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/ck/ fledgeling here, today I tried making tonkatsu. For typical household standards it was slightly above edible, but it left me humbled and at the same time disappointed. I wasn't expecting it to taste like the best of the kinds I've had in my years of going to Asian restaurants, but here I ran into a roadblock, which is how to improve on specific dishes and foods when the most immediate resources and all the ones I find after even those seem to run me into the same problems.
I'll put this in more detail. Comparing what I made to the best version of it I've tasted:
>The meat wasn't tender enough. One version had to preferably be cut with scissors but the other was soft enough to be torn with your teeth
>The bread crumbs weren't conducive to bringing out the best of the taste, but I don't know what kinds I should get since I can't find information on that anywhere
>I don't know what the sauce is made out of, and all the options you find in supermarkets have sauce that's got really pasty texture like ketchup instead of being softer
Furthermore I followed all the instructions to the dot, so sticking with them isn't going to help. At the same time I can't find alternate instructions to get me the results I'm looking for, they all sorta start sounding the same.
What do you guys do when you run into problems like this where you just can't find answers specific to fixing your disappointments/issues?
Also general help and questions thread I suppose, since I couldn't find one on the catalog.
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>>The meat wasn't tender enough.
you overcooked it
>>breadcrumbs weren't right
Use panko.
>>don't know what the sauce is
Ketchup + worcestershire
Here's what I do:
-pound a pork chop flat
-season with salt & pepper. Dredge in flour, then egg wash, then panko.
-deep fry @350F for about 2.5 to 3 minutes (obviously that will depend on exactly how thick your meat is)
>>What do you guys do when you run into problems like this
Experiment. Make many variations of the dish tweaking things to see what variables affect the dish in what manner.
It also helps to make sure your recipe sources make sense. Generic recipes off the internet are rarely any good, but if you look in the right place you can get good ones. Want to learn to make good fried chicken? Find an old black woman. That sort of thing. If you're following well-known chefs then know their area of expertise. For example, Gordon Ramsay has fantastic advice for cooking French dishes, but he's lousy at anything "Asian".
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>>8343581
>you overcooked it
What escapes me though is how some people can get that thing piping hot and soft at the same time. Do they somehow get the sauce hot instead?
>Use panko
Noted.
>Ketchup + worcestershire
Also noted.
Thanks for the rest of your advice too, I'll keep it all written down.
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>>8343616
>that thing piping hot and soft at the same time
It really is as simple as not overcooking it.
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>>8343630
I'll believe you then
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>>8343640
the majority of cooking is about learning techniques and timing, recipes are mostly guidelines for people who haven't done something ever before
once you gain experience nobody follows recipes unless they're baking, they might read recipes for a general idea but everything is made "to taste" and things are cooked so they're done, nobody who has cooked things more than a few times uses exact measurements or timings they just rely on experience
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