Paprika Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches
Submitted by peeveedee
Breaded paprika pork tenderloin sandwiches pounded thin, pan-fried crispy, and served on onion rolls. A homemade take on the Midwest pork tenderloin sandwich with a golden, crunchy crust.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
30 minREADY
40 minIf you’ve ever driven through Indiana or Iowa, you know the pork tenderloin sandwich: a thin, breaded cutlet fried crispy and piled on a bun. This version uses a paprika-spiked three-stage breading (flour, milk, seasoned bread crumbs) that fries up golden and crunchy with a warm, smoky edge from the paprika.
Pounding the pork tenderloin pieces to ¼-inch thickness is the most important step. Thin cutlets cook fast and evenly, giving you maximum crispy surface area relative to the meat. That’s the whole point of a tenderloin sandwich: crunch in every bite.
Five to six minutes in a hot skillet with oil is all these need. The thin pork cooks through quickly while the breading turns golden and crispy. Two cutlets per bun gives you a substantial sandwich.
Pro Tips
- Place the pork between plastic wrap before pounding. This prevents tearing and keeps the meat from sticking to your mallet.
- Use coarsely ground black pepper in the bread crumbs as directed. The larger grains add texture and a sharper bite than fine-ground pepper.
- Don’t crowd the skillet. Fry in batches if needed so each cutlet has full contact with the hot oil.
- Serve on onion rolls with pickles, mustard, and a slice of onion for the full Midwest experience.
Variations
- Smoked paprika version: Swap regular paprika for smoked paprika for a deeper, smokier crust.
- Spicy tenderloin: Add cayenne to the flour dredge and serve with a sriracha mayo on the bun.
Ingredients
Directions
- Cut pork tenderloin (about ½-lb.) crosswise into 4 pieces.
- In shallow bowl, combine flour and paprika; mix well. Place milk in second shallow dish.
In third shallow bowl, combine bread crumbs, salt, onion powder and pepper; mix well.
- To flatten each piece of pork, place cut side up between 2 Working from center, gently pound pork with flat side of mallet or rolling pin until about ¼ inch thick; remove wrap. Repeat with remaining pork pieces.
- Dip each pork piece in flour mixture to coat. Dip in milk; dip in bread crumb mixture to coat.
- Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add pork tenderloin pieces; cook 5 to 6 minutes or until pork is no longer pink in center, turning once. Place 2 pieces pork tenderloin in each bun.
Comments
