Fried Pork Tenderloin Sandwich Recipe

Close up of a fresh made fried pork tenderloin sandwich topped with onion rings, pickles, horseradish mayo and lettuce.

Fried Pork Tenderloin Sandwich Recipe

This is the perfect homemade version of a pork tenderloin sandwich you would have in a country road diner! Juicy pork tenderloin is pounded thin and coated in a crackle-crisp crust made with saltines.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 20

Marinating Time 4

Servings

Calories 629kcal

Author Susie Weinrich

Ingredients

HORSERADISH MAYO

½ cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish or to taste

PORK

1 - 1 ¼ lbs pork tenderloin trimmed of silver skin
1 cup buttermilk
1 large egg
1 teaspoon Lawry's seasoned salt
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder

BREADING

1 ½ sleeves saltine crackers about 60 crackers
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon Lawry's seasoned salt
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Vegetable oil or canola oil; for frying (about 2 to 3 cups)

FOR SERVING

4 hamburger buns
iceberg lettuce shredded
White onion sliced into rings (optional)
Dill pickle slices optional

Instructions

Prepping and Pounding

Start by making the horseradish mayo. Stir together the mayonnaise and prepared horseradish in a small bowl until smooth. Taste and add a little more horseradish if you like a stronger kick. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
½ cup mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
Trim the pork tenderloin of any silver skin, which is the thin, shiny layer of connective tissue running along the outside of the meat. To remove it, slide the tip of a sharp knife under the silver skin, angle the blade slightly upward, and use short strokes to slice it away. Discard the silver skin.
1 - 1 ¼ lbs pork tenderloin
Cut the pork tenderloin crosswise into 4 equal rounds, each about 2 to 3 inches long. Make thin end pieces slightly longer than middle pieces, since there’s less meat to work with.
Before pounding, make 4 shallow cuts (just about ¼ inch deep), outward from the center of the round like an “X”. These cuts release the tension in the muscle fibers and allow the meat to spread outward in all directions.
Place one round “X” side up in a zip-top bag or between two sheets of plastic wrap. Using a meat mallet or the bottom of a heavy skillet over a cutting board, pound the pork from the center outward until it is about ¼ inch thick and roughly 6 to 7 inches across.

Marinating

In a shallow dish or large zip-top bag, whisk together the buttermilk, egg, Lawry's seasoned salt, garlic powder, and onion powder. Add the pounded pork cutlets, making sure each piece is fully coated.
1 cup buttermilk, 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon Lawry's seasoned salt, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder
Seal or cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and no longer than 24 hours.
Mom's Tip: Beyond 24 hours, the acidity in the buttermilk begins to break down the surface of the meat, giving the finished pork a soft, mushy texture instead of a juicy, tender bite.
When you are ready to cook, remove the pork from the refrigerator and let it sit on the counter for 20 to 30 minutes. Frying cold pork causes the oil temperature to drop, which can make the breading greasy instead of crispy.

Breading

While the pork rests, set up your breading station.
Mom's Tip: use a fork from this point forward, through frying. Tongs can tend to scrape that crispy breading from the pork.
1 ½ sleeves saltine crackers
Plate 1: Crush the saltine crackers right in their package by pounding along the row of crackers with the side of a fist a few times. Then squeeze the package with your fingertips until you have a mix of fine crumbs and some slightly larger pieces.
Pour the crumbs into a wide shallow dish.
Plate 2: Combine the flour, Lawry's seasoned salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and kosher salt. Stir to combine.
½ cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon Lawry's seasoned salt, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Using a fork, remove one piece of pork from the buttermilk marinade and let the excess drip off. Dredge both sides in the seasoned flour, pressing lightly so it adheres. Be sure to press flour to all areas, including the thin sides.
Dip the floured pork back into the buttermilk marinade briefly, then press both sides firmly into the cracker crumbs, making sure the coating covers the entire surface.
Mom's Tip: The finer cracker crumbs are great to fill in any areas where the larger cracker crumbs didn't adhere.
Repeat with the remaining pieces. Let the breaded cutlets rest for 5 minutes before frying. This short rest helps the breading bond to the meat so it stays put in the skillet.

Frying

Pour about ½ inch of oil into a large, heavy skillet, such as a cast iron or stainless steel pan. Heat over medium to medium-high heat until the oil reaches 350°F. If you do not have a thermometer, drop a small pinch of cracker crumbs into the oil. If they sizzle immediately and float to the top, the oil is ready. If they sit there without bubbling, give the oil another minute or two.
Vegetable oil
Working in batches of 2 cutlets at a time, carefully lower the pork into the hot oil. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until the breading is deep golden brown and the pork feels firm when pressed lightly in the center.
Mom's Tip: Do not crowd the pan, too many cutlets at once will drop the oil temperature and lead to soggy breading. Use a fork to flip each cutlet only once.
Transfer the finished cutlets to a wire rack set over a sheet pan or paper towels rather than a plate lined with paper towels. The wire rack allows air to circulate underneath, which keeps the breading crispy.
Repeat with the remaining cutlets, returning the oil to 350°F between batches.

Assembly

Optionally toast the buns with a little softened butter or non stick spray. This helps the bun not fall apart as you eat the sandwich. It also elevates the sandwich and makes it more restaurant quality!
To assemble, spread the horseradish mayo generously on both the top and bottom buns.
Place a fried pork cutlet on the bottom bun. The cutlet will hang over the sides of the bun, which is part of what makes this sandwich so satisfying.
Top with white onion rings, pickle slices, and a generous pinch of shredded iceberg lettuce.
Mom's Tip: rinse the white onion rings in a little cool water so they aren't as strong!
Set the top bun in place and serve immediately with napkins and maybe even a fork and knife.
White onion, Dill pickle slices, iceberg lettuce

Nutrition