Posts Tagged ‘Pork Tenderloin’
Pork Tenderloin Recipe
Pork “tenderloins” are an Iowa thing. And Indiana thing. We’ll leave it at that. It’s a boneless pork chop, hammered with a mallet to make it larger 
and thinner, dipped in batter and deep-fried, served on a hamburger bun about 1/10th the size of the ‘loin. You might also call it wienerschnitzel, of a sort. Or how about “chicken fried pork?”
So I had been out driving around Iowa and Indiana in search of great tenderloin, and it’s so important to the state, that the Iowa Pork Council has come up with the “Tenderloin Trail” so you can hit a dozen of the best the state has to offer.
I have written up the Iowa one as of yet, they were all pretty good. Soon. In Indiana, I stopped at (and have reviewed) the Oasis Diner, and Ray’s Drive In. They were both superb.
What sets one ‘loin apart from another is getting it thin enough, but still retaining the juiciness of the pork. The batter. The seasoning. Length of time in the hot oil bath. These are all important.
When I set out to try it at home, I had some cheats, some shortcuts. First off, I didn’t purchase pork chops, I bought pork “cube steaks” which were half the price of chops this week and would work just as well.
I purchased two different dry fry mixes, both Louisiana products, Zatarain’s Seasoned Fish Fry (which I use a lot) and Louisiana Fish Fry Products Chicken Fry.
The latter suggests you mix a bit of it with 1/2 cup of water, dip your meat, and then completely cover it with more mix before frying. I also improvised a bit with the Zat’s, in that I dunked, then dipped in egg wash, and dunked again. This would give the breading a little more depth, thickness.
Then into oil. How long? Til they’re done! LOL (Not long).
On the surface, they appeared about the same when done. I plated them with some sausage gravy and a piece of Texas toast.
I liked the Zatarain’s better, simply because I’m a long time consumer and I like the pre-seasoning in it. Not a fair comparison, but it also had a bulkier breading because of the egg dip.
But I’d buy both again. There must be dozens of these kind of mixes in the grocery. You can also order both brands (and others) online from Cajun Grocer, a Louisiana company I have purchased seafood and other goodies many times.
Zatarain’s was a family owned business for decades, now it’s owned by seasoning giant McCormick and Schmidt (New Orleans area plant (pictured below) . Louisiana Fish Fry is still family owned, based in Baton Rouge. (pictured below)
Zatarain’s
Louisiana Fish Fry
Louisiana Fish Fry Baton Rouge
New Orleans area Zatarains plant
Pork Tenderloin Recipe
Pork Tenderloin Recipe
Rays Drive In Review – Kokomo Indiana
A pork tenderloin, or simply “tenderloin” was not on my food radar for most of my life.
Oh, I’d see them on menus, people around me would order them, but for some reason, even up close they didn’t merit a look-see from my side of the table.
That’s changed. For the uninitiated, a pork tenderloin is a sandwich, wherein a boneless pork chop is placed on a counter and hammer until very thin, breaded, deep fried, placed on a burger bun, often served with lettuce, tomato, and mayo.
I’m willing to be persuaded otherwise, but in my mind, this is a distinctly Midwestern thing, and narrower than that, Iowa and Indiana seem to be the champions.
Of course, restaurant proprietors want their tenderloins to be tasty, so they concoct different formulations of breading and seasonings; but another factor among some operators is SIZE. Some satisfaction is derived by chefs and diners alike if the loin on the plate is as big as their plate.
Iowa even has a “Tenderloin Trail” you can attempt to conquer, a dozen or so of the best offerings as determined by the Iowa Pork Producers Council. I set out to hit a few of the stops a couple months ago, and weird, just noticed I hadn’t written them up. I will.
But Indiana, they excel in “big” tenderloins. First one I had was last year at the Oasis Diner on US 40, the “National Highway.” Read all about it here.
But on this trip, I set out to hit the iconic Ray’s Drive In, in beautiful Kokomo, IN. A small eatery, with perhaps a dozen tables in the dining room, and carhop service to diners in the parking lot, Kokomonians (?) will tell you Ray’s is a must stop. And I agree.
I ordered the “King” Tenderloin, and my table mate went for the regular ‘loin.” There is a distinct difference. If you love pork, and you’re looking for excellence in flavor and texture, you’ll be happier with the King than the regular. Even if you can’t finish it (I couldn’t). They even have different breadings.
Ray’s King Tenderloin rates in the top three sandwiches I’ve had anywhere in the world, at any time. It’s worth a side trip.
I had every intention of ordering onion rings but “tots” came out of my mouth, and compared to the fries (they are priced the same), the tots order seemed a little skimpy. Didn’t matter, I helped myself to the fries (another dish not finished), and if I would have skipped the taters all together, I could have made more of a dent in the ‘loin.
Did I say I loved this sammich? I did. Pix below and portions of the menu. I’m sure the other entrees and daily specials are home-cookin’ quality. And BTW? It’s pretty cheap to eat at Ray’s.
Tenderloin, tots, and fries
Rays Drive In Review
Rays Drive In Review
