A great tasting pork tenderloin sandwich without all fat and mess of frying. A healthier version of that great Iowa comfort food just follow these easy step by step photo instructions.
Editor’s Note: Originally Published March 8, 2014. Updated with expanded discussion and updated photos.
My first memory of the tenderloin sandwich was at the local A & W drive-up (not a drive-thru) restaurant in the early 1960s. They were huge, crunchy, and a wonderful greasy deep-fried treat. Please notice, you don’t need to say “pork tenderloin,” but just “tenderloin” is sufficient for those “in the know.”
This is Iowa comfort food although I will give a shout out to Indiana since they worship the same simple sandwich.
The local newspapers and pork organizations will have yearly roundups or “awards” of the best pork tenderloin sandwiches. And these are highly prized awards that the restaurants will use for bragging rights.
My Rating
This is a double five. For me a nice solid lower 5. My wife (who will almost never rate) gave a strong five after she ate two sandwiches with the second being a “double”.
Pro Tips: Recipe Notes for Oven-Fried Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches
After the success of my oven-fried chicken recipe, my wife suggested this variation. I didn’t know she was a fan of Iowa comfort foods.
This is my Crispy Oven Fried Chicken meets my Iowa Breaded Pork Tenderloin Sandwich with some great taste in an easy recipe to make and scale to your needs.
The deep-fried version is much fattier, and that is part of the taste, but this version gives some of that taste too. But deep-fried is a big mess to make at home.
The Meat for Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches
You would think it is pork tenderloin, but you are wrong. It is almost always pork loin (think boneless pork chop here).
Most of these are made with pork loin that is mechanically tenderized. In most grocery stores in Iowa (I’m thinking of you Hy-Vee) and some other states, the tenderized pork loin is common specifically for this sandwich. Many times sold already breaded.
But, I suggest using pork tenderloin which is more “tender”, tastier and my preferred meat here. Since the meat is smaller in diameter, I butterfly slices and flatten them.
Remember, a pork tenderloin is not a pork loin.
The Spicing
The spicing is a bit bland. OK very bland but that is the norm for these. Feel free to go wild with the spicing since this can handle it.
The End Point and Serving
Lastly, the “done endpoint”. I have been known to be attached at the hip to my thermometer. Not here. The meat is done long before you have the right browning. It stays moist in the breading, so all is well but go by crispiness and color, not temp on this one.
Serving is on a soft white bread bun usually with only lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickle.
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Iowa Breaded Pork Tenderloin Sandwich
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Preheat oven to 350 convection or 375 conventional.
Trim a pork tenderloin of any visible fat and the silverskin. Cut the tenderloin into four approximately equal pieces by weight. Next “butterfly” the pieces. Do this by cutting 3/4 of the way through and fold it back to double the size. On the thinner end which would be longer do two cuts one-third on opposite sides of the meat.
Next cover with plastic wrap or place in a zip lock bag and pound to about 1/2 inch thick or thinner if you want.
Place 4 tablespoons butter on a large baking tray and place in the oven for a few minutes to melt the butter.
Set up two pans. In the first, combine one egg and 1/4 cup milk. Whip well. In the second pan, 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs, one tablespoon seasoning salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
Start with coating the meat with the egg wash. Shake to remove excess.
Coat well in the flour mixture and shake off excess.
Place on the tray with the melted butter.
Place in the oven for 20 minutes. Flip and bake another 10 minutes until golden brown. Serve hot.
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Oven Fried Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches
Ingredients
- 1 pork tenderloin
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup milk
- 4 tablespoon butter
- 1/2 cup AP flour
- 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
- 1 tablespoon seasoning salt - Lowery's or similar
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 convection or 375 conventional.
- Trim a pork tenderloin of any visible fat and the silverskin. Cut the tenderloin into four approximately equal pieces by weight. Next “butterfly” the pieces. Do this by cutting 3/4 of the way through and fold it back to double the size. On the thinner end which would be longer do two cuts one-third on opposite sides of the meat.
- Next cover with plastic wrap or place in a zip lock bag and pound to about 1/2 inch thick or thinner if you want.
- Place 4 tablespoons butter on a large baking tray and place in oven for a few minutes to melt the butter.
- Set up two pans. In the first, combine one egg and 1/4 cup milk. Whip well. In the second pan, 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs, 1 tablespoon seasoning salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
- Start with coating the meat with the egg wash. Shake to remove excess.
- Coat well in the flour mixture and shake off excess. Place on the tray with the melted butter.
- Place in oven for 20 minutes. Flip and bake another 10 minutes until golden brown.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips
- Get the thickness of the tenderloin down to at most 1/2 inch, but thinner is ok.
- You can use tenderized pork loin for this.
- This is bland, so add spices if you want.
- Leftovers should be good refrigerated for 3-4 days or frozen for 3-4 months.
Check Out Other Great Recipes
Nutrition is generally for one serving. Number of servings is stated above and is my estimate of normal serving size for this recipe.
All nutritional information are estimates and may vary from your actual results. This is home cooking, and there are many variables. To taste ingredients such as salt will be my estimate of the average used.
Originally Published March 8, 2014
Kris Hodges
I’m planning to make these sandwiches but wondered if I can freeze 2 of them with the breading already on them but uncooked.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Kris,
You need the breading to set up well and it should work.
So, make them up with the breading being sure to have them very dry with a paper towel before the egg wash. After breading, let them sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes then freeze between layers of wax paper. It should work.
I would put them in the oven froze since the meat should still cook well being so thin. Be sure to get to 165 due to the egg in the coating.
That is my suggestion. If you test it, please report back, I would love to know.
Dan
Kris Hodges
Thanks for your feed back, Dr. Dan, I froze the extras with the breading and stuck them in a freezer container with wax paper between them. I will let you know how they turn out after I cook them. I just wanted to say these were delicious. I used one of those tenderloins that is already marinated in the package. I used Mesquite so it had plenty of spicing on it already which I think is the way to make these more flavorful. I was skeptical at first but will definitely repeat next time. Thanks so much for a really good recipe that steps outside the norm here in the South.
Kris
Well, Dr. Dan, just wanted to let you know that I cooked the frozen cutlets and they worked great! Tasted every bit as good as the original.
Linda
I’m in love with my air fryer. Do you think this would work in an air fryer. I’m in Knightdale, NC. There used to be an old family owned place called Bar-B-Que Lodge, that made the most amazing tenderloin sandwiches. Alas, they have retired and closed. Can’t tell you how many times my husband and I have driven by the old place wishing we could get one of their sandwiches. They deep fried it (obviously…it’s the South) and served it on plain toasted white bread (and I’m a wheat bread lover). Had tremendous flavor…all from the spicing they used, which I believe was only salt and pepper.
Love your blog and have used many of your recipes. When I have a big party to cook for I turn to you first and then multiply ingredients. Thank you sooo much.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Linda,
Welcome to the blog. Glad you have been enjoying it.
Part to the “feature” of this recipe is getting some oil (butter in this case) into the taste. For me, that needs to be there. Not as much as deep frying but still some. Just the taste I was going for, call it Iowa 1960s.
I just don’t see that working well in an air-fryer.
Let me know if you try it but it does work great in the oven.
Dan
Susan Halverson
What timing for this recipe! I am making breaded pork tenderloin as one of the entrees for my father’s 90th birthday. I have never oven fried it before and have been experimenting with two failures. Will the meat still stick to the pan causing the breading to fall off even when baking in butter? Can non-stick foil or parchment paper be lined into the pan and then melt the butter?? Just trying to avoid a catastrophe for 35 guests! Also, would prefer to use fine breadcrumbs rather than Panko. They still should brown and crisp up nicely…right? I have researched this for hours and your site is the best method thus far, but just worried about sticking to the pan! Any advice would be appreciated!
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Susan,
Welcome to the blog.
First rule. NEVER do a new recipe for an important event. So you need to test your plan.
Let’s first talk about the coating coming off you meat. The meat must be DRY to start. This recipe uses an egg wash then coating of flour/breadcrumbs/seasoning. I have never had the coating come off but during the flip, always use a fork to stab the edge. Never grab with something. The egg with the flour will basically make glue. If you want it to stick better, let it set for about 5 minutes on a cutting board before putting it in the butter and cooking.
You can also do a triple dip coating. Dry, flour (with some spices if you want), egg wash second, final coating with flour, breadcrumbs and spices. Then wait 5 minutes before starting to cook.
Now the pan. I just use a sheet pan with the melted butter. It is a fair amount of butter. You could use parchment paper but probably not needed. The non-stick foil should be fine also. But I have never had it stick and I have done this recipe quit a few times.
Plain bread crumbs should be fine but I like the texture of the Panko. Like most pork tenderloin sandwiches, they are bland so you might want to add some more spicing.
Again, test, test, and test more.
Hope that helps.
Dan
Lynn Graham Corbett
I love pork tenderloin sandwiches and like mine with just lots of pickles. Can’t wait to try this recipe tomorrow. Used to get them at home in Indiana but not so much in Texas. So hungry…yum!
Racheal
I am from Missouri. Tenderloins are definitely a staple at my house. But I dont think of the PT sandwich as comfort food. For me, put a slice of bread, Tenderloin, top with mashed potatoes and gravy. Nice hot comfort food! Pairs well with a side salad. I normally just cook mine in a cast iron on top of the stove with some butter. I’d be willing to bet the taste and texture come out the same. Great idea with the oven…less to worry about with the kids.
DrDan
Hi Racheal,
Welcome to the blog.
I haven’t done a stovetop cooking of PTs since this recipe. It is reliable and easy. You will find the main difference is tenderloin vs. loin. I prefer the tenderloin myself. But you can use the traditional pork loin if you want. (Hit up HyVee for that).
Have a great holiday and thanks for the note.
Dan
Sharon Hedge
Oh my…you must’ve created this recipe with me in mind, Dan! Am making for supper tonight. I have turned my hubby into a T-sandwich lover (he’s from Arkansas and never even tasted one until he married me, poor fella)! I’m serving mine topped with mayo, onions, frilly leaf lettuce and thin slices of tomato. Worth saving my Weight Watchers points for! Hey, thx SO much for posting this oven-fried, healthier version!
Donna
Forgot to mention… I cut the recipe in half since I was only making 2 and then did them in the cast iron skillet in the oven. Easy clean up and kept my iron skillet “seasoned”.
Donna
Trying this tonight for supper! I’m cheating, however… Fareway has a very highly respected meat department. I got their pre-tenderized pork loins, so I can eliminate the first couple of steps. Just wish I had a fresh Iowa tomato from the garden to complete the sandwich. Will have to keep this recipe handy for August.
Donna
UPDATE: This was amazing! Will definitely be making this again and again! Will have to stock up on the tenderized pork loins when they come on sale and store in the freezer. How do I rate this a 5-star recipe?
Sonia
Love love love this recipe. We have made it many times and I always love it. I’m not sure why it is called an Iowa sandwich though. I’m from Nova Scotia, Canada.
HeidiCooksSupper
You nailed it! This works exactly as described!!
DrDan
My wife lives this one enough to make it herself. Now that is high praise.
Thanks so much for the note.
Dan
Jennifer Barker
These are so delicious! First time I made them, followed recipe exactly. Second time I cut the seasoned salt back a bit as a preference. They bake up golden and crispy. Better than fried in my opinion! Thank you!
Kim
Husband approved!
I have been doing Weight Watchers for the past ‘month and a half which means we have gone out to eat about 1/10 as much as we used to. I have been trying to find recipes that recreate some of our favorites. There is a particular hole in the wall breakfast place we liked to go on the weekends so my husband could get his beloved pork tenderloin sandwich. He challenged me to find a recipe that’s as good as it and I found your recipe.
He told me this recipe was better! Thank you son much for this alternative!
For any of you WW people out there, I used 3 butterfly pork chops (1.5 lbs) cut in half to make 6 servings so each serving came out to be 10 smart points.
Delicious!!
DrDan
Husband approved is always important. In my case, it is wife approved to the point she will even make it.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Sharon
Thx, Kim, for the WW Points value! I’ve been on the plan for 6 months, and like you, enjoy converting my fave recipes to WW friendly ones!!
Jovan Weismiller
Thanks for the prompt response. Your answer makes perfect sense.
Jovan Weismiller (from Council Bluffs)
Just found your site. I plan on using this recipe tomorrow, but with Hy-Vee pork loins (sorry!), but I do have a question. You list measurements in metric and US Imperial. I am quite familiar with both US and Imperial measures, having lived in Canada for years, but they are two entirely different systems. I hope none of your recipes use pints or quarts in their ingredients, since that might create a major problem.
DrDan
HyVee is fine. My preferred store when I’m in Iowa. The recipe plugin is European and will convert to US. The only place I have used quarts might be in the brining of a turkey, and that variation would not have any perceivable effect. Never have uses pints on the website. I’m afraid the younger generation might not know what it means.
Remember it is bland but the Iowa restaurant versions are also. Spice it up some if you want.
The loin from HyVee is fine. They know how it do the mechanical tenderization.
Dan.
PS. A shout-out to the HyVee social media people who will probably read this…
Betty Carlson
Followed recipe using pork cutlets. Delicious and will definitely fix again. Giving a rating of 5.
DrDan
Thanks for the note. This is one of my favorites.
Dan
Debora
Thank you so much for the step by step pictures! I’m a visual learner so this was my dream recipe find.
Nancie
Thank you sooo much for sharing this recipe. I really miss the pt sandwiches since moving from Iowa to New England back in the 90s.. I finally got the chance to get one when I drove through IA over the past summer. I cant believe it was over 20 years since I last had one! Really brought back all the childhood memories.
Last week I was craving a pt sandwich (cant find any out here!) I am so glad I found your recipe on Pinterest. You really hit the dot on this one. It was really good and I love that it is an oven fried recipe as I do not like deep frying anything. I can bring IA to New England now. :-)
DrDan
Hi Nancie,
When I go to Iowa anymore, I always try a tenderloin, but it just seems they are all processed and bought from a restaurant supply. So I’m thinking mine are more like the old days.
Glad I could move a little of Iowa to New England for you.
Dan
Sharon Neal
Thanks for the recipe. Having for dinner tonight. I didn’t realize it was regional. All I know is the A & W root beer stand in Bettendorf Iowa had the best back in the sixties. I think of them often, especially when I try someone else’s in Texas and they are horrible. Can’t wait to taste it, plain and dry for me!
DrDan
All A & W’s had the same wonderful tenderloins. They taste the same in Chariton, Knoxville, Indianola and Ames.
Dan
Sue
Love the recipe! We tried this last night and both my husband and I really liked it. Being from Iowa we have noticed the same that so many restaurants have stopped making their own and are buying those premade cardboard tasting things. We will definitely have these again. Since I can’t eat deep fried foods this is a plus! Do you use this same recipe for your oven baked fried chicken as well? Thanks again.
DrDan
Hi Sue, thanks for the note(s) and rating. This is a take off from my oven fried chicken that I do over and over (link in the post above). I wanted a nice tenderloin sandwich but not in Michigan. Also not so much in Iowa anymore either.
My wife, a Michigan girl, never saw anything special about tenderloin sandwiches but now she has even made them herself. She loves these.
Dan
Sue
Thank you very much for this recipe! Made these last night and both my husband and I really liked it. I can’t eat deep fried food so this worked out great. The only restaurant close by that still hand breaded their tenderloins closed last year and so many of the other places are using the frozen patties that taste like cardboard. Do you use this same recipe for you oven baked chicken? Thanks again from the fellow Iowans! I would rate this as a 5.
Kathy
Low 5. I tried these yesterday after looking for a Pork Tenderloin sandwich recipe. My last tenderloin sandwich was quite awhile back while visiting Indiana.. I never thought about this as being so regional. Great recipe. Comfort food from growing up. Very moist. I may look at working the spicing, but just fine the way it is. These are not spicy and are generally eaten on a hamburger bun with mayo, lettuce, tomato, and onion. Thanks for the great no fry recipe. I plan to make agaain.
DrDan
Thanks for the note and rating. I think it is Iowa and Indiana. In Iowa most restaurants have gone to the frozen premade ones. I hope that is not true in Indiana.
DrDan
Cynthia Fields
Hi,
Amazing, I was raised somewhat in Burlington, meaning there 15 years. I am from, and back in Texas. There has always been something missing in my palette as I traveled the united eastern states, Michigan included, Meijers noted, and it occurred to me some 15 years later that I, not even being a lover of fried foods, was missing my tenderloins desperately. I prefer the fried method as that heat and flavor from a little known kiosk called The Igloo, would pass that hot crispy dream through the window and I would have half devoured by the time I found a seat in the parking lot. I laughed at your reference to HyVee as I would grow weary of the long line and purchase the prepackaged ones, ugh. I can’t believe my kids ate those. Anyway, as there are NO tenderloin magicians in Texas and I am a cook, I am going to give a try with both oiled and baked. Heaven comes in big packages on little buns. Smiles
DrDan
Hi Cynthia… It is comments like this make me smile…. a lot. I enjoyed writing the post. I love the recipe. But really what ultimately the blog is about is food memories old and new.
Thanks so much for the comment
Dan
PS I like the baked version more…
Sophie
This is an easy and super tasty meal that my whole family enjoys. I’ve made it several times – it’s a keeper. Thank you for sharing.
Robyn
Why bread crumbs instead of saltines? Can this method be used with saltines? That’s what we normally use in Ft. Madison. Will the crust turn out crispy if I use the cooking method with my usual preparation method?
DrDan
Hi to Fr. Madison from Michigan… formerly Chariton.
This is as much of a technique as a recipe. So saltines crumbs should be fine BUT watch the salt, you might want to not use the seasoning salt but you will need something like a little paprika so it has some taste.
As for your “usual”, I don’t know what that is but generally speaking the melted butter technique should almost always produce a nice crispy finish. It’s my favorite oven fried chicken technique.
My last words… I do really love real tenderloin in my tenderloin sandwiches. The use of mechanically tenderized loin is cheaper but tougher with much lest taste. Once you use tenderloin, you won’t go back.
Dan
Stacy
Thank you SO MUCH for this recipe! I can’t wait to try it! I’m an Iowan that looooves tenderloins but never make them at home because I don’t want to deal with the stove top frying mess.
DrDan
Thanks for the note. Give this a try, much better than most of the frozen ones in the restaurants.
DrDan
Missy A
I love that this recipe is baked! I’m actually a dietitian FROM Iowa! :) I was wondering if it was at all possible to bake this in a liquid oil versus the butter? Any suggestions? Thanks!
DrDan
I would think oil would work fine. There need to be a little oil so the breading isn’t horribly dry. On some dishes I will give the top a quick spray of PAM to help.
My wife and I both prefer this to the fried version to the point of her (Michigan girl) asking for these. I frequently have tenderloin in Iowa when I’m there but it seems like most restaurants are getting processed ones and cooking in their fryer… not very good. Is it that hard to bread something in a restaurant?
DrDan (from Iowa)
Laura M
What are you putting on top of the pork in the picture? Mayo? Any suggestions for toppings?
DrDan
Just Mayo. That is the usual in Iowa.
DrDan
Berta
I prefer mustard on tenderloins and I am from Iowa. Less calories, too, as a bonus!
Sharon
I am from Nebraska. The toppings I am use to are mustard, super thin sliced onions and dill pickle slices. This recipe turned out great.
Jess
I love your blog! I tired the blackened tilapia. Total 5! Can’t wait to try this one. You need a YouTube channel! Glad I found your site!
DrDan
I have a “day job” that keeps me busy. But the puppies have YouTube videos.
The tilapia is one of my favorites. Good choice.
Thanks for the note.
DrDan
Laura R
I agree with you on the oven frying to reduce mess part. Even though I fry things maybe 4 times a year, I own a deep fryer because the mess and fire potential is just too much for me. Even pan frying is such a pain. So I like to oven bake breaded stuff. I am a big fan of pork tenderloin but I have never done it like this, am definitely going to try this recipe out.
DrDan
With only two of us, it is hard to justify the work and mess of stove top frying. I will still do it but not often. I have done the chicken oven fry at least 4 times in the last few weeks and this one a couple of times. Maybe I should do a salad post soon (I actually have one pending).
DrDan
Chris
I’ve never gotten around to trying this treat even though every time I see it on a food travel show, I swear I’m trying it that weekend. I’ve got to try these.
DrDan
Give them a try. Iowa (or Indiana) comfort food.
For you readers Chris is from Nibble Me This one of the top grilling blog sites around. Give him a visit.
Mestralle
First of all, thank you for your blog; it’s been a great resource for my husband and me. I just wanted to mention that if you’re pressed for time, you can probably substitute “pork cutlets” (which is what our local grocery stores seem to call probably chops that have been run through a cuber). They may not be quite as tender and “meaty,” but I often find them in small-package quantities on manager special at D&W or Forest Hills Foods (don’t know where you are in West Michigan; I looked up your info when I grew curious after seeing a Meijer container in a pic). If you have a proper butcher and no big budgetary constraints, you can ask the butcher to pound or cube anything you want.
In any event, I’ve been using a rather messy and annoying shallow pan-fried technique to cook similar breaded pork,, and I’m anxious to try out this oven method.
DrDan
I’m in Spring Lake… I have seen the cutlets which look like loin run though a mechanical tenderizer. I’ll ask next time I’m at Leppink’s – our local Spartan or Meijer’s. Those should be fine but the tenderloin is easy to do and so tasty. I always have a couple in the freezer.
This may sound bad but I oven fry more for not having a mess then health (although it is a lot healthier). I’m now oven fried chicken addicted…
Thanks for the note.
DrDan