Crispy Iowa Skinny
By America's Test KitchenPublished on November 6, 2011
Time
45 minutes
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 (1-pound) pork tenderloin, trimmed¼ teaspoon table salt ¼ teaspoon pepper 3 slices hearty white sandwich bread, torn into quarters16 square or 18 round round saltines ½ cup all-purpose flour 2 large eggs ¼ cup mayonnaise, plus extra for serving1 cup vegetable oil 4 hamburger buns 2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce 1 tomato, cored and sliced thin
Before You Begin
This sandwich showcases tender pork pounded thin, battered, and pan-fried to a crunchy golden brown.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet. Cut tenderloin in half. Cut each half in half again, cutting tapered tail piece slightly thicker than middle medallions. Cover pork pieces, cut side up, with plastic wrap and pound to ¼-inch thickness with meat pounder. Pat cutlets dry with paper towels and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Pulse bread and saltines in food processor to fine crumbs, about 12 pulses; transfer to shallow dish. Spread flour in second shallow dish. Whisk eggs and mayonnaise together in third shallow dish.
- Working with 1 cutlet at a time, dredge cutlets in flour, dip in egg mixture, then coat with crumbs, pressing gently to adhere. Transfer cutlets to prepared wire rack and let dry for 5 minutes or refrigerate for up to 1 hour.
- Heat ½ cup oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Working with 2 cutlets at a time, fry cutlets until deep golden brown and crisp, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to paper towel–lined plate and keep warm in oven. Discard oil, wipe out skillet, and repeat with remaining ½ cup oil and remaining 2 cutlets. Serve on hamburger buns with lettuce, tomato, and extra mayonnaise.
Time
45 minutesYield
Serves 4Ingredients
1 (1-pound) pork tenderloin, trimmed
¼ teaspoon table salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
3 slices hearty white sandwich bread, torn into quarters
16 square or 18 round round saltines
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
¼ cup mayonnaise, plus extra for serving
1 cup vegetable oil
4 hamburger buns
2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
1 tomato, cored and sliced thin
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
1 (1-pound) pork tenderloin, trimmed
¼ teaspoon table salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
3 slices hearty white sandwich bread, torn into quarters
16 square or 18 round round saltines
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
¼ cup mayonnaise, plus extra for serving
1 cup vegetable oil
4 hamburger buns
2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
1 tomato, cored and sliced thin
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
1 (1-pound) pork tenderloin, trimmed
¼ teaspoon table salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
3 slices hearty white sandwich bread, torn into quarters
16 square or 18 round round saltines
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
¼ cup mayonnaise, plus extra for serving
1 cup vegetable oil
4 hamburger buns
2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
1 tomato, cored and sliced thin
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
An Iowa skinny is a fried pork sandwich that’s as good as it is simple to make. But while nearly every recipe for this regional favorite agrees on the meat (pork tenderloin) and the method (pounded extra-thin and shallow fried), there is little agreement regarding the best way to achieve the requisite golden-brown, crunchy coating. For our Iowa skinny recipe, a coating of flour, egg, and both bread crumbs and saltine cracker crumbs took care of the crunchy, while adding mayonnaise to the mixture added a nice richness and sweet tang that enhanced the pork flavor without weighing down the crust.
Before You Begin
This sandwich showcases tender pork pounded thin, battered, and pan-fried to a crunchy golden brown.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet. Cut tenderloin in half. Cut each half in half again, cutting tapered tail piece slightly thicker than middle medallions. Cover pork pieces, cut side up, with plastic wrap and pound to ¼-inch thickness with meat pounder. Pat cutlets dry with paper towels and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Pulse bread and saltines in food processor to fine crumbs, about 12 pulses; transfer to shallow dish. Spread flour in second shallow dish. Whisk eggs and mayonnaise together in third shallow dish.
- Working with 1 cutlet at a time, dredge cutlets in flour, dip in egg mixture, then coat with crumbs, pressing gently to adhere. Transfer cutlets to prepared wire rack and let dry for 5 minutes or refrigerate for up to 1 hour.
- Heat ½ cup oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Working with 2 cutlets at a time, fry cutlets until deep golden brown and crisp, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to paper towel–lined plate and keep warm in oven. Discard oil, wipe out skillet, and repeat with remaining ½ cup oil and remaining 2 cutlets. Serve on hamburger buns with lettuce, tomato, and extra mayonnaise.
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