Q. I wondered if I could get some input with a dish
I’m trying to replicate. Did you ever try the tenderloin
sandwich at the [now closed] Sportsman’s Lounge? The tenderloins
were pounded out (you could hear them pounding in the kitchen)
and breaded. How would I go about this? I’m assuming you’d
purchase pork tenderloins, but how did they pound them so thin? Also
wondered about the breading. Any advice you could give me about
preparation and frying would be appreciatedbecause my husband and high school son really miss the
sandwiches! Lori
A. I never had a tenderloin sandwich at
Sportsman’s Lounge, but did enjoy their traditional Springfield-style
chilli. Here’s some information about pounding and breading, and
suggestions to hopefully get you close to the Sportsman’s Lounge
version — or at least one your family likes as much!
Pounding: There are three
reasons to pound meat. One is to tenderize. The pounding breaks down
connective tissues. It’s not only used with pork, but also with other
meats and cuts that might otherwise be a bit tough, such as beef round
steak.
The second reason is uniform thickness. It’s
especially good to use with chicken breasts; otherwise the tapered end
cooks more quickly than the thicker part. It’s also necessary for
stuffing chicken breasts. I love to butterfly a leg of lamb for the grill
by removing the bone and opening the meat out, then pounding the bulkier
parts so that the entire piece is roughly the same thickness. The point
isn’t making it thin — it ends up about 1 1/2″-2″ thick, rather that it
cooks evenly.
The third reason is to make the meat thinner.
It’s best to put the meat between sheets of waxed or parchment paper
or plastic wrap. The pounding is usually done with a meat mallet or heavy
skillet. For years I used cast-iron skillets. Whenever I started thwacking
away, children and pets would rush from the kitchen. Then one day I broke
off the handle of my best skillet — one I’d inherited from my
grandmother — and decided it was time to break down and buy the
mallet (they’re inexpensive). Though a skillet works fine, the mallet
does do a better, more controlled job; it’s quieter, too. Mine, like
many, has one flat side; the other has half-diamond shaped teeth for
tenderizing. Pound the meat with gentle to medium force; too much can
pulverize it into mush. Also, a skillet hits the thickest part first, but
if you’re using a mallet, it’s best to start in the middle and
work outward.
Even though they’re called tenderloin
sandwiches, the cut used for them is actually the loin. Pork tenderloins
are slender strips of meat only 2-3″ in diameter; it would be
difficult to impossible to pound them into pieces large enough for typical
“tenderloin” sandwiches. Buy center-cut boneless pork loin cut
1/2″ thick, then pound to about 1/4″. It can be pounded even
more, but if it’s too much thinner, the breading can overwhelm the
meat.
Breading: Breading
isn’t difficult, but can be a bit messy. Meat or vegetables are first
dredged (dragged through and coated) with flour that’s been seasoned
with salt and pepper, shaking off any excess. When breading something
that’s already been seasoned or marinated, omit the salt and pepper.
Then it’s coated with beaten egg, allowing the excess to drip off.
Depending on what I’m making, I sometimes add a little minced garlic
or onion to the egg. Finally, the item is dredged in breadcrumbs or
alternatives such as cracker crumbs, cornmeal or even ground nuts. Grated
cheese or other seasonings can also be added. After the item is coated,
press it lightly into the crumbs on each side so they adhere well. Many
cookbooks recommend refrigerating breaded items in a single layer for about
an hour before cooking, but I haven’t found it makes much difference.
Cookbooks also usually recommend using one hand to dredge the items in the
dry ingredients and the other hand for the egg. This is undoubtedly good
advice, but somehow I always end up with my fingertips turned into little
breaded lollipops. Fortunately, the breading washes off easily.
Some cookware shops and catalogues offer a set of
three pans specifically for breading, but, aside from the silliness of
having something used only occasionally by most home cooks, the pans are
too small for large items such as pounded tenderloins. In my never-ending
quest to reduce dishwashing, I put the seasoned flour and crumbs on
separate pieces of parchment or waxed paper or paper towels, and put a
large shallow pan or platter between them for the egg, which can be beaten
with a fork right on the platter.
Frying: Sportsman’s
Lounge probably deep-fried the tenderloins — they’d have had a
large commercial deep-fryer going all the time. For home, I’d try
pan-frying first, using your largest skillet with oil that’s
1/4″ to 1/2″ deep. Whether you’re pan-frying or
deep-frying, the oil’s temperature is crucial. Too hot, and the
breading will burn before the pork is cooked; too cool, and it’ll be
greasy. (Austrians say that a properly cooked wiener schnitzel —
almost certainly the antecedent of breaded pork tenderloins — should
be so greaseless that you could sit on it for 10 seconds without getting a
stain on your pants! For deep-frying, the oil needs to be
350°-375°; for pan-frying the oil should be very hot, but not
smoking.
Suggestions: Experiment
with various types of breadcrumbs. Dry breadcrumbs will produce a texture
different than fresh breadcrumbs. The breading on any restaurant
tenderloins I’ve had was very fine; it’s possible that cracker
crumbs or a commercial breading product was used. I’d also recommend
trying ethereally light panko breadcrumbs, which the Japanese use for
tonkatsu, their adaptation of breaded fried pork loin. It probably
wouldn’t be the same as Sportsman’s Lounge, but panko
breadcrumbs are so light and crispy that they’ve become the breading
standard for many chefs and serious home cooks — including me.
They’re available at many local groceries and at Little World Mart,
2936 S. MacArthur Blvd.
Different oils/fats will affect taste as well; try
different kinds to find one that most closely matches what you remember.
Good luck, and let me know how it goes!
Contact Julianne Glatz at realcuisine.jg@gmail.com.
Alla Francese (French
style) preparations routinely found in classic Italian-American restaurants
pound the meat, but stop after the second step of the breading process,
creating something lighter and different. Chicken is most common, but pork,
veal, and turkey cutlets can also be made alla
francese, as can butterflied shrimp. When
cooking expert and author David Rosengarten attempted to trace its origins,
he was unable to find a single reference to alla
francese in any Italian or Italian American
cookbooks. He theorizes it was created in the U.S. during the 1940s, when
Italian American restaurants were regarded as inferior to
“fancier” French restaurants. Whatever their origins,
Rosengarten says, “…francese dishes, at their best, can offer a startling harmony of
subtle flavors. A good francese is one of the world’s best main course treats.”
I agree. This is my version.
POLLO FRANCESE
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
flour for dredging
salt and pepper
1/4 c. finely grated pecorino romano OR parmegiano
reggiano cheese
1 very large egg, beaten, plus additional if needed
1/4 c. olive oil, plus additional if needed
lemon wedges
For the sauce, optional
1/4 c. dry white wine or vermouth
1 c. chicken stock
1 T. lemon juice
2 T. chilled unsalted butter, cut into bits
2 T. chopped parsley, optional, for garnish
For the Chicken:
Pound the chicken breasts between sheets of parchment
or waxed paper, or plastic wrap with a mallet or small heavy skillet until
thin and of even (about 1/4″)thickness. Cut each breast into 2 or 3 pieces. Season the
flour with salt and pepper to taste and put on a plate or sheet of
parchment. Whisk together the egg and cheese on a large shallow dish or
plate. Set the flour mixture and the egg mixture next to each other.
Heat the oil in a very large skillet or two
smaller skillets over medium high heat. A little additional oil may be
needed,ÂÂ but it shouldn’t be more than about 1/8″ deep.
While the oil is heating, quickly dredge the chicken pieces on both sides
in the flour and shake off the excess. Then dip the pieces in the egg
mixture, letting the excess drip off. Add to the oil when it is hot but not
smoking. Be careful not to overcrowd the pan! Cook the chicken pieces until
they are golden on the outside, turning once. Depending on the thickness of
the chicken, this should only take about 2-3 minutes per side. When they
are done, remove the cutlets and drain in a single layer on paper towels,
keeping them warm. The chicken can immediately be served as is, with wedges
of lemon, or with the following simple pan sauce.
For the Sauce:
Pour off the oil from the skillet and return it to
the heat. Add the wine, chicken stock, and lemon juice and bring to a boil,
stirring up any browned bits from the bottom. Boil the sauce until it is
thickened and reduced to a glaze, about 1/2 c. Remove the pan from the heat
and whisk in the butter. Depending on your preference, the cutlets can be
added to the pan and coated with the sauce; served with the sauce drizzled
over the top, or on the side. Sprinkle with parsley (if using) just before
serving.
Serves 2 or more.
This article appears in Sep 18-24, 2008.
