugaritz in San Sebastian, Spain.

Nicholas Gavin

Tonkatsu: It’s big in Japan.We’re not just talking about popularity. Some of the best tonkatsu spots offer up golden fried pork cutlets made from a wide variety of cuts, and some of them are absolutely massive. Think 2-inch hunks of juicy pork with a single rosy hue from edge to edge, surrounded by a crispy and airy shell of a crust that seems to defy gravity.This recipe gets you that—the most epic tonkatsu you’ve ever seen. For the pork, use a well-marbled and meaty piece of pork collar, and transform it into <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/ultimate-sous-vide-pork-shoulder-chops">super-tender thick-cut chops</a> with a long sous vide cook. For the crust, ditch the store-bought breadcrumbs and use <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/nama-panko">Nama Panko</a>—fresh breadcrumbs made from <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/shokupan-japanese-milk-bread">Shokupan</a>—that fry up into an ultra-crisp and light coating.Is it a little stunty? A little over-the-top? Yes, of course, it is; that’s the point. It’s a cut(let) above.

Ultimate Sous Vide Tonkatsu