Ingredients
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1 (1-pound) Pork
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Salt
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Black Pepper
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3 slices hearty white sandwich Bread
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16 square or 18 round Saltines
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½ cup all-purpose Flour
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2 large Egg
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¼ cup Mayonnaise
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1 quart Peanut Oil
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4 Hamburger Buns
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1 Tomato
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Shredded Iceberg Lettuce
Directions
This simple sandwich, known in the Midwest as an Iowa skinny, is composed of a pan-fried pork tenderloin cutlet, lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise served on a bun. The flavor of the pork is the star of the show, and the textural interplay of crispy crust, juicy meat, cool veggies, and creamy mayo means that each bite is interesting and fresh. We began our recipe with the most important element: the pork. The cutlet is typically prepared from one of two cuts of pork: boneless loin chops or tenderloin. Our tasters unanimously favored the cutlets made from the tenderloin, which yielded more tender, less-fatty cutlets with mild yet distinct flavor. Some versions of this sandwich use cutlets that extend well beyond the bun’s edges, but we needed to make sure our cutlets could fit comfortably in our Dutch oven, so we opted for 4-ounce portions and shallow-fried the cutlets two at a time. Adding saltines to our bread-crumb coating boosted the coating’s flavor. With some fresh tomato, crisp iceberg, and a swipe of creamy mayo on a soft bun, our Iowa skinnies were complete. Pickles also make a good topping for these sandwiches.
Steps
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1
Done
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Cut tenderloin in half, then cut each half in half again, cutting tapered tail pieces slightly thicker than middle medallions. Working with 1 piece at a time, place pork, cut side up, between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pound to ¼-inch thickness with meat pounder. Pat cutlets dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. |
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2
Done
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Pulse bread and saltines in food processor to fine crumbs, about 20 pulses; transfer to shallow dish. Spread flour in second shallow dish. Whisk eggs and mayonnaise together in third shallow dish. |
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3
Done
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Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet. Working with 1 cutlet at a time, dredge in flour, dip in egg mixture, then coat with bread-crumb mixture, pressing gently to adhere. Transfer cutlets to prepared wire rack and let rest for 5 minutes. (Cutlets can be refrigerated for up to 1 hour.) |
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4
Done
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Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. Line platter with triple layer of paper towels. Add oil to Dutch oven until it measures about ¾ inch deep and heat over medium-high heat to 350 degrees. Fry 2 cutlets until deep golden brown and crispy, 4 to 6 minutes, flipping as needed to ensure even browning. Adjust burner, if necessary, to maintain oil temperature between 325 and 350 degrees. Transfer cutlets to prepared platter and keep warm in oven. Repeat with remaining cutlets. Serve on hamburger buns with tomato, lettuce, and extra mayonnaise. |
