giant pork tenderloin sandwiches
I grew up eating these huge sandwiches in Indiana. After moving to New York, I began to miss them. So I created my own recipe! We love these sandwiches. I introduced my New York native husband to these giant sandwiches after I moved here to New York. He thought it was a joke I was playing on him because the breaded pork loin is so huge compared to the regular bun it sits on. On a trip back to my home state, I took him to a local truck stop diner and had him order the Giant Tenderloin Sandwich. He learned that day I wasn't playing a joke on him, because theirs was bigger than mine!
Blue Ribbon Recipe
These pork tenderloin sandwiches will have everyone talking. To make this Midwestern favorite, pork chops are pounded very thin to create a giant piece of meat. For this recipe, it's coated in egg, flour, and crushed saltine crackers. Then, the thickly breaded pork chops are fried until crisp and golden brown and juicy inside the crust. The hamburger bun looks tiny compared to the tenderloin. Simply delicious, these are not hard to make. It just takes a little time to fry the pork chops.
Ingredients
- 6 sleeves saltine crackers
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 12 large eggs
- 1/2 cup water
- 4 thick-cut boneless pork loin chops, about 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick, fat trimmed off
- oil for frying, at least 2 inch deep, I used a 48 ounce bottle
- 4 white hamburger buns
- tomato slices
- onion slices
- pickle slices
- mayonnaise
- mustard
How To Make giant pork tenderloin sandwiches
-
Step 1Crush crackers or run them through the food processor. -
Step 2Place cracker crumbs in a very large bowl.
-
Step 3Place flour on a large dinner plate.
-
Step 4Beat eggs with water in a large bowl. Set up your breading station: flour, then egg, then cracker crumbs.
-
Step 5Pound each pork loin chop to about 1/4 inch thickness with the flat side of a meat mallet. Careful not to tear the meat. You want this to be very thin. If you accidentally tear it, it will still work.
-
Step 6Dip each flattened loin in flour, gently shake off excess.
-
Step 7Then dip it in the egg and let the excess drain off.
-
Step 8Then dip into cracker crumbs. Wipe hands with a damp towel and press crumbs into the meat.
-
Step 9Then dip again in egg, and again in cracker crumbs. Wipe hands again with a damp towel and press into the meat firmly.
-
Step 10Place in a layer on large baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
-
Step 11Place another plate on top and press the coating into the meat. Place in the freezer for 2 hours or overnight. Don't skip this step. If overnight, I suggest using freezer paper instead of parchment paper.
-
Step 12In a very large deep skillet or stockpot, heat oil to 375 degrees F.
-
Step 13Cook each piece, one at a time, until golden brown, turning to cook evenly. About 4 minutes each side. The breading may bubble up and separate from the pork; don't panic. This happens to me usually on the last one I breaded, because I begin to get tired, and don't thoroughly press the cracker crumbs into the meat each time.
-
Step 14Remove to paper towels to drain. Optionally, you can sprinkle a little salt over the cooked meat. I don't typically because of the salt in the cracker crumbs.
-
Step 15To serve, place preferred condiments and toppings on the bun, and place the tenderloin on the bun. The pork is supposed to hang over the bun quite a lot! Serve and enjoy!
-
Step 16If you think these might be just too large for you and those you are feeding, simply cut each piece of meat in half after you pound them, but before you bread them.
- Last Step: Don't forget to share! Post a picture of your finished recipe here and on your favorite social network. Don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes!
