Pork Tenderloins

I just finished our breaded pork tenderloin dinner and I am ready to take on all comers. I think I figured out the secret for a superb tasting tenderloin and I owe it to Jean Anne Bailey, owner of Nick's Kitchen, with an assist from the Brickyard Crossing and a little of my own.

For starters I bought a fresh pork tenderloin and cut as much of the fat out as I could. I tried two different butterfly cuts and then just pounded a chunk without butterfly cutting it. The butterfly cuts tended to elongate on me no matter how I cut them. Pounding a chunk came out rounder. I wanted a thickness of about 3/8 inches. The picture is a pounded chunk to 3/8 inches. In the future I'll keep it simple and just pound chunks about 2-1/2 inches long.

I created a marinade consisting of buttermilk, eggs, flour, a tablespoon of dry mustard, a pinch of salt, pepper, garlic powder and Emeril's Original Essence seasoning. I let the tenderloins marinate overnight. Both Nick's and Brickyard say to use buttermilk. The overnight came from Nick's Kitchen. I think buttermilk is the secret. It transforms the tenderloin.

This time I breaded the tenderloins with Panko Japanese Bread Crumbs. I put the crumbs in a pan, put the tenderloin straight from the marinade on the crumbs, fluffed some crumbs on top and pressed the tenderloin into the crumbs until it was thoroughly coated. The Japanese bread crumbs is a Brickyard suggestion. The Japanese bread crumbs have a lightness and fullness similar to processed saltine crackers but seem less bland to me.

I deep fried at 360 degrees F a little over 3 minutes or until golden brown. This is the result. My wife thinks it is the best she has tasted.

Davydd's Home Tenderloin 3/12/2006

I updated my pork tenderloin sandwich web site yesterday...

http://www.porktenderloinsandwich.com -- 26 sandwiches in all.

Note a new easy to remember URL address to get there. Also, I separated out a pork tenderloin sandwich tutorial with complete recipe on a second page that can be found at...

http://web.mac.com/davydd/iWeb/Site/BPT_Tutorial.html

Thanks, Uncle Vic...now I have to give you an encore. This is the big hangover sandwich I ate for myself Sunday. I actually made six. Two I froze unfried and one I fried but set aside for a later lunch with a microwave rejuvenation (hopefully). Three of them we ate, mine, my wife's and my sister-in-law's.

So without much more adieu, here is the encore sandwich that is bound to make you salivate.

Home Hangover

Those are nice looking sandwiches, Davyyd. Will you be opening a Davyyd's Kitchen anytime soon?
The Bear

ScreenBear,

Not likely at all. This is just for fun. Where I work (not in the restaurant business)they are starting to call me "Davy Hammerbutt", the "Johnny Appleseed" equivalent for spreading this hammered pork butt sandwich. My previous nickname before I started this crazy activity called a hobby was Davy the Hammer for my...um uh...leadership style.

I work for a fairly large corporation and in large corporation there are always groups that form to promote workplace fun. In our department the committee decided to have a show your hobby exhibit. When asked, I begged off and said I ate my hobby (without blaming my dog). Then I relented and put together this board.

Tenderloin Collage

I just had the privilege of watching the full 16 minute video of Jensen Rufe's "In Search of the Famous Indiana Hoosier Deep Fried Breaded Pork Tenderloin Sandwich". "(1999, 16-minute video documentary) isn't as much a celebration of this odd local high-calorie delicacy as it is of the proud purveyors who serve them. Through interviews with tavern owners, cooks and waitresses, we gain a glimpse, via its food, into what life in Indiana is all about." Mr. Dave's in North Manchester, IN, the Mug'n'Bun in Speedway, IN and the Gnaw Bone Food & Fuel in Brown County, IN were the featured tenderloin spots. Nick's Kitchen got a brief outside cameo shot of the front. A distilled online version that captures the essence of the full video can be found at this site:

http://jensenrufe.com/documentaries/

It is definitely worth watching. I have the online short version on my iPod to show local restaurants.

Iowans don't despair. I will be checking out your best this summer.

I have had Pork Tenders all over, and the Best was a sandwich at
"Pug Mahons" on the edge of downtown Billings, Montana.
Pug's sandwich is thick in comparison to most tenderloin sandwiches.
In Montana they usually call them pork chop sandwiches.
He cuts them fresh every morning about 3/4"thick, they are nicely breaded and very tender. They have an ambitious menu at Pugs, he also serves a great smoked Prime Rib.

quote:

Originally posted by mhill95

I have had Pork Tenders all over, and the Best was a sandwich at
"Pug Mahons" on the edge of downtown Billings, Montana.
Pug's sandwich is thick in comparison to most tenderloin sandwiches.
In Montana they usually call them pork chop sandwiches.
He cuts them fresh every morning about 3/4"thick, they are nicely breaded and very tender. They have an ambitious menu at Pugs, he also serves a great smoked Prime Rib.

If they call them pork chop sandwiches they are more than likely a pork chop. They are different. Anyway, to get a new page started we need a picture. Right? So I sacrificed and went to the re-opened for the season this month the old-fashioned Minnetonka Drive In with the speaker order phones and car hops. But since it is still in the 30s with snow on the ground we opted for take out rather than chow down in the pickup. Here is the start of a new year at the drive in.

Minnetonka Drive-In 3/2006 Tenderloin


It is already added to my growing gallery of breaded pork tenderloin sandwiches at:

http://www.porktenderloinsandwich.com

quote:

Originally posted by mhill95

"If they call them pork chop sandwiches they are more than likely a pork chop. They are different."

Tell me the difference.

Gladly. To start here is a site that explains the pork loin cuts in great detail.

The Cook's Thesaurus Pork Loin Cuts
http://foodsubs.com/MeatPorkLoin.html

Hormel has a site that describes their products in detail as well. The following two sites describe the pork tenderloin and the pork chop.

Hormel Pork - Tenderloin
http://www.hormel.com/templates/knowledge/knowledge.asp?catitemid=34&id=309

Hormel Pork - Chops
http://www.hormel.com/templates/knowledge/knowledge.asp?catitemid=34&id=306

My own findings are from experimentation and can be found here.

My Breaded Pork Tenderloin Sandwich Tutorials with Recipe
http://web.mac.com/davydd/iWeb/Site/BPT_Tutorial.html

If you had a sandwich that was 3/4 inches thick and described as a pork chop sandwich it was most likely a pork chop as cut to that thickness. It would not have been a tenderloin though a pork chop sandwich can taste great. The tenderloin is leaner, pounded and tenderized, fried relatively fast because it is thin after pounding and will overhang the largest bun. My taste tests of the loin cuts are pork chops chewiest and least tender, pork loin cuts as more tender and pork tenderloin as the most tender and leanest cut. The tenderloin has a melt in your mouth taste that a pork chop does not have. But they all taste good mind you. A 3/4 inch thick pork chop could never look like the sandwiches described as pork tenderloins on my photo page: http://www.porktenderloinsandwich.com It would have had to been a huge hog.

Maybe not all of those sandwiches were true tenderloins on my web page. One was definitely a pork fritter (made up patty from parts), some were pounded out pork loin cuts including one of mine described in the tutorial, and many may have been pre-prepared and delivered to the restaurant for frying. I found there is hardly a discernable difference between pork loin cuts and pork tenderloin cuts but a definite difference from a pork chop cut even though they all come from the loin of the pork. I also know from my own experience and tasting in restaurants it is in the preparation that separates the good from the average. Note I did not say bad.

Hope this helps.

Prior to discovering this site about a year ago, I had never heard of BPT's although I'd been using pork tenderloin (pounded thin) for years as a substitute in recipes calling for veal scallopini.

For my first attempt at the sandwich, I used pork loin. Pounded to about 1/2 inch, I let it soak overnight in the seasoned buttermilk and used homemade bread crumbs. I fried it quickly in an inch of canola oil, and served it on lightly toasted hamburger bun with mayo, mustard, thin-sliced sweet onion, and lettuce. The results were judged to be very good.

For my second attempt I used pork tenderloin pounded to 1/4"-3/8", skipped the marinating step altogether, and lightly coated with seasoned flour, dipped in egg-wash, and covered with Panko crumbs. Again, fried quickly in a little less canola oil, and served with the same roll and toppings. The results were judged to be excellent and that's the method I've stuck with.

I really don't think the buttermilk marinade is worth the extra time and expense. Perhaps, if using a cut of pork other than tenderloin, it's more of a necessity but, for now anyway, I'm satisfied with the results I've been getting.

A couple months ago I found a local sport bar/restaurant that offers BPT sandwiches. This is the only time I've
ever seen it on a menu here in Florida. It wasn't bad, but not the real thing.
Anyway, thanks for turning me on to this taste treat. They've become a regular item on our home menu and I think they'll remain there for a long time. pb

In times past, I have spent quite a bit of time in Iowa. They pride themselves on porkchops.

I was in Cedar Rapids and the restaurant I visited was downtown and had really thick chops. The butterflied them and served them grilled.

I have grilled them before but never with the same results.

Iowa does porkchops very good.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

I thought that pork tenderloin sandwiches were based on tenderized loin chops not tenderloins. On a TV show on Indiana foods they showed a place in Indy making the sandwich and it sure looked like they were using loins.

quote:

Originally posted by plb

I thought that pork tenderloin sandwiches were based on tenderized loin chops not tenderloins. On a TV show on Indiana foods they showed a place in Indy making the sandwich and it sure looked like they were using loins.

plb, The only show I am aware of was the Food Network Food Finds show called Racing Around Indiana. In that segment they featured the Indianapolis 500 Brickyard Crossing Restaurant and they definitely used pork tenderloin with a butterfly cut. I video captured the show, edited it down and transferred it to my video iPod.

quote:

Originally posted by Sundancer7

In times past, I have spent quite a bit of time in Iowa. They pride themselves on porkchops.

For a very, very good reason. They slaughtter three times as many hogs as the next nearest state. You probably couldn't guess the next state. It is not Indiana or Illinois. Try North Carolina. Now why doesn't North Carolina go crazy over these sandwiches?

Here is the 1999 statistic I found online for hogs slaughtered:

1. Iowa 28.9056 million
2. North Carolina 9.7864 million
3. Illinois 9.1971 million
4. Minnesota 7.9400 million
5. Indiana 6.3268 million

quote:

Originally posted by porkbeaksFor my first attempt at the sandwich, I used pork loin. Pounded to about 1/2 inch, I let it soak overnight in the seasoned buttermilk and used homemade bread crumbs. I fried it quickly in an inch of canola oil, and served it on lightly toasted hamburger bun with mayo, mustard, thin-sliced sweet onion, and lettuce. The results were judged to be very good.

For my second attempt I used pork tenderloin pounded to 1/4"-3/8", skipped the marinating step altogether, and lightly coated with seasoned flour, dipped in egg-wash, and covered with Panko crumbs. Again, fried quickly in a little less canola oil, and served with the same roll and toppings. The results were judged to be excellent and that's the method I've stuck with.

I really don't think the buttermilk marinade is worth the extra time and expense. Perhaps, if using a cut of pork other than tenderloin, it's more of a necessity but, for now anyway, I'm satisfied with the results I've been getting.

Porkbeaks,

Now you have to combine the best of your two attempts. Marinade pork tenderloin in the buttermilk overnight and you reach an even higher plateau. The difference in your second attempt probably owed more to the pork tenderloin over pork loin and the Panko Japanese bread crumbs than the egg wash or marinade. The buttermilk overnight marinade definitely transforms the tenderloin. Interestingly, the day I tried the overnight marinade I watched an Emeril show where he did the very same thing for his fried chicken. It must be good. I enjoyed the professional reinforcement and the fact that the best tasting restaurant tenderloin out over over two dozen I had was from Nick's Kitchen where I learned the secret. Granted your second attempt was excellent and probably 99% of the restaurants do the same, I will in the future reserve the overnight buttermilk marinade any time I serve guests and for the holidays. It will now be my annual birthday meal along with mince meat pie. No cake.

I find this hard to believe.Not how to make them but the thread.I am a displaced indy guy for a long time to mich.I remember when I paid 25cent for a BPT and 5cent for a 8oz bottle coke.My biggest disappointment was nop BPT never even heard of them. So I like every other BPT lover out of region I suffered except when I went down home once in awhile. Last week I said self why are you so dumb make your own. Self said you do not have eqpt. or know how so I went out and purchased a deep fryer & cannola oil. I haven't seen anything on oil so I hope that was the right oil? I then got pork tenderloin, how in the world do you get such a big sandwich out of such a little piece of meat? It took some time but I found this site and thanks to Davydd I am ready to go forth and deep fry.

quote:

Originally posted by ent07

It took some time but I found this site and thanks to Davydd I am ready to go forth and deep fry.

Davydd bless you. Another soul rescued from tenderloin withdrawal.

Keep up the good work and your pictures too!!

Welcome and thank you brother tenderloiner ent07. Thank you too NebGuy. Spread the word to all and let all Hoosier expatriates know they too can get a taste of home.

ent07 you have the right oil in Canola oil. You want an oil suitable for high temperatures. Peanut oil, another high temperature oil, is a flavor favorite but is not as healthy and costs a tad over twice as much as Canola oil. You could use Crisco and lard too if you want to clog those arteries even more.

My wife thinks the main artery to my brain is already cloged. Wait until she hears my newest insperation. Reading 11 pages on the BPT I will take up the camera and have purpose to my life and find the best BPT in the wor well maybe 3 or 4 states around MIWE go just about every weekend and having great inteligence I never thought about looking. Davydd hasdone a great job but my travels go a little different way. We will see what will be.

ent07, if you want to continue to fry your brain try reading about 111 pages of pork tenderloin sandwiches at Trackforum.com. I think I joined in there at about page 93 and the discussion has been going on for 4 years just because they sell pork tenderloin sandwiches at the Indianapolis 500.

Michigan is closer to Indiana. That's the mother load. Minnesota is closer to Iowa, the other pork zealot state, and I haven't even begun to mine that state yet.

Finally! I just learned today my favorite downtown Minneapolis Pub, Lyon's Pub, that I have been touting, cajoling, hoping, praying...will have a new menu Monday with a breaded pork tenderloin sandwich. They will also add a pulled pork sandwich and a BBQ pork sandwich to the menu. Pork in a big way. Their standard pork tenderloin will come with a BBQ sauce and melted cheddar cheese. Oh well, I guess that's what they think will sell. The last time we ordered without cheese and the BBQ sauce on the side which I used for my fries. I assume this is what the sandwich will look like. It is a previous sandwich I had there. Encore presentation...

Still mining Minnesota for pork tenderloin sandwiches and found another one. Bear with me. I know of only about two other places I haven't been to before heading to Iowa and back to Indiana. Those were famous last words. I bet there are dozens more in the out lying areas.

This is Alleygators, a bar, night club, restaurant and bowling alley combination in Maple Grove, Minnesota. The tenderloin was tasty. It was not pounded down to spread much beyond the bun thus was nearly 1/2 inch thick. It is served with red onion and lettuce and your choice of fries, chips or cole slaw for $7.25. Our group of four had three of them. Our daughter opted for grilled chicken. The lone guy by himself at the next table looked over and then ordered one. I would bet he might have not ordered one had he not seen ours.

Without much more ado, Alleygators breaded pork tenderloin...

Lyon's Pub did come out with their new menu Monday 4/10/06 and did include the breaded pork tenderloin sandwich as permanent fare. This might be a first for downtown Minneapolis which I can now have a pork tenderloin sandwich whenever I feel like one. Since we got there right after the start of the luncheon hour we may have ordered the first ones. They were a little over cooked. It may take them some time to get them down pat. Well persistence paid off. Now on to tackle a few more restaurants.

Here are the particulars...

Lyon's Pub New Menu 4/10/06 Pork Tenderloin Sandwich


Lyon's Pub New Pork Tenderloin Sandwich served with fries

quote:

Originally posted by Davydd

quote:

Originally posted by Sundancer7

In times past, I have spent quite a bit of time in Iowa. They pride themselves on porkchops.

For a very, very good reason. They slaughtter three times as many hogs as the next nearest state. You probably couldn't guess the next state. It is not Indiana or Illinois. Try North Carolina. Now why doesn't North Carolina go crazy over these sandwiches?

They're too busy barbecuing them?

BTW, I want to come to Minneapolis to your pub! I love Fish&chips also!
Cathy

Cathy,

As much as I hate to say it they Lyon's Pub has not perfected the pork tenderloin sandwich yet. You are better off stopping in Indians and checking them out there starting with Nick's Kitchen in Huntington or maybe another dozen excellent places.

But if you do come to Minneapolis, the Tavern on Grand (Avenue) in St. Paul, MN is the consensus best for the Walleye sandwich or entre. I would give a thumbs up to the Twin Cities Grill in the Mall of America as well. But if it is just fish and chips you want you might find better on the east coast.

If you must see them...

http://www.porktenderloinsandwich.com

I have just about wrapped up the Twin Cities breaded pork tenderloin sandwich pursuit and will be on to Iowa and Indiana in May. The latest is Porky's on University Avenue in St. Paul, MN. Porky's is billed as a drive in but no longer has car hops or ordering from your car other than a McDonald's like drive up window. There is no inside dining so you do have to eat in your car. This place used to routinely get drive in of the year awards from local weeklies and their pork sandwich called a Pork Cutlet got best sandwich of the year award by Minneapolis/St. Paul Magazine in 1997. Maybe it was better back then. The sandwich though called a "pork cutlet" is a pounded and breaded deep fried pork sandwich probably from a pork loin cut. It is served on heavily buttered toast. This sandwich is by no means anywhere near the best even in the Twin Cities. In fact it would rank down toward the bottom of my list. But, one must be satisfied to at least know. At $2.89 it was the least expensive.

If you want a true old fashion drive in experience in the Twin Cities there is still the Peppermint Twist in Delano, MN and the Minnetonka Drive in in Spring Park, MN.

Here is Porky's sandwich. If they won't call it a tenderloin neither will I.

What the hell is the curly fried thing alongside it?

Looks like an octupus trying to get out of the box!

quote:

Originally posted by TJ Jackson

What the hell is the curly fried thing alongside it?

Looks like an octupus trying to get out of the box!

Onion rings!

As easy as these things are to make, I am amazed that this current thread is now at 11 pages. Is it that, or is the thrill in finding places that serve them? An innocent question, as no retail establishments serve the same within any reasonable distance from me.

Please look at the pic of the onion rings.

See the rolling tentacles? See the eye of the octopus towards the top middle?

It's like a deep fried rorshach test

quote:

Originally posted by Adjudicator

As easy as these things are to make, I am amazed that this current thread is now at 11 pages. Is it that, or is the thrill in finding places that serve them? An innocent question, as no retail establishments serve the same within any reasonable distance from me.

I don't know about easy. I have sampled over 30 but would only go back for maybe a half dozen or so because most restaurants do not make them well.

The breaded pork tenderloin sandwich seems to be a heartland phenomenom with the epicenter at Iowa, Illinois and Indiana. You then find them at the periphery states to those three as I have discovered in Minnesota but they die out very quickly after that. If you go elsewhere in the USA you will find the restaurant owner is probably from the "I" states. Maybe more will take heed from these boards and spread the word.

I had another tenderloin at Lyon's Pub yesterday. They are steadily improving. More impressive is it looks as if they have a great pulled pork sandwich which is also a new addition.

Would you believe it? I haven't had a pork tenderloin sandwich in nearly two weeks! That Lyon's Pub pulled pork sandwich I mentioned in the previous message is what I had last week. It came with cheddar cheese and crispy fried onions topping. It was very good.

In just a short 11 days from this posting I will be on my annual Indy 500 trek. I plan to take a southern then eastern route through Iowa to Indianapolis so will be stopping for lunch in Iowa to try one of theirs. Then in Indy I will have a few more so will be updating my web page with new samplings in early June. Of course I will be loading them here with commentary. So heads up.

http://web.mac.com/davydd/iWeb/Site/Pork_Tenderloins.html

quote:

Originally posted by Davydd

I plan to take a southern then eastern route through Iowa to Indianapolis so will be stopping for lunch in Iowa to try one of theirs. Then in Indy I will have a few more so will be updating my web page with new samplings in early June. Of course I will be loading them here with commentary. So heads up.
http://web.mac.com/davydd/iWeb/Site/Pork_Tenderloins.html

Davydd,

If you make it to Smitty's in Desmoines, I would love to hear what you thought since I hope to make it there next year. My only experience with pork tenderloins was at Mug n Bun in Indy and it was nothing short of dissapointing (however the Root Beer was good!) Also any good advice on the best Tenderloins in Indy would be helpful since I've been thinking (just thinking, nothing planned in stone yet) of heading there labor day weekend!

WJ,

If you study this thread carefully I have expressed my opinons on the Hoosier state. After my yearly trip I will most likely have updates for you. For now, if you visit Indiana you should go to Nick's Kitchen where it all started and still has the best tenderloin to date. The Mug'n'Bug gets a lot of publicity, is in the Stern's Roadfoad book and was featured in Jensen Rufe's documentary, "In Search of the Hoosier Breaded Pork Tenderloin Sandwich", so is going to get repetitive build upon comment by many that may never have been there. I could easily add to that heap since it is my home town of Speedway but I have not had one since my ressurrection tour of my youth started last year. So I will hold off until I visit again. Yes, I have been there numerous times many years ago. In Speedway alone there are a half dozen other places in regular restaurants. My Indianapolis rankings so far are...

Billy O'Neal's on West 10th (and not because it is name after a high school classmate of mine)
Nickel Plate, Fishers (It was also the Indy Men's Magazine winner last year out of 64 restaurant samplings)
Grindstone Charley's on Crawfordsville Road (Where we have our annual Speedway HS reunion--yes annual)
The Union Jack, Speedway
Indy 500 Brickyard Crossing (Featured on Food Network's Food Finds and looked great but I must have been there on an off day)

This year I will repeat at Grindstone Charley's and probably will try Muldoon's in Carmel since my sister claims it is better than the Nickel Plate and I am trying to convince a new Irish Pub in Excelsior, MN to put one on their menu.. Also, I am going to try to get to the Gnaw Bone Food & Fuel, another Roadfood book myth maker and regular publicity write up. Great name. I want to know how the tenderloin stacks up. If I stop it will be right after an after wedding Sunday brunch in Floyd's Knob, IN. Love those names.

I may have to stop at the Mug'n'Bun or it will hang over my head for another year. Other places I have heard with recommendations but not been to are MicGilvery's, Green Street Pub in Brownsburg, Red Onion in Sheridan, and Shallo's.

On the way to Indy I will bypass Des Moines but am going to try stopping at Joensy's in Solon, IA midway between Cedar Rapids and Iowa City. I've seen photos and they make a gigantic tenderloin. I will see how it tastes. Smitty's in Des Moines and Darrell's in Hamlin, IA could be later this summer on a weekend side trip. Those three seem to be Iowa's contenders.

My impressions so far. Minnesota tries but doesn't get it when Culver's can be at the top of the list. Iowa seems to be reputed with small cafes and roadsides. I'm not all sure they have quality but they sure show quantity. Illinos is caught between the two giant claimants, Iowa and Indiana but will go Bohemian open face style on you around Chicago. Indiana takes their tenderloin seriously and they can be found in their better restaurants that are a cut above sports bars and pubs. In Indiana you can't go into a sports bar or pub without one on the menu.

I prepared some tenderloins back in March, of which one was my hangover tenderloin a page or two back. I had two breaded tenderloins unfried leftover that I stuck in the freezer. Last week for Mother's Day I was going to fry them up but found out we were out of oil. So, I lightly oiled a pizza pan with what little oil we had and baked the tenderloins for 1/2 hour at 400 degrees turning them once. They came out surprisingly good and maybe a tad healthier.



Counting down 5 days to the great Indy tenderloin tour of 2006.

I just saw an article on the web version of my hometown newspaper, the Muncie, Ind. Star Press, about a local roodfood institution, Burkie's Drive-in, that just reopened after a fire. It said that their famous breaded pork tenderloin sandwich sells for $2.47 for the jumbo version. Last week I paid $6.99 for a smaller version of the same thing here in Northern Cal., except it was called a pork schinsel(sp) sandwich. Plus it was precooked then reheated on a grill. WTF!

Unfortunately my trip to Indy was shortened by bad weather. I did, however, enjoy a Flagroom 'loin at the Brickyard Crossing. Not the best, but still good.
I never did get my track 'loin. My brother showed up with the grill and cooked chops, brats, and hotdogs.
Dang...I really wanted a track 'loin.

Well, down in Southern Indiana, which has been called the most southern of the northern states(and I emphasize SOUTHERN)almost every little mom & pop restaurant has JUMBO tenderloins. When my son moved to Texas, he told me there were several foods that he missed and couldn't find where he lived and breaded tenderloins were one. So when he comes home, he has to have several. They are wonderful loaded with condiments and torn off and eaten piece by piece. The other things he really missed are Hoosier vine-ripened tomatoes, pizza (our favorite place--Bobe's in Vincennes & Washington, Indiana has a recipe that supposedly came from Italy during WW 2), and Hoosier fried chicken from The Chicken Place in Ireland, Indiana. Mmmm--good Hoosier hospitality!

THE REAL WAY TO MAKE PROK TENDERLOINS

BEING A BROOKLYN BOY LURED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN IOWA BY A MIDWEST FARMER"S DAUGHTER, THEN OPENING UP A NEW YORK STYLE PIZZAREA AFTER GRADUATING, ONE THING I MAKE BETTER THEN ANY IOWA DINER IS A PORK TENDERLOIN. ITS REALLY SIMPLE. BUY PRECUT BONELESS CENTER CUT PORK CHOPS. REMOVE THE THIN MEMBRANE AND ANY FAT ON THE EDGE.
PUT THE PORK T BETWEEN TWO THICK PIECES OF SARAN WRAP AND USE A SMALL WOODEN CUTTING BOARD { MY MOTHER IN LAW IN TAMA IOWA WHOSE RECEPIE THIS IS USES A WOODEN ROLLING PIN}, AND POUND THE MEAT OUT TO ABOUT A THIRD OF AN INCH THICK. NEXT, DIP IN BEATEN EGGS. THEN, AND HERE IS THE SECRET TO A PERFECT TENDERLOIN. CRUSH A STACK OF SALTINE CRACKERS IN A PLASTIC BAG UNTIL MEDIUN FINE, AND DIP THE EGGED MEAT INTO THE CRACKER CRUMBS. REPEAT THE DIPPING PROCESS, AND ALLOW THE PORK TO SIT IN THE FRIDGE 15 MINUTES. MELT SOME CRISCO SHORTENING OR LIQUID CORN OIL IN A LARGE SKILLET AND FRY UNTILL GOLDEN ON EACH SIDE. SERVE ON OVERSIZE HAMBERGER BUNS WITH YELLOW AMERICAN CHEESE, MUSTARD, MAYO, AND TOMATO SLICES. ENJOY!

jchiszar,

I WILL have a track Loin. It could be Friday on Carb day or at THE RACE Sunday. But I will have one. Tomorrow night, if all goes well, I will be polishing off a pork tenderloin sandwich at Muldoon's in Carmel, IN. Heading out in the early AM.

JENKINS,

Welcome to the forum. I see your first post. BTW, I may have my first Iowa pork tenderloin tomorrow on the way to Indy. It will most likely be Joensy's in Solon, IA. The Hoosiers, in my opinion, still make the best tenderloins. Iowa shortcuts the process too much from everything I have read but we will see. Having studied the recipes from the best, and put them to the test, I think I know what makes the best. This is my conclusion from several tastes tests and experiments.

My Breaded Pork Tenderloin Sandwich Recipe Tutorial
http://web.mac.com/davydd/iWeb/Site/BPT_Tutorial.html

Last Thursday I drove to Indianapolis from Minneapolis via Iowa just to try Iowa's self-billed "biggest and best" tenderloin in Iowa at Joensy's in Solon, IA. It indeed was BIG. I was full before I got to the bun. The price was right too, super in fact, at $5 for the tenderloin with cole slaw and fries. The best? Well, maybe in Iowa. The loin itself tasted OK but was dry and had little flavor. The breading was a corn meal and commercial bread crumb texture with little flavor. All in all it was better than most fare that can be found in Minnesota but later I hit the jackpot in Indiana with three, read THREE, winners in a row that I will tell you about later... But for now, look and enjoy. I did say big.

Joensy's Tenderloin


Joensy's Building Sign

OK, continuing the pursuit. It was Joensy's for lunch and when I got to Indiana it was out for dinner, a late dinner. I didn't know if I had it in me. My sister said Muldoon's in Carmel, IN was better than the Nickel Plate in Fishers, IN, the winner of last year's Indy Men's Magazine pork tenderloin sandwich taste off.

So Muldoon's it was. And I had my first two tenderloin day. My oh my, was it big...and delicious! This one may have topped the one I had at Billy O'Neal's last year that I bragged so much about. It left Iowa's biggest and best in the dust.

I managed to down it. The meat was tender and moist and the breading was flakey, delicious and spiced just right to give it an overall excellent flavor. The downside is it was one of the priciest tenderloins I ever had and it only came with chips, no fries or cole slaw. I believe the price was $8.75.

Here it is. Enjoy!



I'm not done. It gets better. I said three and there are two to go.

Now it is Friday night before the Indianapolis 500 race. I trained all day for this. I didn't eat. We had our annual Speedway High School Class of 1962 reunion at Grindstone Charley's on Crawfordsville Road in Speedway, IN. This year's tenderloin was a major, major improvement over last year's tenderloin that you can find in this thread a year ago. I was surprised. It made me quickly forget Muldoon's. It was every bit as good, maybe better. It came with the fries and cole slaw at $7.95. I was a happy man. The special menu for our reunion even had the sandwich named after me. :) That was a surprise arranged by one of my old classmates.



Ah, but the best for last. We are not done in Indiana. There is one more...

The Red Onion in Sheridan, IN north of Carmel and Indianapolis was our last stop. How could one arrange a procession of breaded pork tenderloin sandwiches that got progressively better? Well, it happened. We went out with one of our reunion classmates to this country town amongst the corn fields. The Red Onion is not an impressive restaurant. It is located out on the small two lane highway outside of Sheridan in a non-discrept srip center.

However, the food was billed as made from scratch. That meant everything was prepared on site fresh including the buns. The cover of the menu unabashedly said "Indiana's Best Tenderloin". I don't think they were wrong. It was every bit as good as any I had. Not only was it good but the bun was dinner plate size and the tenderloin itself might have been the biggest yet.



That's my Iowa/Indiana saga. I waited too long to have a Track Loin at the Indy 500 race itself. It was just too dang hot to think about food. It was even too hot for beer! All I wanted was water. But at the end of the race I valiantly decided I had to have one. Alas! they were sold out. Could there be more fanatical people demanding those tenderloins on such a hot 90 degree day?

Recap photos and slide show of all the tenderloins are now at...

http://www.porktenderloinsandwich.com

No comments, just pictures. Comments are here.

It's a pint of Guinness. I drink that or Boddington's Pub Ale if anyone has it. In Minnesota I will have Summit Pale Ale on tap.

After the Indianapolis 500 race we went to Washington DC, camped in Shenandoah National Park and attended a wedding in Louisville. We are now in Michigan on our way to camping in the Upper Peninsula where we will switch to pastie tasting. Between Louisville and Michigan we managed to stop at the legendary Gnaw Bone Food & Fuel in Brown County, Indiana to try their pork tenderloin sandwich. I will post a picture later when I have better access to the internet but if anyone wants to see the Indy 500 2006 Tour results including the Gnaw Bone tenderloin they are posted on...

http://web.mac.com/davydd/iWeb/Site/Pork_Tenderloins.html

Looks good David, The meat is dark though. It looks juicy I know that they use a broaster to cook the tenderloins. I love broasted chicken but have not had broasted tenderloins. All the pics look great. I am anxious to see your pick of pasties. have a good time...
JeanAnne

Back from two days camping in the Michigan Upper Peninsula and eating microwaved pasties for dinner that we bought from the Mackinaw City Pastie Shop and Susies, the first stop after the bridge on the UP. We have a microwave and fridge in our Sprinter camper van. We camped at Tahquamenon Falls State Park at the eastern end of the UP and Porcupine Mountains Wilderness SP on the western end.

The Gnaw Bone Food & Fuel in Gnaw Bone, IN was my last stop for the Indy 2006 Tour. My wife puts up with this. We managed to make it there last Sunday morning on the way from Louisville to Midland, MI. Since it was so soon after breakfast I actually split this one with my wife. Duty calls and we had to stop and try one. The Gnaw Bone Food & Fuel tenderloin is prepared differently. It is broasted. I'm not sure what that means but it is a patented method mainly for chicken from a company that sells broasters out of Wisconsin. The breading was more like a batter than a breading. The taste was good. It was not by any means the best on this trip. But it was a Hoosier favorite that gets lots of publicity from time to time to where it has established a cult legendary status. So here are the pics...

Gnaw Bone Tenderloin


Gnaw Bone Food & Fuel


Now that the 2006 Indy Tour is over that actually started last February with Nick's Kitchen. Here is how I rate them. Jean Anne needs to know.

1. Nick's Kitchen, Huntington, IN
2. Red Onion, Sheridan, IN
3. Grindstone Charley's, Speedway - a surprise 3rd and major improvement over 2005.
4. Muldoon's, Carmel, IN
5. Gnaw Bone Food & Fuel
6. Joensy's, Solon, IA (not part of Indy but it was on the tour)
7. End Zone, Hayward, WI (I'm not finished--I found another one--later_
8. Tony's, Angola, IN - Not really a tenderloin but a fritter.

As I mentioned we spent two night camping in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, first at Tahqaumenon Falls State Park at the eastern end and then at Porcupine Mountains Wilderness SP at the western end. I recommend them both, btw. We survived on pasties. So coming out of the wilderness we had to drive right through jchiszar territory of Hayward, Wisconsin, another beautiful territory. It was just about lunch time so we headed for the End Zone Sports Bar south of Hayward on Highway 63 heading to Spooner. Jeff mentioned this place in previous posts and I had made note. At 11:15 AM we were apparently the only customers on this Thursday day. I told the waiter I drove over 3,000 miles just to try their sandwich. They call their sandwich a breaded pork loin, not a tenderloin. It was honest. The pork loin is a cut of meat somewhere between a tenderloin and a pork chop on my scale. It is often sold as pork loin cutlets in supermarkets. They are lean but not quite as tender. Taste wise they are not all that different. The End Zone pork loin had a very good breading. If tenderized (pounded) it was not a lot. The cut was thick and slightly bigger than the bun. I had no problem with this sandwich and Jeff is in good stead in the Wisconsin north woods. Here it is...

End Zone breaded pork loin sandwich


Next week Texas and I have a bead on a tenderloin in Houston.

quote:

Originally posted by Davydd


Next week Texas and I have a bead on a tenderloin in Houston.

Mr. Mayor took me to Gnaw Bone, and that was the real deal.

Please report back on the Houston tenderloin. Pork tenderloin sandwiches are almost non-existent down here in Tejas, and I'd love to put another good one on my list.

The Texas breaded pork tenderloin sandwich I found is the Heights Camphouse Bar-BQ in Houston. This is the review I found:

http://www.houstonpress.com/Issues/2005-01-13/dining/plate.html

It is near one of the places I will be. If anyone in Houston wants to be an advance scout this weekend I would appreciate it.

I've been told there are other pork tenderloin sandwich places around Fort Worth and Weatherford but I will not be in that area and I could not find anything on the web.

I finally had the BPT at one of the two local Culver's last night.....not too good, very bland.....

As you may have figured out by now I will go just about anyplace to pursue a pork tenderloin sandwich. The place this time is Heights Camphouse Bar-BQ located on White Oak Drive in the Heights district of Houston, Texas North of I-10 and just east of Heights Parkway near and northwest of downtown. They bill their sandwich on the menu as a pork loin burger for $3.25. When we asked for it they said it is like a chicken fried steak only it is pork and has no gristle. :)

The place is actually a cafeteria style place without liquor. I noticed most customers came in for take out. The outside as you will see here is plain and economical. Inside it looks retro 1950s to me. It was kind of a shock when we first entered. As it turned out the sandwich tasted great. It was better than "Iowa's biggest and best" reported here recently. It had the narly look of a chicken fried steak. I talked to the young aspiring cook and showed him some pictures of the Red Onion and Muldoon's tenderloins for challenge and encouragement to meet our expectations and we exchanged some recipe ideas. They came through.

Actually I was in Houston on business not more than a mile away from this cafeteria. So I could not pass it up even though my expense allowance would have let me eat anywhere I pleased. This place pleased me.

Heights Camphouse Bar-BQ Pork Loin Sandwich


Heights Camphouse Bar-BQ, Houston, TX

Does anyone know where I can find a Breaded Pork Tenderloin sandwitch in the South Florida area? You know the Hoosier type. I live in Davie but willing to travel a little for the sandwitch I grew up on. Thanks Dave fire30@bellsouth.net

In Broward County he wants a pork sandwich? Oy vey! Wouldn't you like better some nice chop liver?

Dang, now do I have to now go hunt one up in Florida?

I keep noticing that above my two star posting count and under my name I am a "Cheeseburger". I haven't had a cheeseburger in over 12 years. I assume next I would be a "Double Cheeseburger". I would rather be a "Breaded Pork Tenderloin".

quote:

Originally posted by Davydd

I keep noticing that above my two star posting count and under my name I am a "Cheeseburger". I haven't had a cheeseburger in over 12 years. I assume next I would be a "Double Cheeseburger". I would rather be a "Breaded Pork Tenderloin".

Davydd,

I look forward to trying a BPT on a quick lunch stopover at Smitty's in Des Moines on my Cardinal's/Twins Ballpark trip towards labor day weekend. Of course I'm virtually a BPT Virgin and will only have the BPT at Mug N Bun to compare it to which wasn't so great. I'll be in the Twin Cities too, however I won't be looking for BPT's there, just Walleye and Scandinavian Specialties.