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📍 Iowa

Breaded pork tenderloin sandwich

· Lunch

A pounded, breaded, and fried pork tenderloin fillet, so large it overhangs the bun by a wide margin.

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Breaded pork tenderloin sandwich: A pounded, breaded, and fried pork tenderloin fillet, so large it overhangs the bun by a wide margin.
Photo: Glane23 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · via Wikimedia CommonsPhoto resized, converted to WebP and cropped for display.
⏱ 40 min🍽 4 servings📊 Intermediate🏷 Commonly associated
Preparation
25 min
Cooking
15 min
Waiting and resting
0 min

History

This pounded, breaded, and fried pork tenderloin sandwich is a Midwestern plains classic, strongly identified with Iowa and Indiana. It derives from the German schnitzel and is served on a small bun that the meat overhangs dramatically, accompanied only by mustard, pickles, and onion.

Ingredients

Adjust quantities

Only numeric quantities at the start of an ingredient are adjusted. Descriptive quantities, seasoning to taste and timings remain unchanged; check them when changing servings.

Preparation

  1. 1

    Pound each fillet between plastic wrap until very thin and wide.

  2. 2

    Season it and coat it in flour, egg, and cracker crumbs mixed with garlic powder.

  3. 3

    Fry in oil at 180°C until golden and crispy on both sides.

  4. 4

    Drain on paper towels.

  5. 5

    Serve on the bun, letting the meat overhang, with mustard, pickles, and onion.

Cooking tips

  • Pound evenly, cook to 63 °C and rest 3 minutes before assembling.

Technique and preparation

What to check during preparation

Pound cutlets to an even thickness without tearing. Shake off excess flour before egg and gently press the crumbs to help them adhere. Fry without overcrowding and check that pork reaches 63 °C in the center, followed by 3 minutes of rest; insert the thermometer sideways into thin pieces. Drain on a rack so the bottom stays dry. Assemble once bread and toppings are ready.

References to consult

References provide information about the dish, its context or a technique. Quantities in this version may differ from those in the source.

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