Easiest Way to Prepare Perfect Joe's Hoosier Tenderloin Sandwich

Joe's Hoosier Tenderloin Sandwich. Joe's Hoosier Tenderloin Sandwich The crispy breaded pork tenderloin sandwich is an Indiana specialty from way back. The crispy breaded pork tenderloin sandwich is an Indiana specialty from way back. You'll find loads of recipes on the web for this popular sandwich, but I've not had any that.

While there are many variations of the recipe (like our grilled pork tenderloin sandwich) this is my moms breaded pork. This pork tenderloin sandwich comes way oversized served on a regular hamburger bun. Marinated in buttermilk, breaded in saltines, and fried to a golden brown! You can have Joe's Hoosier Tenderloin Sandwich using 9 ingredients and 10 steps. Here is how you cook that.

Ingredients of Joe's Hoosier Tenderloin Sandwich

1. It's 4 of thick-cut, boneless pork tenderloin chops.
2. It's 1 of garlic powder, to taste.
3. You need 1 of salt & pepper, to taste.
4. It's 3 tbsp of cornmeal.
5. You need 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour.
6. You need 1 1/2 cup of buttermilk.
7. It's 2 cup of Panko breadcrumbs.
8. Prepare 1 of peanut oil (for frying).
9. You need 4 of large burger buns.

I promise to show you a picture of mine at the end though. I prefer the breaded tenderloin, so that is what I'll be using in this recipe. Amy's Hoosier Daddy Breaded Pork Tenderloin Sandwich You'll need: Time! I love pork tenderloin sandwiches and haven't been able to find a good one since I moved away from MO.

Joe's Hoosier Tenderloin Sandwich step by step

1. Butterfly the pork chops by slicing through the thickness from one side to about 1/2 inch before slicing it completely in two. Open the chop out flat..
2. Place the chop between two sheets of plastic wrap. With a meat mallet, starting at the center of the chop and working out toward the edges, beat the chop thin, until it's about 1/4" thick..
3. Liberally season both sides of each chop with garlic powder, salt and pepper..
4. Mix the cornmeal and flour together. Dredge both sides of each chop with this mixture, patting/rubbing it in with your fingers. Set aside..
5. In a cast iron skillet, heat peanut oil to 360°. (You can do this in a deep fryer, but I prefer the traditional cast iron skillet method.).
6. Pour the buttermilk into a large, shallow dish (such as a cake pan). Pour the panko breadcrumbs onto a large dinner plate and spread them out flat..
7. Dip each pork chop into the buttermilk, covering completely; let excess drain off, then dredge them with the panko breadcrumbs. I like to use the back of a soup spoon to press the crumbs onto the meat so it sticks well..
8. Let the breaded chops sit for 15 minutes. This step's important! If you fry immediately after breading, your breading won't stick to the meat..
9. Fry each tenderloin until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes on each side. They're so big, you can only fry one at a time. Line a cookie sheet with paper towels, place a cake-cooling rack on top of the paper towels, and transfer your finished tenderloins to the cooling rack; keep finished tenderloins in a warm oven while you cook the rest..
10. Serve on a toasted bun. The traditional toppings for a Hoosier Pork Tenderloin are mayonnaise, lettuce, and dill pickle chips (LOTS of pickles!). But feel free to add thinly sliced onion, tomato, or your own favorites..

I found this recipe in a book by Jane and Michael Stern, who ate at Nicks Kitchen in Huntington, Indiana. I don't know whether this recipe is the Sterns' or the restaurant. Either way, it sounds like a keeper! Every restaurant back home had it on the menu. A good tenderloin is a BIG deal back home.