Indiana Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches with Creamy Corn Relish
Wondra flour adds to the coating's crisp texture, but all-purpose flour will work just fine.
Wondra flour adds to the coating's crisp texture, but all-purpose flour will work just fine.
We thought this was good. The pork was nice and crispy. Perhaps user error, but my cream cheese never got "soupy" enough for me to feel like it was totally melted, and so it coagulated a bit. I think cooking that cream cheese relish on medium would have helped - my husband needed to add sauce because the sandwich was more dry due to this issue.
What's this "Indiana" stuff? Pork "loin" sandwiches were part of the fast food scene in Iowa in the 50s and 60s during my childhood, and I've been doing these pork schnitzels since I was a teen.The corn "relish," ie creamed "Mexi-corn" with the onion and pepper more thoroughly cooked, was a pretty common Iowa side dish when I was growing up, although putting it on a sandwich is a new idea for me. For those unsure about the quantity, a package of regular 1/2" sliced boneless pork loin chops (not thin sliced) is going to be about right and you will be amazed at the surface size once correctly pounded out--between twice and triple the original. For those who complain about bland, it's pretty easy to up the seasoning with some cayenne, garlic granules, herbs to taste, etc. I also add grated parmesan cheese to the crumbs to get a crunchier surface--make sure the pan is hot before adding the fat, and that the oil is hot before adding the meat. We like ours with mustard and green pickle, but I'm going to try it with the corn. This basic recipe is pretty good--except for that Indiana thing in the title!
DH said it reminded him of a sandwich he used to get as a boy in the midwest at a local burger joint. Will definitely add this to the regular rotation. Our only complaint is that the relish didn't seem to want to stay in the sandwich - needed to be a bit more spreadable. I also sauteed the onion and pepper with the corn to soften it up a bit.
We thought this was amazing!! Made recipe exactly as stated, except that each pork slice may have been a bit little smaller than the recipe called for (I wasn't sure what 3 oz looked like so I just cut 1-inch thickness then pounded to 1/4 inch) and I toasted the buns under the broiler. I ended up needing more panko than the recipe called for (by about 2 Tablespoons). Served with small portions of Smoky Three Bean Bake and Stewed Collards (both CL recipes).
I thought it was Delicious! I made sandwiches just like the picture and my hubby was crazy about them.
The corn relish was delicious, but the pork was very underwhelming. I even made more relish than called for, and the sandwich as a whole was still very bland. Not likely to make again