• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
101 Cooking For Two
  • 👨‍🍳RECIPES
  • 📋About
  • ❓FAQs/Help
  • 🛒Shop
  • 📮Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
  • 👨‍🍳RECIPES
  • 📋About
  • ❓FAQs/Help
  • 🛒Shop
  • 📮Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • 👨‍🍳RECIPES
    • 📋About
    • ❓FAQs/Help
    • 🛒Shop
    • 📮Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    🏠Home » Recipes » Comfort Food Recipes

    Breaded Pork Tenderloin Sandwich—Iowa Style

    Feb 11, 2020 · Modified: Jan 4, 2023 by Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan · 16 Comments

    Recipe Table of Contents    
    4.45 from 63 votes

    Make your own comfort food with this breaded tenderloin sandwich. A classic from Iowa and Indiana, but it's found thought out the midwest and down to Texas. A thin slice of pork is breaded and fried, then served on a bun in every restaurant in the state. Enjoy one today at home.

    graphic for Pinterest of Pork Tenderloin Sandwich
    Jump To:
    • 👨‍🍳How to make breaded tenderloin sandwiches
    • 🐖Ingredients
    • ♨️Stovetop frying tips
    • ❓FAQs
    • About Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches
    • 📖Comfort Food Recipes
    • 🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
    • 📝Recipe
    • Breaded Pork Tenderloin Sandwich—Iowa Style
    Blue ribbon divider used for visual effect

    The pork tenderloin sandwich is made with a breaded and fried pork cutlet similar to the Wiener Schnitzel. Oddly enough, it is generally made with mechanically tenderized pork loin, not pork tenderloin. But can be made with tenderloin without going through mechanical tenderization, which is easier at home.

    👨‍🍳How to make breaded tenderloin sandwiches

    1. Trim a pork tenderloin and cut it into quarters. Butterfly those sections and flatten them to ¼ inch with a meat mallet or heavy pan.
    2. Set up two shallow pans. First with milk and egg and second with flour, bread crumbs, and seasoning.
    3. Dry the tenderloin filets with paper towels. Dip in the first pan, shake off excess, dip in the second pan, and shank off excess. Set on a flat surface while oil gets to temperature.
    4. Heat ¼ inch of oil in a large pan over medium heat to 350°to 375°.
    5. Fry the breaded pork tenderloin until golden brown and keep warm on a baking tray in a 200° preheated oven while frying more batches of tenderloins.
    6. Serve hot on a bun with toppings.

    🐖Ingredients

    • Pork tenderloin—trimmed
    • Oil—corn or canola
    • Bread crumbs—or crushed saltine crackers crumbs
    • Eggs and milk
    • Pantry ingredients—all-purpose flour, salt, black pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder
    • Serving—hamburger bun, mayonnaise, mustard, pickles slices, red onion, tomatoes, lettuce, and many other things.

    ♨️Stovetop frying tips

    This is a stovetop frying recipe, so shallowly frying using oil in a frying pan. You can use a countertop deep-fryers if you have one.

    • Start with a large frying pan—I use a 12-inch cast-iron pan. But other pans may be used, but heavy pans will hold their heat better.
    • The oil should be a neutral oil, like corn or canola.
    • The oil temperature must be monitored and kept between 350° and 375°. Start at the high end of the range since the temperature will drop when the tenderloins are added. Turn up the heat when adding the tenderloin.
    • If the oil gets colder than 325°, the coating will absorb more oil. But too hot oil will burn. I recommend 350° to 375° as your goal, but 325° to 375° is OK.

    ❓FAQs

    Getting the coating to stick better:

    -Start with very dry meat. Dry with a paper towel before starting to coat.
    -Use egg as the wash.
    -Let the coating sit for 5 minutes before cooking.
    -Don't play with your food. Wait for the edge color to change before flipping.
    -When you do a flip, use a fork. Try only to flip it once.

    How to store and reheat leftover breaded pork tenderloin filets?

    You can store them after cooking for a few days and reheat them in the oven at 400° for about 10-15 minutes. You can freeze after cooking.

    Can breaded pork tenderloin filets be baked?

    Yes, see my Oven Fried Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches.

    About Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches

    For you non-Iowans, this is a small-town classic. Many small towns in Iowa, Indiana, and other states have restaurants that will claim to have the best, most award-winning, or the biggest tenderloin sandwich.

    You don't need to say pork; it is understood as "a tenderloin sandwich." The pork producers have a yearly contest to pick the best restaurant version. There are websites dedicated to this much-celebrated delicacy.

    The Des Moines Register has a yearly roundup of the best tenderloin sandwiches in the state. It is a much-coveted award that will be talked about for decades. It has been, it is, and always will be a much-loved Iowa tradition.

    I hear Indiana has the same passionate love for the tenderloin sandwich, which is embedded in their Hooser hearts. In the interest of midwest comradeship, they may use my recipe.

    📖Comfort Food Recipes

    Oven Fried Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches

    Oven Fried Chicken with Gravy

    30-Minute Chicken Fried Steak with Gravy

    Fried Pork Chops with Gravy

    This recipe is listed in these categories. See them for more similar recipes.

    101's Best Recipes, Comfort Food Recipes, Pork Recipes, Pork Tenderloin Recipes
    Blue ribbon divider used for visual effect

    🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions

    pork tenderloin and coating ingredients

    Be sure you have pork tenderloin and not pork loin.

    cutting pork tenderloin on black board

    Trim pork tenderloin of any fat and silverskin. Cut into four equal size pieces of about equal weight. Next, "butterfly" the pieces. Do this by cutting ¾ of the way through and folding it back to double the size.

    flattening the pork with meat mallet

    Cover each piece individually with plastic wrap or put it in a ziplock bag and pound it to ¼ inch thick.

    the start of the coating line

    Set up two pans. In the first, combine 1 egg and ½ cup milk—whip well. In the second pan, 1 cup of AP flour, ½ cup of bread crumbs, 1 teaspoon of salt, and ½ teaspoon each of pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.

    dipping tenderloin in egg wash

    Dry the meat with paper towels and coat the meat with egg wash. Shake to remove excess. Coat well in the flour mixture and shake off excess. Let them rest for about 5 minutes on a flat surface before cooking.

    checking oil temperature

    Heat ¼ inch of oil in a large pan over medium heat to 350°to 375°. A heavy pan will hold the heat better. You need to check the temperature frequently, and a good instant-read thermometer is great here. Preheat the oven and a tray to 200° to keep batches warm while you do additional pieces.

    Graphic with brwoning tenderlion for turning_
    Photo showing the edge of the breading turning brown.

    Place breaded pork tenderloin into the hot oil but do not "crowd the pan." Fry for 3-4 minutes per side. About a minute into each side, shake the pan a little to move the meat a little, keeping it from sticking and helping it be crispy. The edge of the breading starts to brown is the meat is saying, "turn me now."

    two tenderloins frying in oil

    Cook until golden brown and internal temp of 145° plus. You will need to adjust the burner heat to keep the oil in the 350° to 375° range. You will not be able to keep it perfect, but be aware you need to turn up the heat. Between batches, you should turn the heat down to keep it from overheating.

    four tenderloins staying warm on tray

    Transfer the completed tenderloin to the heated oven and pan to keep them warm for serving. Continue to cook your batches of tenderloins.

    fried pork tenderloin on bun

    Serve on a bun with mayo, a pickle, and other toppings of your choice.

    graphic Subscribe to 101 Cooking for Two

    📝Recipe

    graphic for Pinterest of Pork Tenderloin Sandwich

    Breaded Pork Tenderloin Sandwich—Iowa Style

    From Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
    Make your own comfort food with this breaded tenderloin sandwich. A classic from Iowa and Indiana, but it's found thought out the midwest and down to Texas. A thin slice of pork is breaded and fried, then served on a bun in every restaurant in the state. Enjoy one today at home.
    Tap to leave a Rating
    4.45 from 63 votes
    Print Email CollectionCollected
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 16 minutes
    Total Time: 26 minutes
    Servings #/Adjust if desired 4 servings

    Ingredients

    US Customary - Convert to Metric
    • 1 pork tenderloin - trimmed
    • ¾ cup oil - corn or canola
    • 1 egg
    • ½ cup milk
    • 1 cup AP flour
    • ½ cup bread crumbs
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon pepper
    • ½ teaspoon onion powder
    • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Trim pork tenderloin of any fat and silverskin. Cut into four equal size pieces of about equal weight. Next, "butterfly" the pieces. Do this by cutting ¾ of the way through and folding it back to double the size.
      cutting pork tenderloin
    • Cover each piece individually with plastic wrap or put it in a ziplock bag and pound it to ¼ inch thick.
      flattening the pork with meat mallet
    • Set up two pans. In the first, combine 1 egg and ½ cup milk—whip well. In the second pan, 1 cup of AP flour, ½ cup of bread crumbs, 1 teaspoon of salt, and ½ teaspoon each of pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.
      the start of the coating line
    • Dry the meat with paper towels and coat the meat with egg wash. Shake to remove excess. Coat well in the flour mixture and shake off excess. Let them rest for about 5 minutes on a flat surface before cooking.
      dipping tenderloin in egg wash
    • Heat ¼ inch of oil in a large pan over medium heat to 350°to 375°. A heavy pan will hold the heat better. You need to check the temperature frequently, and a good instant-read thermometer is great here. Preheat the oven and a tray to 200° to keep batches warm while you do additional pieces.
      checking temperature of oil in pan
    • Place breaded pork tenderloin into the hot oil but do not "crowd the pan." Fry for 3-4 minutes per side. About a minute into each side, shake the pan a little to move the meat a little, keeping it from sticking and helping it be crispy. The edge of the breading starts to brown is the meat is saying, "turn me now.
      Graphic with browning tenderlion for turning_
    • Cook until golden brown and internal temp of 145° plus. You will need to adjust the burner heat to keep the oil in the 350° to 375° range. You will not be able to keep it perfect, but be aware you need to turn up the heat. Between batches, you should turn the heat down to keep it from overheating.
      two tenderloins frying in oil
    • Transfer the completed tenderloin to the heated oven and pan to keep them warm for serving. Continue to cook your batches of tenderloins.
      four tenderloins staying warm on tray
    • Serve on a bun with mayo, a pickle, and other toppings of your choice.
      fried pork tenderloin on bun
    See the step-by-step photos in the post. Some recipes have an option to display the photos here with a switch above these instructions but the photos DO NOT print.

    Your Own Private Notes

    Click here to save your own private notes only you will see. These will print and be saved for your next visit.
    Blue ribbon divider used for visual effect

    Recipe Notes

    Pro Tips:

    1. This recipe will work with tenderized pork loin.
    2. Use the coating you want. Vary the spices and components
    3. The temperature of your oil is very important. I suggest corn or canola oil.
    4. To help the coating stick better:
      -Start with very dry meat. Dry with a paper towel before starting to coat.
      -Use egg as the wash.
      -Let the coating sit for 5 minutes before cooking.
      -Don't play with your food. Wait for the edge color to change before flipping.
      -When you do a flip, use a fork and stick it on the edge. Try only to flip once.
    5. Good refrigerated after cooking for 2-3 days or frozen for about 3 months. Reheat after thawing in a 400° oven for 10-15 minutes.

    To adjust the recipe size:

    You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.

    Nutrition Estimate

    Nutrition Facts
    Breaded Pork Tenderloin Sandwich—Iowa Style
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 540 Calories from Fat 207
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 23g35%
    Saturated Fat 5g25%
    Polyunsaturated Fat 3g
    Monounsaturated Fat 14g
    Cholesterol 164mg55%
    Sodium 736mg31%
    Potassium 748mg21%
    Carbohydrates 36g12%
    Fiber 2g8%
    Sugar 3g3%
    Protein 44g88%
    Vitamin A 150IU3%
    Vitamin C 2.5mg3%
    Calcium 90mg9%
    Iron 4.3mg24%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Serving size is my estimate of a normal size unless stated otherwise. The number of servings per recipe is stated above. This is home cooking, and there are many variables. All nutritional information are estimates and may vary from your actual results. To taste ingredients such as salt will be my estimate of the average used.
    Course : Main Course
    Cuisine : American

    © 101 Cooking for Two, LLC. All content and photographs are copyright protected by us or our vendors. While we appreciate your sharing our recipes, please realize copying, pasting, or duplicating full recipes to any social media, website, or electronic/printed media is strictly prohibited and a violation of our copyrights.

    Originally published August 9, 2012. Updated with greatly expanded options and explanations. Photos have been refreshed, and a few from other cookings have been added to help explain—finally, a table of contents and a puppy picture.

    Dogs with Kongs

    More Comfort Food Recipes

    • Chicken Broccoli and Rice Casserole
    • Oven Fried Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches
    • Small Crock Pot Beef Stew
    • Old Fashioned Vegetable Beef Soup—Stovetop or Crock Pot

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Comment (Policy Link in Footer) Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    1. Chuck

      November 09, 2021 at 11:00 pm

      Years ago in Knoxville IOWA @ Kone Corner they made a giant tenderloin sandwich the size of a dinner plate. It was fantastic. Does anyone know how this was done?
      Thanks.

      Reply
    2. Ruth

      April 11, 2019 at 6:27 am

      5 stars
      How much does the pork tenderloin weigh that you call for in this recipe? Seems like I have a lot of flour mix left over. The loins are very good, better than a restaurant as my husband puts it.

      Reply
      • Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan

        April 11, 2019 at 9:40 am

        Hi Ruth,
        Welcome to the blog.
        The Tenderloins are about 1 1/2 lb. usually. You are right, you can decrease the coating volume but I always have problems with breeding when I'm skimpy. So I always have a bit too much.

        I need to rewrite this recipe a bit. Most people are using the oven fried version at https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/oven-fried-pork-tenderloin-sandwiches/ which is less of a mess.

        Thanks for the note and rating.

        Dan

    3. David Fatka

      April 04, 2019 at 8:03 pm

      5 stars
      Can you use Canola oil to deep fry in?

      Reply
      • Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan

        April 04, 2019 at 8:39 pm

        Hi David,
        Welcome to the blog.
        Yep, any vegetable oil in fine. I usually use corn or canola oil or mixture. Anymore though I usually do my oven version which is easier with less mess. https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/oven-fried-pork-tenderloin-sandwiches/
        Thanks for the note and rating.
        Dan

    4. Will from Waterloo

      March 21, 2019 at 7:35 pm

      Best meat sandwich in the world. Great recipe, great tips. A ten for sure.

      Reply
      • Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan

        March 24, 2019 at 7:54 pm

        Hi Will,
        Welcome to the blog and sorry for the delayed response.
        Glad you enjoyed the recipe. This and my oven version seem better to me than what I have had in Iowa in recent years. Too many restaurants are using premade.
        Thanks for the note.
        Dan

    5. Alice Cato

      January 12, 2017 at 10:44 pm

      If someone knows Millies recipe would you post it to my Email Thank you

      Reply
      • Sherrie

        December 01, 2021 at 5:10 pm

        I’d like that recipe as well. It was the top of the line tenderloin sandwich.

    6. Frank Schroedl

      February 08, 2016 at 6:34 am

      4 stars
      The recipe is good
      Try making pork cutlet the easy way

      Pork loin is best, but you can use trimmed, boned pork chops or steaks.
      1. Trim and bone chops or steaks
      2. Pound them out with a tenderizing hammer ( Both sides )
      3. Dip in egg and milk mixture
      4. Press your pork into crushed cracker crumbs (Premium) Don't use cheap salteans
      5. Pan fry in corn oil until golden brown
      Enjoy!
      It's rare there are any leftovers

      Reply
      • Lyle Mains

        July 23, 2016 at 1:09 pm

        Frank, try soaking or marinating the loin overnight, after pounding out to desired thickness in buttermilk. Dredge in milk/egg, flour, then dredge again, and coat with panko bread crumbs. Fry 3 minutes on a side, in 350 degree peanut oil!

    7. Nancy Brousseau

      October 16, 2015 at 10:56 am

      5 stars
      I grew up eating these in Iowa. Always made with coating of eggwash and crushed cornflakes. Am going to make them for my grandkids. Had forgotten how good they were.

      Reply
      • DrDan

        October 16, 2015 at 11:12 am

        Thanks for the note and rating. I really like this but due to the fat I have moved on to the oven baked ones at https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/oven-fried-pork-tenderloin-sandwiches/ and I now like them better. Overall easier.

        Dan

    8. Dr Dan

      December 30, 2012 at 5:05 pm

      I just had to put this in the top 10...

      Reply
    9. Kingdango

      December 30, 2012 at 1:32 pm

      Yum, sharing this with Jenni...

      Reply
    10. Chris

      August 12, 2012 at 9:13 am

      I've seen that state specialty on some of the food travelogues on TV but haven't tried making myself. Yours looks so nicely cooked and I bet it was tender.

      Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    DrDan image Hi, I’m DrDan, and welcome to 101 Cooking for Two, the home of great everyday recipes with easy-to-follow step-by-step photo instructions. About DrDan

    Popular Recipes

    • Baked Chicken Legs - Quick and Easy
    • Pan Seared Oven Roasted Filet Mignon
    • Oven Baked Chicken Thighs
    • Small Ribeye Roast
    • Pan Seared Oven Roasted Strip Steak
    • Pan Seared Oven Baked Chicken Breasts
    kitchen reference sheet graphic wide blue
    graphic of sites that I work with or have had recipes featured or referenced.
    SITES THAT I WORK WITH OR HAVE HAD RECIPES FEATURED OR REFERENCED.

    Footer

    ↑ back to top ↑

    About

    • About DrDan and the Blog
    • Business Questions
    • Comment Policy

    Content

    • Food FAQ
    • Kitchen Reference Sheets
    • Recipes Featured in the Videos
    • Guide To Cooking for Two
    • Saved Recipes Collections

    dogs by the pond

    Privacy Policy | Terms | Contact

    COPYRIGHT © 2010-2023 101 COOKING FOR TWO. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | BASED ON FOODIE PRO THEME