BREADED PORK LOIN SANDWICHES
Feeds 4
We’re big fans of the Hoosier state around here. We have some dear friends, Debra and Rod Smith, who live in Indiana, and they assured us this recipe simply had to be in this American cookbook. “It’s classic Indiana! You have to make a breaded pork loin sandwich.” Many of our most fervent fans agreed. After making this—a flattened piece of tender pork, dunked in flour, eggs, and breadcrumbs, and then fried until crispy—we certainly agreed.
- 2 pounds boneless pork loin
- 2 cups low-fat buttermilk
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 280 grams All-Purpose Gluten-Free Flour Blend
- 2 cups finely ground gluten-free breadcrumbs
- Fat or oil of your choice for frying (we like rice bran oil, peanut oil, or lard)
- 4 Hamburger Buns or Hoagie Rolls
Pound the pork. Cut the pork into 4 pieces. Cut each piece horizontally across, stopping before you cut through entirely, then open the piece. It should look like a butterfly. Put each piece between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and pound the pork with a meat mallet until it is only ¼ inch thick.
Marinate the pork. In a large bowl, whisk the buttermilk, garlic, and onion powder together. Nestle the pounded-out pork pieces in the buttermilk mixture. Let it marinate in the refrigerator overnight.
Dredge the pork. The next day, remove the pork from the buttermilk and wipe off each piece. Season each piece with salt and pepper. Put the flour in a wide bowl, set the buttermilk mixture next to it, and set the breadcrumbs in a third bowl next to that. Dredge a pork piece on both sides in the flour, then into the buttermilk mixture again, and then dredge it on both sides in the breadcrumbs. Lay the pork piece on a plate while you finish the rest of the pork.
Fry the pork. Set a large wok or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Pour in 1 inch of the oil or fat you chose for frying. When it has come to 360°F on an instant-read thermometer, gently place 2 of the pieces of pork in the hot fat. Fry on one side for 3 minutes, then flip the piece. Cook until the pork loin is golden brown and crisp, about another 3 minutes. Remove from the oil and drain on a paper towel–lined plate. Repeat with the remaining pork.
Make the sandwiches. Open the hamburger buns or hoagie rolls and put the fried loin inside. Top and slather with your choice of ingredients and condiments: we like homemade mayonnaise, dill pickles, tomatoes, and arugula. That choice is up to you.