Pork Tenderloins!

Here in the mid-west where pork is KING, we've forever had a regional sandwich served at diners and burger joints called a "Tenderloin".

It's a thin, pounded, tenderized piece of pork tenderloin that's double-breaded in seasoned flour/eggwash, then a coating of crumbs, and deep-fried. The thin, crunchy "fritter" is then served on a bun. And it's DELICIOUS served either "dressed" w/ mayo, lettuce & tomato- OR w/ ketchup, mustard, pickel & onion.

I hear tell of a tavern here that pounds their's SO thin, that it becomes large enuf to hang over a pizza pan (though normally they're about the size of the palm of your hand)! Supposedly at this joint, the gum-chewing servers ask you "How many buns you want with that?" (reportedly, it's big enuf to accomodate 5-6 regular-sized burger buns!)

As I describe this, many of you will be familiar with it- but others will not. When I cooked out west and in Alaska, most folks there wrinkled their noses, scratched their ear, and asked me to "re-explain". They'd simply never heard of it!

Are you all familiar? Ever enjoyed one?

I have heard of it. Ohio is close to Illinois and I've passed through it often. I've even been to a High School graduation in Bloomington. It sounds delicious but unfortunately because of the wheat I haven't been able to try one. I have been meaning to try to adapt something like that to gluten free though. It would be pretty easy. I have gluten free buns in the freezer so I would just have to use another kind of flour for the coating.

When I was stationed in Germany we didn't have the burger joints there like there are in the states. We did have cart vendors though that surrounded our base. A favorite was the Schnitzel Sandwich. The Schnitzel sandwich was a breaded pork cutlet pounded thin, fried and served on a bun with mayo, lettuce and tomato. I miss them sandwiches. I wish the burger joints here would serve them, lol. Maybe the west has got to come east.