Published March 11, 2009 11:02 pm - ANDERSON — Members of a local gourmet club met in the back room of a bistro to sample a native delicacy.
'It's an Indiana thing'
Tenderloins are a Hoosier State delicacy that few outside the state can comprehend
By Rodney Richey, Herald Bulletin Feature Writer
ANDERSON — Members of a local gourmet club met in the back room of a bistro to sample a native delicacy.
Temptingly, the waitress delivered the entrees, and soberly, deliberately, those gathered sunk their teeth into the fare.
"Awww, yeah," one man said, wiping the mustard off his mouth.
Such is the effect of the breaded pork tenderloin sandwich, that robust yet indulgent morsel of Hoosier goodness.
The "gourmets" are the loyal troops of the Democrat tenderloin club, which meets on the occasional Thursday for a lunchtime nosh at The Three Pigs, 520 E. 29th St.
"I'm from Massachusetts, so when I first came down here, I had no idea what a tenderloin was," said Dave Tierney of Anderson, a retired Delco Remy worker.
"Once I got introduced to it, I tell ya, I love 'em, the breaded and the grilled. The Three Pigs, boy, I tell ya, they've got a big one."
Evidently, when it comes to breaded tenderloins, size matters.
"They're usually bigger than the plate they bring 'em on," said Richard Thompson of Alexandria, who retired from Ag One Co-op. "And you can usually cut 'em in half and take the other half home and have it for supper."
"(They're) just very good," said Bill Riffe of Anderson, a retired Madison Heights High School teacher. "I guess it's hard to describe. They're good, and they're big."
First encounter
When Corey Miller, executive chef at Hoosier Park Racing and Casino, first came to Anderson in early 2008, he went to dinner with a large group. One of the diners ordered a breaded tenderloin sandwich.
"I had no idea what they were," Miller said recently. "I thought it was like a grilled pork tenderloin with a sauce. And this sandwich comes out."
Miller laughed at the memory. "I'm sorry, but it was about the size of a Frisbee! With this little bun on it. And I'm looking at it. I'm like, 'What is that? And how do you eat it?' "
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That is definately one of the things I missed when I left Indiana for awhile, you just can't them anywhere else I've been.
I also couldn't find a Sugar Cream Pie, which is one of my favorites.
What I'm glad you can't find in Indiana.....when you order a cheeseburger deluxe (or all the way) you don't get a spoonful of slaw thrown on it. OMG, I remember the first time that happened to me out in NC. I had to send it back. Slaw is a side dish, not a condiment!! LOL
Quote from: me on March 12, 2009, 08:04:16 AM
ANDERSON — Members of a local gourmet club...
LMAO! Oxymoron alert!
Quote from: pariann on March 12, 2009, 08:11:49 AM
That is definately one of the things I missed when I left Indiana for awhile, you just can't them anywhere else I've been.
I also couldn't find a Sugar Cream Pie, which is one of my favorites.
What I'm glad you can't find in Indiana.....when you order a cheeseburger deluxe (or all the way) you don't get a spoonful of slaw thrown on it. OMG, I remember the first time that happened to me out in NC. I had to send it back. Slaw is a side dish, not a condiment!! LOL
eeewww that doesn't even sound good but then I don't like slaw.
Quote from: me on March 12, 2009, 08:28:54 AM
eeewww that doesn't even sound good but then I don't like slaw.
^Evidence that this V
Quote from: Exterminator on March 12, 2009, 08:15:35 AM
LMAO! Oxymoron alert!
Was right! :biggrin:
I'm telling you I personally find the Hoosier sense of culinary taste to be quite jaded. No sense of adventure, no cultural diversity; if it doesn't walk on four legs and have hooves you just can't get it here!
The closest I get to a pork tenderloin is jägerschnitzel. Yum!
Quote from: Exterminator on March 12, 2009, 09:03:21 AM
The closest I get to a pork tenderloin is jägerschnitzel. Yum!
Yummm indeed! I guess that's part of the problem I have with the local eats; no imagination. If it isn't a white or brown gravy covering the meat, they aren't interested in even trying it. If you add mushrooms or a variety of things from the garden, they turn their nose up!
When I make hotdogs on the grill for my friends I always have a nice variety of veggies to dress them up with. I'm the only one who uses them 99% of the time, with the other 1% representing family or friends from out of town who might be around at the time.
Locals look at me like I'm out of my skull when I start adding the fixings to my hot dogs. "How can you eat that? is the typical response. . .
Even simple things like a Gyros or Italian Beef seem to make them want to run for the porcelin bus! :rolleyes: :biggrin:
But have you ever tasted a cheeseburger with tomato, onion, mustard, and slaw? It really DOES NOT taste good. And I do have an adventurous tongue.
Shut up, Exterminator!
Quote from: pariann on March 12, 2009, 09:24:16 AM
But have you ever tasted a cheeseburger with tomato, onion, mustard, and slaw? It really DOES NOT taste good. And I do (censored to keep me from commenting).
Shut up, Exterminator!
Yes and it is darned good eating if done right! :yes: Same with slaw on a hot dog. (Or Kraut) :smile:
:lipsrsealed2: :lipsrsealed2:
Kraut is not the same as slaw, tastewise. That also is an acquired taste. Not too many people will eat rotten cabbage. LOL
Quote from: pariann on March 12, 2009, 09:28:49 AM
Kraut is not the same as slaw, tastewise. That also is an acquired taste. Not too many people will eat rotten cabbage. LOL
Well. . .there. . .you. . .go! (BTW I know the difference between the two, but Kraut
is a popular dressing for dogs and burgers despite the blandness and tunnelvision of Hoosier tastebuds).
A LOT of people eat kraut, sweet cabbage, etc. Just very few in this state. What this place needs is a good Bohemian or Polish resteraunt to expose Hoosiers to what they are missing. And while we're at it how about some Greek, Italian, (real not that fast food/chain crap), German, Establishments as well?
I tell you my taste buds
still miss Chicago!
Speaking of kraut, I do fix it for my family, with sausage. And I actually have one child that looks forward to it. I've been craving it for several weeks now. Only I don't think it will come out too well in the microwave. My stove has gone completely caput. I'm on the lookout for a new/used/free one.
Quote from: Palehorse on March 12, 2009, 09:40:19 AM
Right down the pipe! :biggrin:
It's about time that someone noticed my greatness and bowed down. :wink:
And I KNEW he couldn't leave it alone. LOL
Quote from: Palehorse on March 12, 2009, 08:48:53 AM
^Evidence that this V
Was right! :biggrin:
I'm telling you I personally find the Hoosier sense of culinary taste to be quite jaded. No sense of adventure, no cultural diversity; if it doesn't walk on four legs and have hooves you just can't get it here!
Problem is I'm not a Hoosier.... :razz:
Quote from: me on March 12, 2009, 09:49:21 AM
Problem is I'm not a Hoosier.... :razz:
The you are culturally challenged via genetics, and have had your tastebuds deadened by your environment! :biggrin: :razz:
Quote from: Palehorse on March 12, 2009, 09:51:53 AM
The you are culturally challenged via genetics, and have had your tastebuds deadened by your environment! :biggrin: :razz:
Nope, just don't like slaw. :razz:
Quote from: pariann on March 12, 2009, 09:43:31 AM
It's about time that someone noticed my greatness and bowed down. :wink:
And I KNEW he couldn't leave it alone. LOL
I knew you didn't really want me to. :icon_twisted:
Shhhh.....you talk too much.
I've got rooms. . . :biggrin:
Technology equipped?
I'll pass. There is something voyeuristic about technology in 'rooms'. :wink:
Quote from: pariann on March 12, 2009, 11:22:19 AM
I'll pass. There is something voyeuristic about technology in 'rooms'. :wink:
:spooked:
:biggrin:
My God, I love this forum. And tenderloins.
All this talk about tenderloins has me wantin' to take a drive up to Alex and get one at that place on Harrison St.
Quote from: me on March 12, 2009, 01:21:58 PM
All this talk about tenderloins has me wantin' to take a drive up to Alex and get one at that place on Harrison St.
What place is that?? :confused:
Never can think of the name of it but its north of town and sits on the north east corner of the street on Harrison not too far south of 28. It's a drive-in restaurant that's been there for years.
That's Dor-Tee's Drive-In. Someone ID'd that bistro a while back on another thread. Let's go!
I'm gonna try to remember that this time.
You can criticize Indiana eats all you want, but I get Indianapolis Monthly with lists of restaurants and their menus, and you can find any kind of food you want there! If you really want to see restrictive eating, come to California. There are almost NO mom and pop restaurants here at all! It is all fast food and name brand restaurants, no really good home cooking or any interesting food. It is really bad.
Same thing around Anderson, unfortunately. :(
Quote from: me on March 12, 2009, 01:21:58 PM
All this talk about tenderloins has me wantin' to take a drive up to Alex and get one at that place on Harrison St.
my sister had my family over this weekend, and fixed .. probably..the most delious tenderloins that had ever been eaten by anyone.....I'm here to tell you that they was magnificat!!!
Well, are you gonna let us in on the secret, or just leave us drooling on our keyboards? Ma don't like a slobbery keyboard.
Quote from: Ma and Pa on March 16, 2009, 11:29:08 PM
Well, are you gonna let us in on the secret, or just leave us drooling on our keyboards? Ma don't like a slobbery keyboard.
really it's is pretty simple.......she gets some chops and beats them until they are paper thing and about half the size a dinner plate....she takes some saltine crackers, puts them unders some wax paper and takes a roller to them and crushes them down to almost a powerder.............dips the loins in some eggs, powders them real good with the crackers...and fries them in some oil in a skillet at a medium heat.....
for what ever reason, when I do the exact same thing, they don't taste NEARLY as well as my sisters.....
Quote from: Henry Hawk on March 17, 2009, 08:47:45 AM
really it's is pretty simple.......she gets some chops and beats them until they are paper thing and about half the size a dinner plate....she takes some saltine crackers, puts them unders some wax paper and takes a roller to them and crushes them down to almost a powerder.............dips the loins in some eggs, powders them real good with the crackers...and fries them in some oil in a skillet at a medium heat.....
for what ever reason, when I do the exact same thing, they don't taste NEARLY as well as my sisters.....
Strange as this may sound it might be that you are using different crackers. You will get a different taste with different brands or whether they're salted or unsalted.
OK Hank -- Time to soar over to your sister's and snoop around in her pantry till you learn what brand of saltines she uses. Will be awaiting your disclosure. :yes:
Quote from: Henry Hawk on March 17, 2009, 08:47:45 AM
really it's is pretty simple.......she gets some chops and beats them until they are paper thing and about half the size a dinner plate....she takes some saltine crackers, puts them unders some wax paper and takes a roller to them and crushes them down to almost a powerder.............dips the loins in some eggs, powders them real good with the crackers...and fries them in some oil in a skillet at a medium heat.....
for what ever reason, when I do the exact same thing, they don't taste NEARLY as well as my sisters.....
That's pretty much the same way I make schnitzel with a couple of exceptions...I powder the tenderloins with flower (usually with some spices like garlic powder and paprika) before the egg wash and I use a mixture of saltines and Panko for breading. Also, experiment with adding stuff to the eggs...I've used both hot sauce and spicy brown mustard with good results.
I used to think the worst part about making these is beating the tenderloins out because the meat gets on everything. A few weeks ago I was watching a cooking show where the guy put a couple at a time into a gallon-sized ziploc freezer bag to beat them out and voila...no mess! Now why hadn't I thought of that?
I never had schnitzel before, is it similar to tenderloin?...do you eat it like a sandwich?....
THAT is a great idea on beating them in the freezer bags....
the only problem I have is it takes such a long time to fry up enough to feed my family....it is something that you cannot hurry on....you got to fry them on a low to medium heat...
Quote from: Henry Hawk on March 18, 2009, 11:05:06 AM
I never had schnitzel before, is it similar to tenderloin?...do you eat it like a sandwich?....
For all practical purposes, it is a tenderloin...very common German fare.
QuoteTHAT is a great idea on beating them in the freezer bags....
Yeah, I felt like such a dumbass. :biggrin:
Quotethe only problem I have is it takes such a long time to fry up enough to feed my family....it is something that you cannot hurry on....you got to fry them on a low to medium heat...
You could use a little more heat, brown them and then put them in the oven at about 250 degrees (covered but remove cover about 10-15 minutes before serving to crisp the breading) to finish while you're browning the next batch. I use a deep fryer but it still takes a while and they still go into the oven.
We/I (the wife is a poor deep fryer person) use Premium saltines for our tenderloins, the wife beats the loins until they are very thin, I dip them in egg and milk, before coating with the cracker crumbs, and deep fry them (around 375 or so) as I would french fries. It only takes a couple of minutes to cook one, in the deep fryer.
We had a batch last weekend.
I'll give up my deep fryer when they pry my cold, dead, cholesterol-laden fingers from it! :biggrin:
Damn, I read you would give up your deep fryer, and should have stopped there...then called to see if you wanted to part with it. :wink:
Quote from: pariann on March 12, 2009, 09:24:16 AM
But have you ever tasted a cheeseburger with tomato, onion, mustard, and slaw? It really DOES NOT taste good. And I do have an adventurous tongue.
Shut up, Exterminator!
Drop the mustard and put mayo on it and it is. YUMM! I never thought that i would like slaw on cheeseburgers, hot dogs, bbq sandwhiches and even Pizza! But i do and it is good!