The Breaded Pork Tenderloin Sandwich – Trip Down Memory Lane Part 2

  Posted on June 1, 2011  by Leslie Blythe  4 comments

The breaded pork tenderloin sandwich played a big part in my childhood, growing up in Northern Indiana. Whenever I got sick, my mom would buy me two (yes, 2!). It would instantly make me feel better. Thank goodness, you can’t get them in Los Angeles! I would have to limit myself to one per month!

The Pork Tenderloin Sandwich contains a breaded and fried cutlet similar to the Wiener Schnitzel and is popular in the Midwest region of the United States.

The Pork Tenderloin Sandwich was the subject of a 1998 documentary film, In Search of the Famous Hoosier Breaded Tenderloin. In the documentary, the two filmmakers search throughout Indiana in search of the perfect Pork Tenderloin sandwich.

The primary differences between a Pork Tenderloin sandwich and a Wiener Schnitzel is that the Pork Tenderloin sandwich is made exclusively using pork loin and it is deep fried instead of pan fried. The Pork Tenderloin sandwich is also usually served on a bun. There is a grilled variant of the Pork Tenderloin that omits the breading and grills the tenderloin instead of deep frying it.

A Pork Tenderloin sandwich is traditionally prepared from a thinly sliced piece of pork tenderloin, hammered thin with a meat mallet. The meat is then dipped in flour, eggs and breadcrumbs before being deep fried in oil. After cooking, the prepared Pork Tenderloin is then served on a hamburger bun. The sandwich can be served with condiments such as mustard, lettuce, onions, pickles, and mayonnaise.

The sandwich is usually served with a side of french fries, though onion rings are often provided instead.

Indiana and Iowa both vie for the reputation of “Best Tenderloin” (albeit, unofficially).