Fried Pork Tenderloin Sandwich
Whether you call it a fried pork tenderloin sandwich or a BPT (breaded pork tenderloin sandwich), this iconic Midwestern crispy pork sandwich can be summed up in one word – delicious! Breaded in Saltine crackers and pan fried in a large skillet or on the griddle, this may be your new favorite way to eat pork tenderloin!
Servings: 3 sandwiches
Ingredients
- 1 pork tenderloin *trimmed/silver skin removed
- all-purpose seasoning *or substitute salt and pepper
- all-purpose flour *enough to coat the flattened pork pieces
- 2 beaten eggs
- 3 tablespoons half and half
- ½ cup crushed Saltine crackers (about 12-14 crackers)
- ½ cup Panko breadcrumbs
- oil for frying
- 2-3 hamburger buns
- toppings of your choice - mayo, yellow mustard, dill pickle, lettuce, tomato, raw onion
Instructions
- Preheat the griddle on low to medium until it reaches about 350℉. While the griddle is heating, prep the pork. *You can also pan fry the tenderloin in a large skillet on the stovetop. See Notes for instructions.
- Cut the pork tenderloin crosswise in half or thirds, depending on the size of your tenderloin. Then butterfly each piece so it is flat and about 1/3" thick.
- Place one piece of butterflied pork between two sheets of oiled plastic wrap and pound it gently to achieve about a quarter-inch thickness. Repeat for the remaining pork.
- Season both sides of the flattened pork tenderloin with your choice of all-purpose seasoning.
- Prepare the dredging station with 3 bowls - flour in one bowl, beaten eggs mixed with half and half in another, and a final bowl with panko, crushed saltines, and about ½ tablespoon of your all-purpose seasoning.
- Bread the pieces of pork tenderloin. Lightly coat each piece of pork in flour, shaking off any excess. Then dip the floured pork in the egg wash, making sure it’s fully coated. Finally, press the pork into the panko and saltine mixture. Make sure every nook and cranny is covered and shake off any excess.
- Pour a good amount of oil on the griddle, letting it pool in one corner. Allow the oil to heat until it reaches about 350℉. *If needed, use a scraper to direct the oil to one spot on the griddle. If your griddle has leveling capabilities, you may want to make it so that it is un-level before turning it on. This helps keep the oil in one corner for shallow frying.
- Once the oil is hot enough, carefully lay the battered pork gently into the pool of oil. Shallow fry until the pork is golden brown and crispy on both sides. This should take about 3-4 minutes per side. Cook pork until the internal temperature reaches 145℉, then transfer to a wire cooling rack for the excess oil to drain.
- While pork is resting, toast hamburger buns cut side down on the warm griddle. Then, add the fried pork tenderloin to the bottom bun, and dress with your chosen toppings. Enjoy!
Notes
- Skillet frying - If you don’t have a griddle, then you can also prepare the pork inside in a large stovetop skillet. Just pan fry the breaded pork tenderloin in about 1/4″ of oil. All of the other instructions remain the same.
- Cutting the pork tenderloin - I cut my pork tenderloin into thirds first before butterflying to make the pieces more manageable and to make the serving size more reasonable – three people per tenderloin. However, for a more authentic, larger breaded pork tenderloin you may want to only cut the pork into two pieces to start, or even leave it whole depending on the size of your tenderloin.
- Traditional BPT toppings - For a traditional Indiana-style fried pork tenderloin sandwich, top with either A) mayonnaise, lettuce, and tomato or B) yellow mustard and dill pickles. The condiments are traditionally not mismatched. However, we served our sandwiches with mayo, mustard, sliced raw onion, and dill pickles.