Oven Fried Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches are great tasting with crisp breading. A healthier version of that great Iowa comfort food. Perfect for a retro lunch or easy dinner.
🐖Ingredients
Pork tenderloin
Panko bread crumbs
Pantry ingredients—egg, milk, butter, seasoning salt, pepper
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Featured Comment from Sheila:
"5 stars Soooo good!! Even my hubby, who often prefers the deep fried comfort these provide, loved them!"
A great version of a classic Iowa and Indiana comfort food. But it is much healthier than the traditional fried pork tenderloin filet for the classic sandwich. And it is much easier to cook and clean up than fry.
It uses pork tenderloin instead of pork loin, which is more tender and has an excellent taste. These pork tenderloin sandwiches are so good my wife makes them for me, and she will have a "double" sandwich.
This recipe is my Crispy Oven Fried Chicken that meets my Iowa Fried Breaded Pork Tenderloin Sandwich with some great taste in an easy recipe to make and scale to your needs.
👨🍳How to Make Bake Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches
Preheat oven to 350° convection or 375° conventional.
Trim a pork tenderloin of any visible fat and the silverskin. Cut the tenderloin into four approximately equal pieces by weight. Next, “butterfly” the pieces. Do this by cutting ¾ of the way through and folding it back to double the size. On the thinner end, which would be longer, do two cuts, one-third on opposite sides of the meat.
Next, cover it with plastic wrap or place it in a zip lock bag and pound it to about ½ inch thick or thinner if you want.
Place 4 tablespoons of butter on a large baking tray and place in the oven for a few minutes to melt the butter.
Set up two pans. In the first, combine one egg and ¼ cup milk. Whip well. In the second pan, ½ cup flour, ½ cup Panko bread crumbs, one tablespoon seasoning salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper.
Dry the meat very well with paper towels, then start with coating the meat with egg wash. Shake to remove excess.
Coat well in the flour mixture and shake off excess.
Place on the tray with the melted butter. Let them set for 5 minutes or so to help the coating stick.
Place in the oven for 20 minutes. Flip and bake for another 10 minutes until golden brown. Serve hot.
For more details, keep reading. See the Recipe Card below for complete instructions and to print.
✔️Tips to make it right every time
- The meat is done before you have the proper browning. It stays moist in the breading, so all is well, but go by crispiness and color, not temp on this one.
- The spicing is a bit bland, but that is the norm for these. Feel free to go wild with the spicing since this can handle it.
- Saltine crackers are frequently used to replace bread crumbs.
- The meat used commercially is almost always pork loin, which has been mechanically tenderized. Hard to duplicate at home.
- If you live in Iowa or other midwest states, you may be able to buy pre-breaded tenderized pork loin for these sandwiches.
- I suggest using pork tenderloin, which is more "tender" and tastier. It is my preferred meat for home-cooked tenderloin sandwiches. But, since the meat is smaller in diameter, I butterfly slices and flatten them.
Iowa Breaded Pork Tenderloin Sandwich
Make your own comfort food with this breaded tenderloin sandwich. A classic from Iowa and Indiana made with a flattened pork filet coated with breadcrumb crust and pan-fried.
How to serve
Serve with Convection Oven French Fries, Microwave Corn on the Cob, or Simple Spinach Salad with Bacon.
Check out other pork sandwiches, like Grilled Memphis Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches, Crock Pot Shredded Pork Tenderloin, Pulled Pork Loin in the Crock Pot, and Crock Pot Pulled Pork Butt.
How to keep the breading attached?
There are several things you can do to help the breading stick better.
- Be sure the meat is dried with paper towels before starting the breading.
- Shake off the excess egg wash and breadcrumb mixture while coating.
- Let the tenderloin set for 5-10 minutes after breading to help it adhere better.
- When you flip the tenderloin, use a fork on the edge of the meat.
How to serve pork tenderloin sandwiches?
Serving is on a soft white bread bun with only lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickle. Side dishes are usually French fries or similar things.
Storing leftovers and reheating
Leftovers are good for 3 days refrigerated airtight. You can also freeze for 2-3 months after cooking.
To reheat, thaw if frozen, then reheat in a 350° oven covered with foil for about 20 minutes. A microwave can be used, but it may affect the texture.
FAQs
For you non-Iowans, this is a small-town classic. Many small towns in Iowa, Indiana, and other states have restaurants that will claim to have the best, most award-winning, or the biggest tenderloin sandwich.
You don't need to say pork; it is understood as "a tenderloin sandwich." The pork producers have a yearly contest to pick the best restaurant version. There are websites dedicated to this much-celebrated delicacy.
The Des Moines Register has a yearly roundup of the best tenderloin sandwiches in the state. It is a much-coveted award that will be talked about for decades. It has been, and always will be, a much-loved Iowa tradition.
Indiana has the same passionate love for the tenderloin sandwich, which is embedded in their Hooser hearts. In the interest of Midwest comradeship, they may use my recipe.
This recipe is listed in these categories. See them for more similar recipes.
Have you tried this recipe, or have a question? Join the community discussion in the comments.
📖 Recipe
Oven Fried Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches
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Ingredients
- 1 pork tenderloin
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup milk
- 4 tablespoon butter
- ½ cup AP flour
- ½ cup Panko bread crumbs
- 1 tablespoon seasoning salt - Lowery's or similar
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° convection or 375° conventional.
- Trim a pork tenderloin of any visible fat and the silverskin. Cut the tenderloin into four approximately equal pieces by weight. Next, “butterfly” the pieces. Do this by cutting ¾ of the way through and folding it back to double the size. On the thinner end, which would be longer, do two cuts, one-third on opposite sides of the meat.
- Next, cover with plastic wrap or place in a zip lock bag and pound to about ½ inch thick or thinner if you want.
- Place 4 tablespoons of butter on a large baking tray and place in the oven for a few minutes to melt the butter.
- Set up two pans. In the first, combine one egg and ¼ cup milk. Whip well. In the second pan, ½ cup flour, ½ cup Panko bread crumbs, one tablespoon seasoning salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper.
- Dry the meat very well with paper towels, Then start with coating the meat with egg wash. Shake to remove excess.
- Coat well in the flour mixture and shake off excess.
- Place on the tray with the melted butter. Let them set for 5 minutes or so to help the coating stick.
- Place in the oven for 20 minutes. Flip and bake for another 10 minutes until golden brown. Serve hot.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips
- Get the thickness of the tenderloin down to at most ½ inch, but thinner is ok.
- You can use tenderized pork loin for this.
- This is bland, so add spices if you want.
- The coating will stick much better if the meat is very dry before coating and you let them set for a few minutes before cooking. Also, when doing the flip, use a fork on the edge.
- Leftovers should be good refrigerated for 3-4 days or frozen for 3-4 months.
Your Own Private Notes
To adjust the recipe size:
You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.
Nutrition Estimate
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Originally Published March 8, 2014. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
Debora says
Thank you so much for the step by step pictures! I'm a visual learner so this was my dream recipe find.
Nancie says
Thank you sooo much for sharing this recipe. I really miss the pt sandwiches since moving from Iowa to New England back in the 90s.. I finally got the chance to get one when I drove through IA over the past summer. I cant believe it was over 20 years since I last had one! Really brought back all the childhood memories.
Last week I was craving a pt sandwich (cant find any out here!) I am so glad I found your recipe on Pinterest. You really hit the dot on this one. It was really good and I love that it is an oven fried recipe as I do not like deep frying anything. I can bring IA to New England now. :-)
DrDan says
Hi Nancie,
When I go to Iowa anymore, I always try a tenderloin, but it just seems they are all processed and bought from a restaurant supply. So I'm thinking mine are more like the old days.
Glad I could move a little of Iowa to New England for you.
Dan
Sharon Neal says
Thanks for the recipe. Having for dinner tonight. I didn't realize it was regional. All I know is the A & W root beer stand in Bettendorf Iowa had the best back in the sixties. I think of them often, especially when I try someone else's in Texas and they are horrible. Can't wait to taste it, plain and dry for me!
DrDan says
All A & W's had the same wonderful tenderloins. They taste the same in Chariton, Knoxville, Indianola and Ames.
Dan
Sue says
Love the recipe! We tried this last night and both my husband and I really liked it. Being from Iowa we have noticed the same that so many restaurants have stopped making their own and are buying those premade cardboard tasting things. We will definitely have these again. Since I can't eat deep fried foods this is a plus! Do you use this same recipe for your oven baked fried chicken as well? Thanks again.
DrDan says
Hi Sue, thanks for the note(s) and rating. This is a take off from my oven fried chicken that I do over and over (link in the post above). I wanted a nice tenderloin sandwich but not in Michigan. Also not so much in Iowa anymore either.
My wife, a Michigan girl, never saw anything special about tenderloin sandwiches but now she has even made them herself. She loves these.
Dan
Sue says
Thank you very much for this recipe! Made these last night and both my husband and I really liked it. I can't eat deep fried food so this worked out great. The only restaurant close by that still hand breaded their tenderloins closed last year and so many of the other places are using the frozen patties that taste like cardboard. Do you use this same recipe for you oven baked chicken? Thanks again from the fellow Iowans! I would rate this as a 5.
Kathy says
Low 5. I tried these yesterday after looking for a Pork Tenderloin sandwich recipe. My last tenderloin sandwich was quite awhile back while visiting Indiana.. I never thought about this as being so regional. Great recipe. Comfort food from growing up. Very moist. I may look at working the spicing, but just fine the way it is. These are not spicy and are generally eaten on a hamburger bun with mayo, lettuce, tomato, and onion. Thanks for the great no fry recipe. I plan to make agaain.
DrDan says
Thanks for the note and rating. I think it is Iowa and Indiana. In Iowa most restaurants have gone to the frozen premade ones. I hope that is not true in Indiana.
DrDan
Cynthia Fields says
Hi,
Amazing, I was raised somewhat in Burlington, meaning there 15 years. I am from, and back in Texas. There has always been something missing in my palette as I traveled the united eastern states, Michigan included, Meijers noted, and it occurred to me some 15 years later that I, not even being a lover of fried foods, was missing my tenderloins desperately. I prefer the fried method as that heat and flavor from a little known kiosk called The Igloo, would pass that hot crispy dream through the window and I would have half devoured by the time I found a seat in the parking lot. I laughed at your reference to HyVee as I would grow weary of the long line and purchase the prepackaged ones, ugh. I can't believe my kids ate those. Anyway, as there are NO tenderloin magicians in Texas and I am a cook, I am going to give a try with both oiled and baked. Heaven comes in big packages on little buns. Smiles
DrDan says
Hi Cynthia... It is comments like this make me smile.... a lot. I enjoyed writing the post. I love the recipe. But really what ultimately the blog is about is food memories old and new.
Thanks so much for the comment
Dan
PS I like the baked version more...
Sophie says
This is an easy and super tasty meal that my whole family enjoys. I've made it several times - it's a keeper. Thank you for sharing.
Robyn says
Why bread crumbs instead of saltines? Can this method be used with saltines? That's what we normally use in Ft. Madison. Will the crust turn out crispy if I use the cooking method with my usual preparation method?
DrDan says
Hi to Fr. Madison from Michigan... formerly Chariton.
This is as much of a technique as a recipe. So saltines crumbs should be fine BUT watch the salt, you might want to not use the seasoning salt but you will need something like a little paprika so it has some taste.
As for your "usual", I don't know what that is but generally speaking the melted butter technique should almost always produce a nice crispy finish. It's my favorite oven fried chicken technique.
My last words... I do really love real tenderloin in my tenderloin sandwiches. The use of mechanically tenderized loin is cheaper but tougher with much lest taste. Once you use tenderloin, you won't go back.
Dan
Stacy says
Thank you SO MUCH for this recipe! I can't wait to try it! I'm an Iowan that looooves tenderloins but never make them at home because I don't want to deal with the stove top frying mess.
DrDan says
Thanks for the note. Give this a try, much better than most of the frozen ones in the restaurants.
DrDan
Missy A says
I love that this recipe is baked! I'm actually a dietitian FROM Iowa! :) I was wondering if it was at all possible to bake this in a liquid oil versus the butter? Any suggestions? Thanks!
DrDan says
I would think oil would work fine. There need to be a little oil so the breading isn't horribly dry. On some dishes I will give the top a quick spray of PAM to help.
My wife and I both prefer this to the fried version to the point of her (Michigan girl) asking for these. I frequently have tenderloin in Iowa when I'm there but it seems like most restaurants are getting processed ones and cooking in their fryer... not very good. Is it that hard to bread something in a restaurant?
DrDan (from Iowa)
Laura M says
What are you putting on top of the pork in the picture? Mayo? Any suggestions for toppings?
DrDan says
Just Mayo. That is the usual in Iowa.
DrDan
Berta says
I prefer mustard on tenderloins and I am from Iowa. Less calories, too, as a bonus!
Sharon says
I am from Nebraska. The toppings I am use to are mustard, super thin sliced onions and dill pickle slices. This recipe turned out great.
Jess says
I love your blog! I tired the blackened tilapia. Total 5! Can't wait to try this one. You need a YouTube channel! Glad I found your site!
DrDan says
I have a "day job" that keeps me busy. But the puppies have YouTube videos.
The tilapia is one of my favorites. Good choice.
Thanks for the note.
DrDan
Laura R says
I agree with you on the oven frying to reduce mess part. Even though I fry things maybe 4 times a year, I own a deep fryer because the mess and fire potential is just too much for me. Even pan frying is such a pain. So I like to oven bake breaded stuff. I am a big fan of pork tenderloin but I have never done it like this, am definitely going to try this recipe out.
DrDan says
With only two of us, it is hard to justify the work and mess of stove top frying. I will still do it but not often. I have done the chicken oven fry at least 4 times in the last few weeks and this one a couple of times. Maybe I should do a salad post soon (I actually have one pending).
DrDan
Chris says
I've never gotten around to trying this treat even though every time I see it on a food travel show, I swear I'm trying it that weekend. I've got to try these.
DrDan says
Give them a try. Iowa (or Indiana) comfort food.
For you readers Chris is from Nibble Me This one of the top grilling blog sites around. Give him a visit.
Mestralle says
First of all, thank you for your blog; it's been a great resource for my husband and me. I just wanted to mention that if you're pressed for time, you can probably substitute "pork cutlets" (which is what our local grocery stores seem to call probably chops that have been run through a cuber). They may not be quite as tender and "meaty," but I often find them in small-package quantities on manager special at D&W or Forest Hills Foods (don't know where you are in West Michigan; I looked up your info when I grew curious after seeing a Meijer container in a pic). If you have a proper butcher and no big budgetary constraints, you can ask the butcher to pound or cube anything you want.
In any event, I've been using a rather messy and annoying shallow pan-fried technique to cook similar breaded pork,, and I'm anxious to try out this oven method.
DrDan says
I'm in Spring Lake... I have seen the cutlets which look like loin run though a mechanical tenderizer. I'll ask next time I'm at Leppink's - our local Spartan or Meijer's. Those should be fine but the tenderloin is easy to do and so tasty. I always have a couple in the freezer.
This may sound bad but I oven fry more for not having a mess then health (although it is a lot healthier). I'm now oven fried chicken addicted...
Thanks for the note.
DrDan