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๐Ÿ Home ยป Recipes ยป Pork Tenderloin Recipes

Oven Fried Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches

Updated: Nov 28, 2023 ยท Published: Jan 25, 2023 by Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan ยท 70 Comments

Jump to Recipe
Time: 45 minutes mins

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.

๐Ÿ–Ingredients

Pork tenderloin
Panko bread crumbs
Pantry ingredientsโ€”egg, milk, butter, seasoning salt, pepper

Pork Tenderloin Sandwich on white plate.
Jump To (scroll for more)
  • ๐Ÿ–Ingredients
  • ๐Ÿ‘จโ€๐ŸณHow to Make Bake Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches
  • โœ”๏ธTips to make it right every time
  • Related recipes
  • How to serve
  • How to keep the breading attached?
  • How to serve pork tenderloin sandwiches?
  • Storing leftovers and reheating
  • FAQs
  • ๐Ÿ“–The Recipe Card with Step-by-Step Instructions
  • Oven Fried Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches
Blue ribbon divider used for visual effect

Featured Comment from Sheila:
"5 stars Soooo good!! Even my hubby, who often prefers the deep fried comfort these provide, loved them!"

A great version of a classic Iowa and Indiana comfort food. But it is much healthier than the traditional fried pork tenderloin filet for the classic sandwich. And it is much easier to cook and clean up than fry.

It uses pork tenderloin instead of pork loin, which is more tender and has an excellent taste. These pork tenderloin sandwiches are so good my wife makes them for me, and she will have a "double" sandwich.

This recipe is my Crispy Oven Fried Chicken that meets my Iowa Fried Breaded Pork Tenderloin Sandwich with some great taste in an easy recipe to make and scale to your needs.

๐Ÿ‘จโ€๐ŸณHow to Make Bake Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches

ingredients for baked pork tenderloin sandwich.

Preheat oven to 350ยฐ convection or 375ยฐ conventional.

cutting pork tenderloin.

Trim a pork tenderloin of any visible fat and the silverskin. Cut the tenderloin into four approximately equal pieces by weight. Next, โ€œbutterflyโ€ the pieces. Do this by cutting ยพ of the way through and folding 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.

flattening the pork with meat mallet.

Next, cover it with plastic wrap or place it in a zip lock bag and pound it to about ยฝ inch thick or thinner if you want.

melted butter in sheet pan.

Place 4 tablespoons of butter on a large baking tray and place in the oven for a few minutes to melt the butter.

the start of the coating line.

Set up two pans. In the first, combine one egg and ยผ cup milk. Whip well. In the second pan, ยฝ cup flour, ยฝ cup Panko bread crumbs, one tablespoon seasoning salt, and ยฝ teaspoon pepper.

dipping tenderloin in egg wash.

Dry the meat very well with paper towels, then start with coating the meat with egg wash. Shake to remove excess.

shaking off excess coating.

Coat well in the flour mixture and shake off excess.

place tenderloins on tray with melted butter.

Place on the tray with the melted butter. Let them set for 5 minutes or so to help the coating stick.

browned pork tenderloin cutlet.

Place in the oven for 20 minutes. Flip and bake for another 10 minutes until golden brown. Serve hot.

For more details, keep reading. See the Recipe Card below for complete instructions and to print.

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โœ”๏ธTips to make it right every time

  • The meat is done before you have the proper browning. It stays moist in the breading, so all is well, but go by crispiness and color, not temp on this one.
  • The spicing is a bit bland, but that is the norm for these. Feel free to go wild with the spicing since this can handle it.
  • Saltine crackers are frequently used to replace bread crumbs.
  • The meat used commercially is almost always pork loin, which has been mechanically tenderized. Hard to duplicate at home.
  • If you live in Iowa or other midwest states, you may be able to buy pre-breaded tenderized pork loin for these sandwiches.
  • I suggest using pork tenderloin, which is more "tender" and tastier. It is my preferred meat for home-cooked tenderloin sandwiches. But, since the meat is smaller in diameter, I butterfly slices and flatten them.

Iowa Breaded Pork Tenderloin Sandwich

Make your own comfort food with this breaded tenderloin sandwich. A classic from Iowa and Indiana made with a flattened pork filet coated with breadcrumb crust and pan-fried.

Pork Tenderloin Sandwich with mayo

Related recipes

Check out other pork sandwiches, like Grilled Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches, Crock Pot Shredded Pork Tenderloin, Pulled Pork Loin in the Crock Pot, and Crock Pot Pulled Pork Butt.

How to serve

Serve with Convection Oven French Fries, Microwave Corn on the Cob, or Simple Spinach Salad with Bacon.

How to keep the breading attached?

There are several things you can do to help the breading stick better.

  1. Be sure the meat is dried with paper towels before starting the breading.
  2. Shake off the excess egg wash and breadcrumb mixture while coating.
  3. Let the tenderloin set for 5-10 minutes after breading to help it adhere better.
  4. When you flip the tenderloin, use a fork on the edge of the meat.

How to serve pork tenderloin sandwiches?

Serving is on a soft white bread bun with only lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickle. Side dishes are usually French fries or similar things.

Storing leftovers and reheating

Leftovers are good for 3 days refrigerated airtight. You can also freeze for 2-3 months after cooking.

To reheat, thaw if frozen, then reheat in a 350ยฐ oven covered with foil for about 20 minutes. A microwave can be used, but it may affect the texture.

FAQs

What are 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, and always will be, a much-loved Iowa tradition.

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.

Blue ribbon divider used for visual effect

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

Have you tried this recipe, or have a question? Join the community discussion in the comments.

๐Ÿ“–The Recipe Card with Step-by-Step Instructions

Pork Tenderloin Sandwich on white plate

Oven Fried Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches

5 from 11 votes
From Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Oven Fried Pork Tenderloin Sandwichesย are great tasting with crisp breading. A healthier version of that great Iowa comfort food. Perfect for a retro lunch or easy dinner.
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes minutes
Servings #/Adjustable :4 servings
Print | Pin | Email share | Like and save for later Saved!

Ingredients

US Customary - Convert to Metric
  • 1 pork tenderloin
  • 1 egg
  • ยผ cup milk
  • 4 tablespoon butter
  • ยฝ cup AP flour
  • ยฝ cup Panko bread crumbs
  • 1 tablespoon seasoning salt - Lowery's or similar
  • ยฝ teaspoon pepper

Step-by-Step Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350ยฐ convection or 375ยฐ conventional.
    ingredients for baked pork tenderloin sandwich
  • Trim a pork tenderloin of any visible fat and the silverskin. Cut the tenderloin into four approximately equal pieces by weight. Next, โ€œbutterflyโ€ the pieces. Do this by cutting ยพ of the way through and folding 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.
    cutting pork tenderloin
  • Next, cover with plastic wrap or place in a zip lock bag and pound to about ยฝ inch thick or thinner if you want.
    flattening the pork with meat mallet
  • Place 4 tablespoons of butter on a large baking tray and place in the oven for a few minutes to melt the butter.
    melted butter in sheet pan
  • Set up two pans. In the first, combine one egg and ยผ cup milk. Whip well. In the second pan, ยฝ cup flour, ยฝ cup Panko bread crumbs, one tablespoon seasoning salt, and ยฝ teaspoon pepper.
    the start of the coating line
  • Dry the meat very well with paper towels, Then start with coating the meat with egg wash. Shake to remove excess.
    dipping tenderloin in egg wash
  • Coat well in the flour mixture and shake off excess.
    shaking off excess coating
  • Place on the tray with the melted butter. Let them set for 5 minutes or so to help the coating stick.
    place tenderloins on tray with melted butter
  • Place in the oven for 20 minutes. Flip and bake for another 10 minutes until golden brown. Serve hot.
    browned pork tenderloin cutlet

Recipe Notes

Pro Tips

  1. Get the thickness of the tenderloin down to at most ยฝ inch, but thinner is ok.
  2. You can use tenderized pork loin for this.
  3. This is bland, so add spices if you want.
  4. The coating will stick much better if the meat is very dry before coating and you let them set for a few minutes before cooking. Also, when doing the flip, use a fork on the edge.
  5. Leftovers should be good refrigerated for 3-4 days or frozen for 3-4 months.
ย 
ย 

Your Own Private Notes

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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)

Calories : 634 kcal (32%)Carbohydrates : 6 g (2%)Protein : 96 g (192%)Fat : 23 g (35%)Saturated Fat : 9 g (45%)Cholesterol : 330 mg (110%)Sodium : 449 mg (19%)Potassium : 1794 mg (51%)Fiber : 1 g (4%)Sugar : 1 g (1%)Vitamin A : 220 IU (4%)Calcium : 51 mg (5%)Iron : 4.8 mg (27%)

Originally Published March 8, 2014. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.

Ten week old Molly and Lilly.

More Pork Tenderloin Recipes

  • Shredded pork tenderloin with BBQ sauce on a bun.
    Crock Pot Shredded Pork Tenderloin
  • graphic for Pinterest of Pork Tenderloin Sandwich
    Iowa Breaded Pork Tenderloin Sandwich
  • pork fajita on griddle
    30 Minute Pork Fajitas
  • grilled pork tenderloin cut on white plate
    Honey Garlic Pork Tenderloin

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  1. Sam says

    September 26, 2024 at 7:14 am

    As much as I like Panko crumbs, they wouldn't add enough flavor. You stated saltine crackers are often used & I agree!

    Reply
  2. Kathy F says

    August 19, 2024 at 5:25 pm

    5 stars
    The four serving recipe calls for one pork tenderloin. A package has two tenderloins. I assume this is to use one of them? I am anxious to try this one. I use many of your recipes and they are all great. I love the way you explain and illustrate for us!

    Reply
    • Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says

      August 19, 2024 at 5:31 pm

      Hi Kathy,

      Welcome to the blog.

      You are correct. It is on pork tenderloin not a package of two. One will weigh about 1ยผ to 1ยฝ pounds. My wife like this recipe so much, she will cook it herself an then have a "double" sandwich.

      Dan

  3. Matthew Sheptycki says

    November 21, 2023 at 5:36 pm

    5 stars
    Soak the pounded tenderloins for four to twenty four hours in buttermilk then proceed with the recipe, they melt like butter in your mouth. I also add hot sauce to the butter milk but that's a personnel preference

    Reply
    • Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says

      November 21, 2023 at 5:40 pm

      Hi Matthew,
      Welcome to the blog.
      It sounds like a great idea, and I would keep a dash of hot sauce.
      Thanks for the note and rating.
      Have a good Thanksgiving.
      Dan

  4. Kassie says

    July 05, 2023 at 10:30 pm

    5 stars
    Just made these tonight followed directions to a T with the exception of my own seasonings and I used bacon grease instead of butter because how can you go wrong there?? They turned out wonderfully on convection bake. Will definitely be adding these to heavy rotation!

    Reply
  5. MKA says

    April 04, 2022 at 7:04 pm

    I have some boneless thin cut pork loin chops. Would I be able to use these and maybe cut down on the cooking time? How long would you recommend cooking them?
    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says

      April 04, 2022 at 8:17 pm

      Welcome to the blog.

      Almost all "pork tenderloin sandwiches" are really thin cuts of pork loin but then mechanically tenderized. So yes, they will do. If you have a way to mechanically tenderize, do it but will probably be tender anyway.

      How long to cook? The same, the meat is really a bit overdone once the breading is nice which is the end point of cooking.

      Dan

  6. Kathy M. says

    January 11, 2022 at 4:52 am

    Looking forward to making these. One question before I do, does the butter splatter all over the oven? Thank you.

    Reply
    • Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says

      January 11, 2022 at 5:01 am

      Hi Kathy,

      Welcome to the blog.

      I have several recipes using this method and we see no splatter. We are using standard sheet pans with a side that is about an inch or a little less.

      We make this recipe frequently and my wife will even surprise me with it.

      Dan

  7. Sheila Skinner says

    April 15, 2020 at 7:58 pm

    5 stars
    Soooo good!! Even my hubby, who often prefers the deep fried comfort these provide, loved them! Instead of gf flour mix I used cornstarch mixed with the panko. They were crispy and juicy but not greasy at all. Definitely will be my go to when I have that craving!

    Reply
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