Classic Midwest comfort food, this fried breaded pork tenderloin sandwich recipe is fast and easy to make at home in less than 30 minutes. Commonly made with mechanically tenderized pork loin, I prefer using pork tenderloin for more flavor and tenderness.
See what excites midwesterners, or bring back some of your favorite memories with this simple recipe.
🐖Ingredients
Pork tenderloin—or pork loin like pork chops or cutlets
Oil—corn or canola
Bread crumbs—or crushed saltine crackers or cornflakes
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.
Jump To (scroll for more)
- 🐖Ingredients
- 👨🍳How to Make Fried Breaded Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches—Step-by-Step Photo Instructions.
- ♨️Stovetop frying tips
- 👨🍳Options and variations
- 📋Related Recipes
- How to serve pork tenderloin sandwiches
- How to store and reheat
- ❓FAQs
- About Iowa PorkTenderloin Sandwiches
- 📖The Recipe Card with Step-by-Step Instructions
- Iowa Breaded Pork Tenderloin Sandwich
Featured Comment by Will from Waterloo:
"Best meat sandwich in the world. Great recipe, great tips. A ten for sure.."
A classic from Iowa, Indiana, and other midwestern states, 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.
Make it your way with the pork chops, pork loin, or pork tenderloin with the coating of your choice.
👨🍳How to Make Fried Breaded Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches—Step-by-Step Photo Instructions.
1. Be sure you have pork tenderloin and not pork loin. Pork cutlets may be used
2. Trim pork tenderloin, cut into four equal-sized pieces of about equal weight. Butterfly the pieces.
3. Flatten the pieces to ¼ inch thick.
4. Prep a pan of egg and milk. Do a second pan for the breading of flour, bread crumbs, and seasoning.
5. Coat the meat with egg wash, then the breading. Let them rest for about 5 minutes on a flat surface before cooking.
6. Place breaded pork tenderloin in ¼ inch of 350-375° hot oil and fry for 3-4 minutes until the edge of the breading starts to brown.
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7. Cook until golden brown and internal temp of 145°+. Serve on a bun with mayo, a pickle, and other toppings of your choice.
For more details, keep reading. See the Recipe Card below for complete instructions and to print.
♨️Stovetop frying tips
This is a stovetop frying recipe, so shallow-fry using oil in a frying pan. If you have a countertop deep-fryer, you can use it.
Start with a large frying pan—I use a 12-inch cast-iron pan. 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.
The coating will absorb more oil if the oil gets colder than 325°. But too hot oil will burn. I recommend 350° to 375° as your goal, but 325° to 375° is OK.
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👨🍳Options and variations
Meat Options
I suggest using pork tenderloin. It is full of flavor and is already tender. Pork loin will require more tenderization to get close.
If you choose to use pork lion, butterfly a pork chop and then use a meat mallet to flatten and tenderize. Many Midwest markets will sell mechanically tenderized pork cutlets—made from pork loin—with or without breading.
Breading and seasoning choices
Commonly used breading options are bread crumbs (regular or Panko for texture), crushed saltine crackers, or cornflakes. Each will work well, so choose the one you love.
For seasoning, these are bland on purpose. That is the way they are commonly made. I like some paprika or seasoning salt instead of other spices. Also, flavored bread crumbs may be used.
📋Related Recipes
Oven Fried Pork Tenderloin Sandwich
Oven Fried Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches are great tasting with crisp breading. A healthier version of that great Iowa comfort food. Perfect for a retro lunch or easy dinner.
Try some other comfort foods. Start with a much healthier version of this recipe: Oven Fried Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches. Or move on to other comfort foods: Oven Fried Chicken with Gravy, 30-Minute Chicken Fried Steak with Gravy, Fried Pork Chops with Gravy, or a Juicy Lucy Burger.
How to serve pork tenderloin sandwiches
First, a note about flavor—these sandwiches are a bit bland, so spice it up if you want. Something like cumin mayo would be a great topping.
Serve on a bun with a side of some type of potatoes, like stove-top french fries, scalloped potatoes for two, or roasted small potatoes. Add a hot vegetable like microwave corn on the cob, baked green beans, or baked beans.
How to store and reheat
Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for 3 days or frozen for 3 months.
To reheat, use the oven at 400° for about 10-15 minutes. Or in an air fryer.
❓FAQs
-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, not tongs.
-Try only to flip it once.
Yes, see my Oven Fried Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches.
About Iowa PorkTenderloin 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.
A classic Midwestern sandwich, pork tenderloin sandwiches are crispy and crunchy. They are usually made with mechanically tenderized pork loin fritters, similar to German Weiner Schnitzel.
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's hearts. In the interest of Midwest comradeship, we join them in admiring this classic.
📖The Recipe Card with Step-by-Step Instructions
Iowa Breaded Pork Tenderloin Sandwich
Ingredients
- 1 pork tenderloin - trimmed
- ¾ cup oil - corn or canola
- 1 egg
- ½ cup milk
- 1 cup AP flour
- ½ cup bread crumbs - panko preferred
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Trim pork tenderloin of any fat and silverskin. Cut into four 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.
- Cover each piece individually with plastic wrap or put it in a ziplock bag and pound it to ¼ inch thick.
- 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.
- Dry the meat with paper towels and coat it with egg wash—shake to remove excess. Coat well in the flour mixture and shake off excess. Let it rest for about 5 minutes on a flat surface before cooking.
- Heat ¼ inch of oil in a large pan over medium heat to 350°to 375°. A heavy cast iron 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.
- 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, as the meat is saying, "Turn me now.
- 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.
- Transfer the completed tenderloin to the heated oven and pan to keep them warm for serving. Continue to cook your batches of tenderloins.
- Serve on a bun with mayo, a pickle, and other toppings of your choice.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips:
- This recipe will work with tenderized pork loin like pork chops
- The recipe post contains variations in meat choices, coating, and seasoning.
- The temperature of your oil is critical. I suggest corn or canola oil.
- 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. - It is 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.
Your Own Private Notes
To adjust the recipe size:
You can adjust the number of servings above; however, only the amount in the ingredient list is adjusted, not the instructions.
Nutrition Estimate (may vary)
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.
Chuck says
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.
Ruth says
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.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
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
David Fatka says
Can you use Canola oil to deep fry in?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
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
Will from Waterloo says
Best meat sandwich in the world. Great recipe, great tips. A ten for sure.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
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
Alice Cato says
If someone knows Millies recipe would you post it to my Email Thank you
Sherrie says
I’d like that recipe as well. It was the top of the line tenderloin sandwich.
Frank Schroedl says
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
Lyle Mains says
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!
CAROL says
Frank, I grew up in Iowa and your recipe which is the one I still use, (I'm now 72) has always been the one we use. Saltines for sure.
Nancy Brousseau says
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.
DrDan says
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
Dr Dan says
I just had to put this in the top 10...
Kingdango says
Yum, sharing this with Jenni...
Chris says
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.