Summertime is county fair time, which means a great many things. County fairs bring a renewed appetite for fried favorites. Among the most iconic is the breaded pork tenderloin sandwich, a Midwestern staple with deep roots in the region’s German heritage.
This hammered-thin, breaded, and deep-fried sandwich can be a visual novelty, with the pounded-thin meat often overhanging and overwhelming the standard-sized bun on which it is served. According to breaded pork tenderloin aficionados, there are two ways to top this impressive sandwich: with lettuce, tomato, and mayo, or with yellow mustard and dill pickle slices. For many, anything else is sacrilege. Yet some people insist on other toppings, such as ketchup, cheese, or onions (which this author recommends). Some folks fold over the flattened meat to make it less cumbersome on the bun; others halve it, get an extra bun, and save some for later; while other people nibble around the edges until the sandwich is of manageable size.
The sandwich, whose protein resembles Wiener Schnitzel, has its roots in Ohio’s German immigrant heritage. A preparation for veal calf brought over from the old country, which eventually evolved to substituting the less expensive pork cutlet for veal and substituting the plated dish for a hand-held sandwich, the breaded pork tenderloin is associated with German immigrant patterns throughout the Midwestern United States. A testament to this lingers in Jackson County, Ohio, where these sandwiches are still called “veals” on local restaurant menus, such as Happenings Bistro in Wellston and the Corner Pub in Jackson…