Beef Kushikatsu (牛串カツ, fried beef skewer)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Short bamboo skewers
• •Heavy pot or deep fryer
• •Deep-fry thermometer
• •Wire rack set over a tray
• •Three shallow trays for flour, batter, and panko

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the sauce

   Combine the Worcestershire sauce, tonkatsu sauce, ketchup, soy sauce, mirin, and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring it just to a simmer, stirring until the sugar dissolves, then take it off the heat and cool it. The brief simmer takes the raw edge off the mirin and lets the sauce become one thing rather than six sharp ones.

   Use a small dipping cup for serving. The old shared sauce pot belongs to the shop, not the home table.
2. 2

   Cut the beef

   Cut the beef into even 1-inch cubes and pat them dry. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Even pieces cook at the same pace, and dry surfaces take the flour properly. Wet beef makes the coating slide, then everyone blames the fryer for a knife problem.

3. 3

   Skewer the cubes

   Thread two cubes of beef onto each soaked skewer, leaving a little space between them. Don't pack the meat tightly. Heat needs a path around each cube, and that small gap is how the crust crisps before the beef overcooks.

4. 4

   Prepare the coating

   Set out three shallow trays: a little flour for dusting, a thin batter made by whisking the 1/2 cup flour with the egg and cold water, and the fine panko. The batter should be thinner than pancake batter and just thick enough to cling. Thin batter gives the crumbs something to hold without building a heavy coat.

5. 5

   Bread the skewers

   Dust each skewer lightly with flour, shake off the excess, dip it into the batter, then roll it in fine panko. Press only gently. A hard press compacts the crumbs and makes a dense shell, while a light hand leaves tiny spaces that fry crisp.

6. 6

   Heat the tallow

   Melt the beef tallow in a heavy pot and heat it to 175 C. Keep the depth near 2 inches so the skewers float rather than sit on the bottom. The right temperature matters: too cool and the crust drinks fat, too hot and the crumbs brown before the beef warms through.

7. 7

   Fry in batches

   Fry 3 or 4 skewers at a time for 2 to 3 minutes, turning once, until the crust is golden and the bubbles around each skewer become smaller and quieter. Crowding drops the fat temperature, and the skewers turn heavy. Give them room and the coating stays clean.

8. 8

   Drain and serve

   Lift the skewers to a rack, not paper towels, and rest them for one minute. A rack keeps the underside crisp instead of trapping oil against it. Serve at once with the sauce in a small cup and raw cabbage if you like. Dip once, not twice, and eat while the crust is still lively.

Chef Tips

• •Choose beef with some tenderness but not too much fat. Sirloin, rump, or a tender piece of chuck all work. Tough beef won't be rescued by breading, and a very fatty cut can loosen on the skewer as it fries.
• •Fine panko is important here. If your panko is coarse, crush it lightly in a bag with your hands. Osaka kushikatsu wears a neat, close crumb, not the big shaggy coat of tonkatsu.
• •Beef tallow is the honmono fat for this version, giving the crust a deeper savor. Neutral oil is a sensible stand-in for frying, but the finished taste will be cleaner and less old-Osaka.
• •Fry to the skewer, not the clock alone. When the bubbles shrink and the crust turns an even gold, lift it. Leave it longer and the beef will tighten before the coating improves.

Advance Preparation

• •The sauce can be made up to 1 week ahead and kept refrigerated. Bring it to room temperature before serving so it coats the crust cleanly.
• •The beef can be cut and skewered up to 6 hours ahead. Keep it covered in the refrigerator, then pat it dry again before coating.
• •Bread the skewers no more than 30 minutes before frying. If they sit too long, the crumbs soften and the crust loses its quick bite.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 240g)