Emilie Meyer
Breaded pork tenderloin is a beloved sandwich filling, especially in the Midwest and Iowa. It is often served with mustard, dill pickles, and onions, and can be accompanied by potato chips, french fries, potato salad, or coleslaw. You can cook frozen breaded pork tenderloin in an air fryer by placing the frozen tenderloin in the air fryer, adding oil and seasonings, and cooking for 35-38 minutes at 330°F or until the internal temperature reaches 145°F. The breading can be made by dipping the pork in flour, egg, and panko, and then spritzing with cooking spray.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Breading | Seasoned salt, flour, eggs, water, panko, oil |
| Air Fry | Spritz basket with oil spray, cook at 400°F for 8 minutes, flip halfway through |
| Rewarm | Stack tenderloins, rewarm at 400°F for 1 minute |
| Frozen | Cook at 330°F for 35-38 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 145°F |
| Thawed | Cook at 350°F for 25 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 145°F |
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What You'll Learn
Pre-cook preparation: rub with oil and seasoning, then freeze
Preparing your frozen breaded pork tenderloin before cooking is a great way to save time and effort. Here is a detailed guide to help you through the process:
Pre-cook Preparation:
Start by slicing your tenderloin into 1/2-inch rounds. Using a meat mallet or a heavy pan, pound the meat until it is about 1/4 inch thick. The pounding process not only helps tenderize the meat but also ensures that it cooks evenly and quickly in the air fryer.
In a shallow dish, prepare your breading station. You will need three dishes for a standard breading procedure. In the first dish, combine seasoned salt and flour. You can season the flour with your choice of spices, such as garlic powder, paprika, or dried herbs like rosemary or thyme. In the second dish, whisk together eggs with a couple of tablespoons of water or milk. The water or milk helps to thin out the egg mixture, making it easier to coat the meat evenly. The third dish should contain panko breadcrumbs. You can also use regular breadcrumbs or crushed stale bread, mixed with some soft butter and seasonings.
Now, it's time to bread the pork. First, dredge each piece of pork in the flour mixture, ensuring it's evenly coated. Shake off any excess flour, then dip it into the egg mixture, letting the excess drip off. Finally, coat the pork generously with the breadcrumbs. Press the meat into the breadcrumbs to help the breading stick.
At this stage, you can choose to cook the breaded pork tenderloin immediately or prepare it for freezing. If you opt for freezing, place the breaded pork on a wire rack for about 30 minutes to ensure the coating dries and sets. This step is crucial to preventing the breading from becoming soggy during freezing and subsequent cooking. Once the breading is dry, place the pork in a single layer on a baking sheet or plate that fits in your freezer. Freeze the pork for about 1 hour until solid, then transfer the pieces to a freezer bag or airtight container. Label the package with the date and store it in the freezer for up to 4 months.
By following these steps, you can conveniently cook frozen breaded pork tenderloin in your air fryer whenever the craving strikes. Simply preheat your air fryer, spritz the basket with oil, and cook according to your recipe's timing instructions.
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Cooking time and temperature: 35-38 minutes at 330°F
To cook frozen breaded pork tenderloin in an air fryer, you should preheat your air fryer to 330°F. Place the frozen tenderloin in the air fryer basket and spritz it with cooking spray or oil spray. Make sure the tenderloin pieces are in a single layer and not touching the edges of the basket. If your air fryer is small and the pieces are touching the edges, cook the tenderloin in batches.
Cook the tenderloin for 35-38 minutes at 330°F. You can spritz the tenderloin with an oil mist halfway through the cooking process for a nice, crispy breading. The final internal temperature of the tenderloin should be 145°F. Once cooked, remove the tenderloin from the air fryer and let it rest on a cutting board for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
You can also rewarm the tenderloin in the air fryer. Stack the pieces in the air fryer basket and rewarm them for 1 minute at 400°F.
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Breading: dip in flour, egg, and panko
Breading your frozen pork tenderloin is a simple three-step process: flour, egg, and panko. First, grab a shallow dish and mix your seasoned salt with flour. In a separate shallow dish, whisk together the eggs with two tablespoons of water. In a third dish, add your panko and seasoned salt, stirring to combine.
Now, you're ready to dredge your pork tenderloin. Dredge means to coat something with a wet or dry mixture, in this case, the flour, egg, and panko mixture. Take each piece of pork and dip it first into the flour dish, then into the egg mixture, and finally into the panko, making sure that the breading sticks by pressing the meat into the panko.
If you want to ensure your breading sticks, you can place the coated pork onto a wire rack for 30 minutes before placing it in the air fryer. You can also spritz your pork with an oil or cooking spray before placing it in the air fryer, which will help it turn golden brown and crispy.
Once your pork tenderloin is breaded, it's ready to be cooked in the air fryer! Simply place the tenderloin in the air fryer basket in a single layer, being careful that the pieces don't touch the edges. You may need to cook in batches.
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Cooking method: spritz with oil, cook in batches, and flip halfway
To cook frozen breaded pork tenderloin in an air fryer, you'll first want to prepare the pork tenderloin by slicing it into thin strips and then breading it. To do this, dredge each piece of pork in flour, then egg, and finally, panko. You can also add seasoned salt to the flour and panko for extra flavor. Once the pork is coated, press the meat into the panko to help the breading stick.
Next, spritz your air fryer basket with an oil spray. This will help to ensure that your pork tenderloin comes out nice and crispy. Place your tenderloin in the basket in a single layer, making sure the pieces are not touching the edges. It's important to cook in batches if needed to avoid overcrowding the air fryer.
Now, you're ready to start cooking! Set your air fryer to 400 degrees F and cook the pork tenderloin for 8 minutes. Don't forget to flip your tenderloin halfway through the cooking process and give it another spritz of oil for an extra crispy breading.
Once your tenderloin is cooked, you can keep it warm in the oven while you continue cooking the remaining pork. Place the cooked pork on a plate in an oven with the light turned on. Repeat the above steps until all your pork tenderloin is cooked.
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Serving suggestions: place in a bun with condiments, lettuce, and tomato
Once your breaded pork tenderloin is cooked in the air fryer, it's time to serve it. The classic way to serve this dish is in the style of a Midwestern breaded pork tenderloin sandwich. Place the tenderloin in a bun with your choice of condiments, lettuce, and tomato. You can toast the bun in a hot skillet beforehand, and butter it for extra flavour.
A traditional Midwestern breaded pork tenderloin sandwich is served with mustard, slices of dill pickles, and thinly sliced white or yellow onion. You can also add your favourite salad dressing, such as ranch, which is popular in the Midwest.
For a heartier meal, serve your sandwich with a side of potato chips, french fries, potato salad, or coleslaw. If you're cooking for a crowd, you can make the tenderloin into sliders, or cut the thin chop into strips to make dippers.
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Frequently asked questions
It takes 35-38 minutes to cook frozen breaded pork tenderloin in an air fryer.
The air fryer should be set to 330°F.
Slice the tenderloin into 1/2-inch rounds, then place the rounds between two plastic sheets and pound until each piece is 1/4 inch thick. Next, dredge the pork tenderloin in flour, egg, and panko.
Place the pork tenderloin in the air fryer basket in a single layer, ensuring they don't touch the edges. Spritz with cooking spray and air fry for 8 minutes at 400°F, flipping halfway through.
