Pork Tenderloins

quote:

Originally posted by janicks

The picture that you see here of the pork tenderloin is mine from Nick's Kitchen in Huntington,Indiana...Just wanted to let you know that I have opened a second restaurant in Wabash,In.Nick's Sweet Shop.In addition to the great tenderloins it also has a old fashioned soda fountain.

I grew up in Wabash many years ago and know the Sweet Shop well, if we're talking about the same one, that is. The one I know is on the south side of Market St., about a half block west of Wabash St. I understand that it's changed ownership a few times in the past several years. There are several eateries in Wabash that serve pretty good loins, so you'll have a little competition.

I'm now located in Boise, ID and tenderloins are unknown here. As a matter of fact, I don't think they're found anywhere west of the Mississippi. To satisfy my craving, I finally broke down and purchased a nice Waring deep fryer and the necessary ingredients and just a few days ago actually created my own breaded tenderloin sandwich. The results were excellent, aside from my poor choice of breading. I'd purchased a pre-packaged breading mix at the local supermarket and the seasoning was all wrong, yecch . . . . and it was intended for pork! I'm very remote from your marketing area, so would you care to share any batter/breading recipes?

Best regards, and good luck with the Sweet Shop.

Tom, in Boise

I grew up in Ft Wayne, IN in the '50s, when REAL BPTs were abundant & wonderful. Times have sure changed! I now live in DC, but get back to FWA often. In vain I've searched for BPTs along the route & in FWA, but I just discovered in FWA, the "Acme" restaurant & bar on E. Sate Blvd. Their BPT hangs over the bun, crunchily breaded, & non-greasy. Once my joy & delirium at finding an authentic BPT diminished, I could wish that the meat weren't pounded out so thinly, but, hey, I'm happy! Would love any info on BPT places in DC-MD-WVA-OH-IN (my driving route)!
Thanks, No Such Thing As Too Many BPTs, K

I just found another place to get GREAT BPTs in IN! A real roadfood contender called Blaisings, 501 Kelly St. Ext., Rome City, IN, 260-854-3032. The BPT meat was about 1/2 inch thick, tender & juicy, with a light, crunchy breading. Not the size you get that hangs three inches off the bun because it's been pounded paper-thin, but hangs about an inch off a 3 - 4 inch bun. Definitely delicious, old-time, hand-formed, and you can get whatever you want on it.

I think that I mentioned this in another thread but any way, I had something different as far as pork tendeloin goes. Last week on our way home from Myrtle Beach, we stopped at a Fatz Cafe in Florence, SC and they had a fried pork tenderloin served with red skin mashed potatoes and milk gravy poured over top of both. This was served with coleslaw and poppy seed rolls. The tenderloin was very tender and it along with everything else was delicious.

I highly recommend The Market Street Grill in Wabash, IN. There's also Nick's Kitchen in Huntington which has a widespread, excellent reputation. They've been doing BPTs since 1908!

As an ex-Hoosier living in Boise, Idaho, I became desperate for this culinary delight which doesn't seem to exist west of the Mississippi, so I decided to make my own. My efforts included "consulting", by phone, with the management at both Nick's and Market Street Grill. Amazingly enough, both were free with their recipes and advice. As a result, I'm now able to create a BPT as good as anything I can recall from "the good old days".

Tom

There was a bit about pork tenderloin sandwiches on the Food Channel last night (Thurs. 9/16).

The show was Food Finds and it covered a number of foods from Indiana.

It showed the host assisting the chef at a place called something like Speedway Grill making the sandwiches. They used pork loin, not tenderloin. They pounded it flat. This tenderizes the meat, so maybe they are called tenderloins not because they come from tenderloins, but from tenderized loins.

Anyway, the show made this old Hoosier (referring to the state, not that other school) homesick.

And now a warning about a not-so-good BPT. I stayed in Keokuk, IA a couple of nights this August while I was visiting Nauvoo, Illinois, and their Chamber of Commerce said Keokuk has the world's largest BPT. When I wrote the C of C to ask "Where?" I got no response. The motel manager said they were probably referring to a place on Main Street downtown that's called, if I remember correctly, the Chuck Wagon. The motel manager gently tried to steer me away from there, but I didn't listen. The BPT was huge, but was mostly breading and flavorless. The fries were worse. Thank goodness the preceeding soup had some flavor.

Lleechef was kind to give us her recipe. It sounds yummy! Making things at home yourself is the best answer to "I miss the flavors of where I was born."

Condiments we use are a matter of personal choice. Let's not criticize others for using the "wrong" condiments. If you don't like ketchup, no one is forcing you to use it. We all enjoy our playhouse more when we get along.

This thread made me hungry and nostalgic. I just went to the local yuppie store, Andronico’s in Walnut Creek, CA, and had their pork schnitzel sandwich. Not exactly a BPT, but as close as I can get here.

I had my first tenderloin sandwich today when I found a bit of a pork loin in the freezer I had forgotten about. I thawed it out and proceeded to do the honors myself. An awesome sandwich! I'm so glad to have learned about it and will be looking forward to experimenting with breading and condiments.

I'm sure this would catch on down here if anybody offered it because Texans like meat and Texans like fried things .

I agree with the post above; you'd think tenderloins would catch on in the south. But, alas. I have to make my own which I do frequently.
A post earlier mentioned Maid Rites (sp ?) in Iowa. They are great as well.

carl reitz

The very best tenderloin sandwhich I have ever had, was in a little northern Iowa town of Britt. It was at the Red Rooster or Hob Nob Lounge, on main st.

This beauty was huge and delicious, it must have been over 2 in. outside the bun. It just melts in your mouth.

This little town also hosts the National HOBO day festival. It is a neat little town.

An Iowa treasure indeed.

When I took on a Managment job in Indianapolis for 2 years, they served Pork Tenerloin.. I never heard of them before but oved them! Not to mention they where a good seller! So after my stint down there I came back to Michigan and tried to offer them as a lunch special now and then... Only customer for them was ME... I couldnt understand it, but a fine example of regional food...

The Hardware Cafe in Liberty, MO has a great pork tenderloin. It's right on the town square. They have a curious menu composed of great road food, like pork tenderloin, burgers etc, mixed in with quiche, salads, pasta and steaks. And they have a soda fountain. It's right off I-35, not more than a mile off the interstate.

Bushie and I stopped in Gnaw Bone, IN on Rt 46 for one of the Pork Tenderloins they are known for. The meat was a Loin Chop butterflied. The batter was very light, almost not noticable against the Pork Chop. it was nothing like the breading I have seen on many other 'cutlets' cooked this way. It made a very good sandwich, chewy but with a lot of flavor.

I'm feeling a strong desire for tenderloins. I may have to make a batch this weekend after Turkey Day. I'm envious of you people that can get the real ones.

If you ever get to Bloomington, Il, I had a tenderloin like that at Schooners on Grove Street. In Tucson, try Wags Restaurant on E. Grant Rd.

Visited the MIL this weekend in Peoria, Il and stopped along the way for lunch at a place we have stopped many times before but had changed hands before Christmas. They have a decent buffet bar with pizza and pasta as well as salads but I spied Breaded pork tenderloin on the menu and ordered that. I was not disappointed, nice sized, hanging outside of the bun several inches, I wound up eating part with knife and fork due to the size! The breading was crisp and the meat was tender and juicy. The fries that came along were also very crisp and good. My partner had stuffed portobello mushrooms that were also very good. Best part of this visit to Pomodori Grill is that's it's pretty easy to get to, 9 miles south of I-80 on I-39 at the Oglesby, Il. exit.

Pomodori Grill
210 N. Lewis Ave.
Oglesby, Il. 61348
815-883-3171

Food Finds on the Food Network today had a episode called "Racing around Indiana" that featured breaded pork tenderloins from The Brickyard. Their recipe was a butterflied 5oz. cut off the tenderloin pounded out to less than 1/2 inch, dredged in buttermilk, flour and then coated with Japanese breadcrumbs. They are then deep fried for about 3 minutes. For all those who haven't experienced BPT, catch this episode, better yet, the host says these are availible by mail order which you can get info on off FTV website.

Yeah It did look like they knew how to make 'em didn't it? I haven't been to the Brickyard Crossing, but it is now on our list of things to do in Indianapolis.

I met a woman at my church last week. She's from this area but lived in Lafayette for past 27 years and then moved back here. I asked her if she missed tenderloins. She made a face, said she couldn't understand how "those northerners" could eat some of the stuff they did and certainly had no desire for it now. That was pretty much the end of the coversation.

I fixed me a tenderloin tonight and it was delicious, thanks to the recipes and advice from two noted Hoosier tenderloin vendors. There's nothing mysterious about it. Once the deep fryer is up to temp and the ingredients are at hand, one can be enjoying this delicacy in about fifteen minutes.

Tom, in Boise

I had my tenderloin hopes dashed today. Fairly new place in Knoxville opened up late November west side of town called Savannah's. I was meeting Sundancer somewhere else and thought I'd check this place out on the way to see him.
I bought a pork tenderloin sandwich and I knew there would be a problem when the owner asked me if I wanted it as a biscuit or a sandwich. Well, the sandwich was a thin piece of tenderloin broiled but fit well within the bun and was not a standout.
He didn't have a clue when I tried asking him about a midwest tenderloin. But, he still charged a hefty $5 for this thing. So... no more trips to Savannah's for me.

Update! 3/14/05

For months now, I've been extolling the virtues of tenderloins to my co-workers. My supervisor, who happens to be from near Dayton, OH, is fully aware of the extistance of this delicacy, 'cause he used to have two or three per week when he lived back there. But, like me, hasn't been able to find them anywhere West of the Mississippi. So, I finally fixed a couple and took them to work, today. Gave one to my supervisor and shared the other with a co-worker. The response was indeed gratifying. I asked my boss, "Is it close?" Boss says, "More than close. This is the real deal!" Co-worker says, "Hey you oughta' open a sandwich shop. You'd sell a million of these!" A couple of other guys showed interest, but the loins had been consumed. I now have standing orders for a minimum of five t'loins, at least one day per week. Omigod, what have I done?! Spread the "word", that's what.

The tenderloin now has a toe-hold in the hinterlands of Idaho.

Tom, in Boise


Update: 3/21/05

Today, I took five t'loins to work and distributed them to my co-workers at lunchtime. For condiments, I offered mustard, mayo, pickels and onion slices. The sandwiches went over, big-time! Actually, I'm at an advantage here, as there is no other source for these in the region, and the guys have nothing to compare mine to. However, my foreman, who is from Dayton, OH declared them every bit as good as what he enjoyed back there. I tend to agree with him.

Evangelistic roadfood!! Spread the word, brother Sherp, (and pass the mayo!)

>>Evangelistic roadfood!! Spread the word, brother Sherp, (and pass the mayo!)<<

I'm doin' what I can. I grew up in Northern Indiana, and t'loins were as common and every bit as popular as hamburgers. Once one leaves the region, loins become scarce as hens' teeth, with the exception of places in Iowa. It's a shame that the general population doesn't have access to this great sandwich.

Tom, in Boise

I've found great one throughout Missouri.

One of my favorite tenderloin places is a little tavern at the only red light in a town of Montezuma, OH, right near Lake St. Mary's off Rt 127. It's called Arnie's. Place hasn't changed in over 25 years and some of the best tenderloins and on Fri night fish fries.

In answer to the original question by HawkeyeJohn there is a breaded pork tenderloin sandwich in the heart of Chicago at Petros Restaurant on the corner of LaSalle and Randolph across from City Hall. It is not quite the traditional kind as it is an open faced sandwich consisting of two huge breaded loins on top of two pieces of white bread and smothered with gravy and mashed potatoes on the side. Stripping away the gravy and the loins taste pretty good but have to be eaten with a knife and fork.

It seems the farther away you get from the heartland of the pork tenderloin sandwich, Indiana, Illinois and Iowa, the less traditional the breaded pork tenderloin sandwich becomes. I had one in Lyon's Pub in Minneapolis served on wheat toast with melted chedder cheese topping. It is just not the same.

I have been busy posting tutorials on making breaded pork tenderloin sandwiches in another long running pork tenderloin sandwich thread. Those pictorial tutorials can be found here:

http://www.trackforum.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=784110#post784110

I made my annual mecca trip to Indianapolis for the Indy 500. This year I made a point of seeking out this gourmet delight of a sandwich. In four days I had a chance to try three. The first was at Grindstone Charley's in Speedway. It was great. The next one I had was at the race track itself from the Indy Grill concession stand behind the Northwest Vista stands. It was pre-prepared wrapped in foil but it was good as well. I finished the trip by going to the Nickel Plate restaurant in Fishers, IN to try what Indy Men's Magazine judged to be the best of 64 restaurants. I could not disagree. It was indeed perfect in all respects.

There are so many places just in around Speedway, IN that I wanted to try but I was trying the patience of my spouse and also had other eatery committments. I passed on the famed Mug'n'Bun, Brickyard Crossing, Union Jack, Charley Brown's, McGilvery's, and Billy O'Neal's in and around the small town of Speedway.

I just had another great tenderloin sandwich last night at the Peppermint Twist Drive-in in Delano, Minnesota. The Peppermint Twiist is featured in the Stern's ROAD FOOD book. Here is a picture of the tenderloin sitting in a basket on the dashboard just before I devoured it.