DUBUQUE, Iowa — November 7, 2026 — Welcome to Quick Midwest Meals, a new weekly recipe section from Dubuque In Pursuit News.

Every Wednesday, we will share one original quick meal — the kind of food this part of the country is known for, made the easy way. No fancy ingredients, no special equipment, nothing that takes more than 30 minutes. Just honest Midwest cooking you can get on the table on a busy night.

We are starting with the most Iowa dish there is: the pork tenderloin sandwich. A big, golden, crackly cutlet that spills way past the edges of the bun, pan-fried at home without a deep fryer. It comes together in about 25 minutes.

Crispy Iowa Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches

Prep: 10 minutes | Cook: 15 minutes | Servings: 4

Ingredients: 1 lb pork tenderloin, trimmed; 1 cup flour; 2 eggs; 1 cup plain breadcrumbs or crushed saltines; 1 tsp garlic powder; 1 tsp paprika; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp black pepper; 1/3 cup vegetable oil; 4 hamburger buns; dill pickles, yellow mustard, and sliced onion for serving.

1. Slice the tenderloin into 4 equal pieces. Place each between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound flat until about 1/4 inch thick.
2. Set up three shallow dishes: flour; beaten eggs; breadcrumbs mixed with garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper.
3. Dredge each cutlet in flour, dip in egg, then press into the breadcrumb mixture.
4. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through.
5. Drain briefly on paper towels, then serve on buns with pickles, mustard, and onion.

Tip: Pound the pork evenly — thin spots cook fast and thick spots stay underdone. If the cutlets are much wider than the bun, that is exactly right.

Quick Midwest Meals runs every Wednesday on Dubuque In Pursuit News. Got a family favorite you want to see featured? Send us a tip.