Breaded Pork Tenderloin

Breaded pork tenderloin is a quick and easy meal; you could almost think of it as a grown-up version of chicken nuggets. This small, boneless cut has a lot of virtues, and minimal prep is one of them (that’s probably why we have so many pork tenderloin recipes).

If you’ve never made breaded pork tenderloins, relax. This recipe is as simple as could be, and it comes together in just 30 minutes. You’ve got this.

Breaded Pork Tenderloin Recipe Ingredients

• Pork tenderloin: Tenderloin is one of the leanest cuts of pork, with no bone and almost no fat. It’s a premium-priced cut, but the lack of waste compensates for that.
• Flour: The all-purpose flour here combines with the cornbread mix and seasonings to make up the breading.
• Cornbread mix: Cornbread mix (sometimes sold as cornbread muffin mix) makes a simple and pleasantly crunchy alternative to breadcrumbs.
• Egg: A beaten egg helps the breading adhere to the pork.
• Canola oil: Canola oil is excellent for frying. It has a neutral flavor and a high smoke point, and it’s not especially expensive.
• Ranch or barbecue sauce: Ranch dressing or barbecue sauce are suggested options for dipping the breaded pork.

Directions

Step 1: Bread the pork

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Cut the tenderloin crosswise into slices ½ inch thick. In a shallow bowl, mix the flour, cornbread mix, salt and pepper. Place the beaten egg in a second shallow bowl. Dip the pork medallions into the egg one at a time, letting any excess drip back into the bowl. Dredge them in the flour mixture, patting them gently to help the coating stick.

Step 2: Cook the pork

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In a large skillet, heat half of the oil over medium heat. Add half of the pork medallions, and cook them for three to four minutes on each side or until golden brown. An instant-read thermometer inserted from the side into the middle of a medallion should read 145°F. Remove the first batch of pork to drain on paper towels. Wipe the skillet clean, then repeat the process with the remaining oil and pork. Serve hot, with the optional sauces if you wish.

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Breaded Pork Tenderloin Recipe Variations

Increase the crunch with panko: The cornmeal breading used here has a satisfying texture, but it’s not your only choice. If you want a sturdier crunch, consider switching to panko breadcrumbs instead. Swap out the mix for ½ cup of panko, adding more if necessary. Panko crumbs are large, so you’ll need more to cover the same quantity of pork. Cook and serve the pork as directed in the recipe.

Bring on the alternative dips: Ranch dressing and barbecue sauce are the suggested dips, but you have plenty of options. For a group, you can set out several and let people take their pick. Plum sauce, hoisin, honey-garlic sauce or Asian-style sweet chili sauce are all excellent choices. Your kids may insist on ketchup, but they’ll grow out of it.

Swap the pork for chicken: Pork tenderloin is superbly tender and leaves almost no waste, but it’s not for everyone. If you don’t eat pork, or just want a change of pace, boneless chicken breast is an easy substitute. You don’t need to change anything about the recipe except the slicing (try pounding it thin like schnitzel), the instructions work exactly the same. Think of it as an alternative to your usual chicken nuggets recipe.

How to Store Breaded Pork Tenderloins

Any leftover pork tenderloin should be refrigerated as soon as possible after the meal. For overnight storage, it can just go on a covered plate. If you’re not planning to eat the leftovers immediately, put them in a food-safe container with a tight-fitting lid.

How long will breaded pork tenderloin keep?

As a rule, leftover pork is usually good for three to four days in your refrigerator. If it sat out at room temperature after your meal for an hour or so, reduce that to one or two days for safety’s sake. If it sat out for two or more hours (or one hour at 90°F or higher), it’s safest just to discard the leftovers.

Can I freeze breaded pork tenderloin?

You can, but it’s not ideal for the purpose. The breading tends to be soggy when it’s thawed, and the pork overcooks easily when it’s reheated. Your best bet for make-ahead convenience is to bread the medallions but not cook them. Freeze them on a sheet pan, then pack them into a freezer-safe container with a tight-fitting lid. When you want a quick meal, pull them from the freezer and cook them directly from frozen.

Breaded Pork Tenderloin Tips

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Do I need to do anything with the pork tenderloin before I cut it?

You can cut the tenderloin as-is if you wish. The only thing you might want to do first is to remove the strip of membrane down one side of the tenderloin. It’s called the silver skin, and it doesn’t get tender when it cooks. You can trim it off easily enough by sliding the tip of a thin knife underneath. Grip the tenderloin firmly, and simply slide the knife blade all the way to the far end. Repeat, if necessary, to get the rest of the membrane.

Is it safe to eat pork at that temperature?

Yes, 145°F has been the USDA’s recommended temperature for pork for several years now. At that temperature, it’s juicy and just a little bit pink. If you just can’t bring yourself to eat pork that’s pink, that’s fine. Another minute or two in the skillet will bring it up to 160°F, and it’s still reasonably moist at that temperature. If you overdo it, well, that’s what dipping sauces are for.

Can I use a different cut of pork?

Sure, you can use the same technique with another cut. It just needs to be tender, because of the fast cooking. Your best bets are loin, sirloin, or fresh capicola/capicolo (a portion of the loin muscle that extends into the shoulder, hard to find but worth looking for). Cut those to the same thickness, and then into medallion-sized pieces, and proceed as directed in the recipe.

Can I make these in my air fryer?

Yup. Just spritz them with a bit of pan spray, or with cooking oil if you have some in a spray bottle. Then you can prepare them according to your air fryer’s instructions for chicken tenders or nuggets.