Hoosier Pork Tenderloin Sandwich

 

I always keep buttermilk on hand because it makes an excellent marinade for chicken. What I didn’t know is that it works equally well for pork. This was a day of firsts because not only, for the first time, did I marinate pounded medallions of pork tenderloin in buttermilk, but, for the first time, used crushed saltines as a breading. Wow! What a difference that made from my usual breadcrumbs. I also, for the first time, had a breaded pork tenderloin sandwich, native to the state of Indiana.

The late Mr. O-P and I spent a lot of time on the road, largely heading east. There was a gas station (yes, you read that right), now defunct, in Gnaw Bone, Indiana by the name of Gnaw Bone Food & Fuel that was alleged to have served the definitive pork tenderloin sandwiches. Unfortunately, we’d find ourselves passing through way too early in the morning to want to consume heavy gas station food, so when I found a recipe on the Food Network website I wanted to give it a try.

This sandwich is not without a bit of advance work and preparation. Both, however, are minimal, and the rewards are great. You can slice your tomatoes, onions, and shred your lettuce well ahead of time. Then it’s just a question of setting up your breading station, and spending six minutes time frying the pork tenderloin. It really is worth it. Definitely diner-quality food, and I mean that in a good way.

  Hoosier Pork Tenderloin Sandwich

Adapted from foodnetwork.com

 1 lb. pork tenderloin

1 large egg

1 c. buttermilk

1 T. Melissa’s minced garlic

½ t. salt

½ t. pepper

¼ t. cayenne pepper

 1 sleeve saltines

¾ c. flour

 Peanut oil, for frying

 Mayonnaise

Yellow mustard

Shredded lettuce

Tomato slices

Slices of onion

Sandwich slice dill pickles

 Cut the pork crosswise into 4 equal pieces. Put each piece flat on a cutting board and slice horizontally almost in half (stop about ½-inch from the other side). Open like a book. Sprinkle each piece with water, place between 2 pieces of heavy-duty plastic wrap and pound to ¼-inch thick with a mallet or heavy skillet.

 Whisk the egg, buttermilk, garlic, salt, black pepper, and cayenne in a shallow bowl. Add the pork, cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.

Pulse the crackers into coarse crumbs in a food processor; transfer to a shallow dish. Put the flour in another dish. Remove each piece of pork from the marinade, letting the excess drip off. Dredge both sides in the flour, dip in the buttermilk marinade again, and then coat with the cracker crumbs.

  Heat ¼” to ½” peanut oil in a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 360°F. Fry the pork in batches until golden and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Drain on a wire rack positioned over a baking sheet to catch drips.

 Toast buns on cut sides, and spread both halves with mayonnaise (top) and mustard (bottom). Layer the lettuce, tomatoes, and onion on the bottom halves. Add a piece of pork and a few pickle slices. Cover with the bun tops.

 Makes 4 sandwiches.

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