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This pork tenderloin sandwich is perfectly crispy and crunchy, but the best part is that it’s fried right in your oven for easy clean up.
Look. I know I share a lot of Mexican food around here, but if the fact that I sometimes use biscuits in my enchiladas did not alert you to this fact, let me say it clearly: I am from the Midwest.
I have a thing for Mexican cuisine, both the real kind and my Americanized Midwestern version of it.
The fact is, though, that my people eat a lot of fried food.
We also eat a whole heck of a lot of corn. And casseroles. And you know what? Our restaurants only recently started serving salads made of weeds instead of iceberg lettuce. I miss the iceberg days, if we’re being honest.
Anyway, the pork tenderloin sandwich is a true Midwestern treat.
Some say that it originates in Indiana, others say Iowa.
I’m smack in the middle of those two states here in Illinois, so I don’t really care where it comes from. I’m just happy that so many restaurants around here serve these.
What Readers are Saying!
“Wow these are baked? They look fantastic! I am notorious for deep frying but you’re right its nice to have something in the oven that is done quickly without babysitting that actually turns out CRISPY.” -Joyce
When you find a pork tenderloin sandwich in a restaurant, it’s almost always the size of your head. Like, literally, the piece of meat is as big as the dinner plate and it’s held together with a tiny little no-frills white hamburger bun. They are a sight to see, that is for sure.
I love serving these when we have guests in from out of town. They make a quick lunch and are a regional thing that not everyone has tried!
I used a more reasonable sized tenderloin for dinner the other night and, dare I say it, these are even better than the ones I can find in all the restaurants.
Plus, they’re oven-fried which means they’re easy to cook and easy to clean up after! Not to mention, they’re a bit healthier too!
How to make the pork tenderloin:
Cut a pork tenderloin into 6 equal sized chunks of meat and then pound them out with a meat mallet. They should be about 1/4 inch thick when you’re done.
Next add eggs and water to a shallow bowl and beat them together until combined.
Put the panko in a separate shallow bowl and the flour and seasonings in a third bowl.
Dredge your pork pieces in the flour first, then the egg, and finally the panko.
Melt your butter and pour it evenly accross a large rimmed baking sheet.
Bake for 8 minutes at 425 degrees F.
Flip and bake for 7 more minutes.
Serve on buns with your favorite condiments!
I like my sandwich with tons and tons of dill pickles and a squirt of mustard. Onion is nice too!
Some of our local restaurants get crazy and make taco tenderloin sandwiches (Hi, I told you we like to go crazy with the weird taco combos) or chili cheese tenderloins. I prefer the classic with pickles and mustard, but you do you!
Try our other sandwich favorites:
- Buffalo Chicken Sandwich
- Loose Meat Sandwich
- Italian Beef
- Ham Salad Sandwich
- Crock Pot French Dip
- Chicken Salad with Grapes
Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches
Ingredients
For the pork:
- 1 1/2 pounds fresh pork tenderloin
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cracked pepper
For the breading:
- 1 cup flour
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon water
- 2 1/2 cups panko
For assembly:
- 1/2 cup butter
- 6 sandwich buns
- pickles onions, ketchup, mustard as desired
Instructions
For the pork:
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Slice the tenderloin into 6 even sized pieces. Place each piece between a layer of plastic wrap and use a mallet to pound it out to 1/4 inch thickness.
- Add the onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to a small bowl and stir to combine.
- Season both sides of the pork.
For the breading:
- Add the flour and seasoned salt to a second shallow dish and stir to combine.
- Whisk the eggs and water together in a shallow dish.
- Add the panko to a third shallow dish.
- Dredge each piece of pork in first the flour, then egg, then panko, making sure the pork is fully coated in the breading.
For baking and serving:
- Melt the butter and pour onto a large rimmed baking sheet.
- Place each of the breaded tenderloins in the butter and bake for 8 minutes.
- Flip and continue baking for 7 more minutes.
- Serve on buns with the condiments of your choice.
Sarah says
I have been wanting to make my own pork tenderloin sandwiches for YEARS but I couldn’t ever find an easy recipe that didn’t involve frying them. We’ll have to try this soon! And as an added bonus, my husband works for Smithfield!
Karly says
Hope you love it!!
Joyce says
Wow these are baked? They look fantastic! I am notorious for deep frying but you’re right its nice to have something in the oven that is done quickly without babysitting that actually turns out CRISPY. I am so excited about these, I will definitely need to try these! 🙂
Karly says
Yes!! I love when baked things come out tasting fried. So much easier! 🙂
Muriel Moore says
I was recently given a can of pulled pork. I have no idea what to do with it? I have used canned chicken breast which is quite good for aka king recipes, but I am totally out of my element with this pork. Any ideas?
Karly says
I have lots of pork recipes on the site that you can check out! 🙂 http://www.bunsinmyoven.com/category/main-dish-2/pork/