Traditional Indiana Breaded Tenderloin Sandwich

  4.6 – 108 reviews  • Pork Tenderloin Recipes

With the inclusion of celery, this relish has an excellent flavor. If desired, chopped walnuts or pecans may be included.

Prep Time: 45 mins
Cook Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 55 mins
Servings: 4
Yield: 4 sandwiches

Ingredients

  1. 4 (4 ounce) slices of pork tenderloin, cut across the grain
  2. 1 large egg, beaten
  3. 2 tablespoons milk
  4. 1 teaspoon salt
  5. ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  6. ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  7. ¼ teaspoon onion powder
  8. ¼ teaspoon seasoned salt
  9. ¼ teaspoon dried marjoram
  10. ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
  11. 1 ½ cups bread crumbs
  12. ½ cup peanut oil for frying
  13. 4 kaiser rolls, split
  14. 4 teaspoons mayonnaise, or as needed (Optional)
  15. 4 teaspoons ketchup, or as needed (Optional)
  16. 4 teaspoons prepared yellow mustard, or as needed (Optional)
  17. 4 slices dill pickle (Optional)
  18. 4 slices onion (Optional)
  19. 4 slices tomato (Optional)
  20. 4 leaves lettuce (Optional)

Instructions

  1. Gather all ingredients.
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  3. Flatten pork slices, one at a time, by placing in between two pieces of sturdy plastic and pounding with a meat mallet until 1/4-inch thick and about 3 1/2×5 inches in size.
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  5. Whisk egg and milk together in a shallow bowl; stir in salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, seasoned salt, marjoram, and oregano until well blended. Place bread crumbs into another shallow bowl.
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  7. Dip each flattened cutlet into seasoned egg mixture, then dip into bread crumbs until thoroughly coated. Set breaded cutlets in a single layer on a piece of parchment or waxed paper.
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  9. Heat oil in a large skillet until shimmering. Gently lower cutlets into the hot skillet and fry until golden brown, about 4 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.
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  11. Set an oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven’s broiler. Place kaiser rolls, split-sides up, onto a baking sheet.
  12. Broil in the preheated oven until toasted and hot, about 1 minute.
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  14. Remove from the oven and assemble sandwiches: Place fried cutlets on roll bottoms.
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  16. Add toppings in the desired order: mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, pickle, onion, tomato, and lettuce. Top sandwiches with roll tops and serve.
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  18. Nutrition data for this recipe includes the full amount of breading ingredients. The actual amount of breading consumed will vary. We have determined the nutritional value of oil for frying based on a retention value of 10% after cooking. The exact amount will vary depending on cooking time and temperature, ingredient density, and specific type of oil used.

Nutrition Facts

Calories 478 kcal
Carbohydrate 56 g
Cholesterol 98 mg
Dietary Fiber 4 g
Protein 30 g
Saturated Fat 3 g
Sodium 1446 mg
Sugars 7 g
Fat 15 g
Unsaturated Fat 0 g

Reviews

Christine Schmidt
Girl, Bye. We Iowans live and breath tenderloins. First get tenderized tenderloin slices from the meat counter. Dip in beaten eggs, then crushed salted Saltines (making sure to push down on the tenderloin to flatten it to desired thickness. I prefer a thicker loin for more pork taste.), back into the eggs, and a final coat of cracker. Deep fry at 375° for 3 and 1/2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels. Serve on large bun with preferred condiments. Easy peasy and that’s what’s for dinner tonight.
Rachel Lutz
As many others stated, this is not “traditional” in the way that I remember them. My mother used crushed Ritz crackers for the breading. Egg wash for starters. Not pork tenderloin, pork loin. (She would cut the meaty part of the pork chop. Then pounded very thin. She used a little pepper and salt. Making me so hungry now for a pork tenderloin sandwich.
Don Jordan
It’s pork, so it is always awesome!!!! Has anyone tried fried ring bologna sandwiches?
Alyssa Green
The good news is the meat was not pounded out too thin. Some restaurants do this for a “big as your plate” presentation, but it just dries out the meat and is all breading. The bad news is an Indiana tenderloin uses ground crackers (Club are our choice) not breadcrumbs or flour. This one is also a bit over seasoned.
Mitchell Maxwell
I agree with many of the other reviews! Definitely not an Indiana or Hoosier traditional tenderloin. Grew up & lived in Indiana for 33 years & ate tenderloins all over the state. But none were like this. My fave is to use cracker crumbs instead of bread crumbs. Please do not get us Hoosiers mouth watering for a “traditional” Indiana tenderloin, when this recipe definitely is not.
William Lee
My family has made these for years & they truly are delicious & quick to make. I will often use Ranch dressing on the buns instead of Mayo or ketchup.
Lauren Ayala
Born and raised in Indy. First of all it is not a Pork Tenderloin cut, it is a pork loin cutlet, pounded thin (no more than a quarter or better less than a quarter inch, like 3/16” +/-). Breaded with salt and pepper flour, egg wash, then bread crumbs, let it rest in the frig and then deep fry at 350deg. Regular big bun. Lettuce mustard and Mayo. Now that’s a breaded pork loin sandwich. This Hoosier made ‘em famous at UAB Hospital. Al Greens Drive In, in Indy made some of the best. Usually 7-9” in diameter. Iowa can lay claim to them but Hoosier BPL “sangies” are the best.
Julia Jones
Just so you know… Iowa is the home of the pork tenderloin. They are usually bigger than your plate.
Ryan Hamilton
I made this for 75 years but I know it’s real name is a Hoosier sandwich not Traditional Indiana Breaded Tenderloin Sandwich
Kayla Reed
This is more upscale than “traditional”. It’s my sincere believe almost no one in Indiana use Kaiser rolls. I bet half the state don’t know what they are
Daniel Williams
Made twice now. Spices in egg is good. I seasoned bread crumbs and added crushed cornflake 2nd time. Lived in Indiana for 20+ years. Purists may challenge, but I like more flavor in my breading. This is quite good.
Jennifer Cohen
Not even close to an Indiana pork tenderloin. 1/8th thick, salt and pepper, cracker crumbs after an egg and milk wash and pan fried in butter or oil
Tyler Sanders
Not at all traditional Indiana pork tenderloin. Try the Kokomo breaded tenderloin recipe for a traditional beaded tenderloin sandwich.
Adriana Greer
a little bland, but very tender
Mary Hill
I’m from Indiana. While this recipe is good, it is not like any tenderloin I’ve eaten. Leave out all the spices & that’s an Indiana tenderloin.
Brandon Walls
This was so delicious that the following day my husband and I went out to Sam’s Club to buy a pork loin. Cut it about 3/4 inch on the slicer, ran them through the tenderizer, then vac sealed them and put them in the freezer. I made it exactly as written with lettuce, tomato, mayo and sweet pickles. We even posted about it on Facebook, we were that impressed with this recipe. The measurements of each ingredient was perfect. Thank you!
April Simmons
So good!! A little burned ( thank goodness my daughter likes things a extra crunchy!!). Had my butcher, Ed, slice a whole boneless pork loin into cutlets for me. Beat until thin, dipped in egg mixture then to the bread crumbs, which was from leftover stuffing bread, and fried. Put on a bun with mayo, mustard, lettuce, tomato and onions. First time, im good
Elizabeth Rivera
Fabulous!
Amanda Hernandez
I’m not from Indiana, but I made these here in northern Michigan and now I’m a hero! The whole family is Gaga over these. I made them exactly as written other than rubbing the pork with a course salt and pepper prior to breading. I will absolutely make these again! Thanks for sharing a great and easy recipe that made me look like a whiz in the kitchen.
Amanda Carey
Born and raised in Indiana and this was a staple sandwich. My mom made them just seasoning them with salt and pepper and breading them with crushed saltines. The best ever! I live in NC now and the only place we can get one is at Culver’s restaurant (a Wisconsin-based restaurant). So good to get a breaded tenderloin sandwich again!
Heather Mcconnell
All this time I was seasoning the saltine cracker crumbs! So, I seasoned the egg wash. What a big difference. I didn’t use bread crumbs, swapped with crushed saltine crackers. Delicious!

 

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