Gather all the ingredients. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Prepare a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and an oiled oven-safe wire rack as it allows hot air to circulate around the cutlets and prevents the panko underneath from getting crushed.

Add ¾ cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) and 1 Tbsp neutral oil (optional?) to a frying pan. Turn on the stove‘s heat to medium and stir the panko and toast until golden brown. Transfer the toasted panko to a shallow dish and allow it to cool.

From boneless pork loin chops (½-inch thick), make several slits criss cross on the meat. This will cut the connective tissue between the meat and remaining fat and make it more tender. Tip: Red meat and fat have different elasticities, and they will shrink and expand at different rates when they are cooked. Making a few slits will allow the Tonkatsu to stay nice and flat and prevent the cutlets from curling up.

Mix your salt and pepper into the panko, put on plate. Beat the eggs and put that and the flour in separate shallow dishes.

Dredge each pork piece in the flour and pat off the excess. Next, dip the cutlets into the egg to coat them completely.

Then, cover completely with the toasted panko. Press on the panko flakes to make sure they adhere to the pork. Dip in egg and coat in panko again (2 layers). Place the pork cutlets on the oven-safe wire rack, wit enough space between them.

Bake at 400ºF (200ºC) until the pork is no longer pink inside, about 40 minutes. Once it's done, remove it from the oven.

Rest the Tonkatsu for 3 minutes on the countertop. Then, cut the Tonkatsu into 1-inch pieces (so you can eat them with chopsticks) by pressing the knife directly down into the cutlets, instead of sawing back and forth. This way, the panko crust will not come off.

Flip the middle piece to show the interior of Tonkatsu as some restaurants would do. Transfer to individual plates and serve immediately.

Drizzle tonkatsu sauce as you like at the table.

I recommend making this Sesame Tonkatsu Sauce. It's easy to make and delicious! Grind 2 Tbsp toasted white and black sesame seeds in a mortar and pestle, add the tonkatsu sauce, and mix it all together. Dip your tonkatsu pieces to enjoy!

You can freeze the fried and cooled baked cutlets in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to a month. To reheat, bake it at 375ºF (190ºC) on a wire rack until the inside is warm.