Manageability – Really Easy
One thing you should know about me, I’m from Indiana. I like county fairs, catching crawdads, and dive bars with pull tabs.
That’s why I had to do BHAG’s Pork Tenderloin Sandwich. This sandwich really feeds the Hoosier in you. It’s crispy and crunchy, full of flavor, and really easy to make. Pounding down the meat is a good way to get out some aggression, and the meat is literally exploding over the bun. We topped ours off with some classic cheddar cheese for a sharp and salty hint, just like Grammy used to make.
Be sure to keep all that vegetable oil in an old coffee can for another day. I’m definitely making this one again.
Ingredients
Ingredient Checklist
- 6 center cut pork loin chops (about 3/4-inch thick), trimmed of fat
- 2 sleeves saltine crackers or ritz crackers, processed into fine crumbs (about 2 1/2 cups)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 cups flour
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk
- Vegetable oil
- Salt
- 6 hamburger buns
- Leaf lettuce, tomato slices, pickle slices, mustard
Directions
Step 1 Butterfly each pork chop by cutting horizontally to, but not through, the other side. Lay open the chops. One at a time, cover each piece of pork with plastic wrap and using the flat side of meat mallet or a small frying pan, pound until 6 to 8-inches wide. Lightly pound each chop with the tenderizing side of the meat mallet.
Step 2 Add at least 1-inch of oil to a large skillet. Heat oil to 375°F.
Step 3 Meanwhile, in a shallow dish combine cracker crumbs, garlic powder and black pepper. In another shallow dish place flour. In a third shallow dish place buttermilk.
Step 4 One at a time, dip pork into flour and then into buttermilk. Evenly coat with cracker crumb mixture.
Step 5 Carefully lower breaded tenderloins into hot oil one at a time and fry about two to three minutes or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center reads at least 145°F, turning once. Place fried pork tenderloins on a cooling rack and sprinkle with salt. Repeat with remaining tenderloins.
Step 6 Place fried pork tenderloins on the bottom half of the hamburger buns and if desired top with leaf lettuce, tomato slices, pickle slices and/or mustard.