Indy 500 2020: Hoosier Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches and Potato Salad

We made a few Indy favorites for this year’s Indy 500. People from Indiana are also known as Hoosiers (though apparently nobody knows what the word means, or where it came from — just check out this article on Atlas Obscura if you are curious!), so don’t be surprised that half the dishes I made have Hoosier in the title!

The first recipe I thought to make for the Indy 500 is actually pretty standard Sunday potluck fare, Classic Potato Salad, but the reason is wrapped up in my first Indy experience.

My husband has family just outside Indianapolis and we’ve traveled out to visit and see the race a time or two. On our first trip out, the morning of the race we drove into Speedway from their place and sat in hours of traffic getting to the racetrack, as we reached the homestretch to the parking lot a news crew came up to our window and asked if they could ask some questions about our thoughts on the traffic and the upcoming race. We of course agreed and told them about flying in from California, our family, and our hopes for the race. As soon as the tv crew walked off my husband’s phone rang and it was his Aunt Pam saying “I just saw you on TV! I was just home, making potato salad, when there you were, on TV!” I still think about this and laugh every time I think about the race and our visits to his Indiana family. The potato salad is pretty damn good to boot.

To go alongside Pam’s Potato Salad I made Hoosier Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches, which are known for being so large they dwarf the buns they are served on, and sweet corn on the cob. We followed it up with Hoosier Sugar Cream Pie.

Hoosier Pork-Tenderloin Sandwich

From Food Network

Serves 4-6

1 1/2- 2 pounds center-cut boneless pork loin
2 large eggs
2 cups buttermilk
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp each kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 sleeves saltines (about 80 crackers)
2 cups flour
Canola or Vegetable oil, for frying
4-6 soft hamburger buns, split 

To top each bun:
mayonnaise
yellow mustard
1 leaf iceberg or green leaf lettuce
2 tomato slices
1 red onion slices
sliced pickles

1. Cut the pork crosswise into 4-6 equal pieces. Put each piece flat on a cutting board and slice horizontally almost in half (stop about 1 inch from the other side). Open like a book. Sprinkle each piece with water, place between 2 pieces of heavy-duty plastic wrap and pound to 1/4 inch thick with a mallet or heavy skillet.

2. Whisk the eggs, buttermilk, garlic, 1 teaspoon each salt and black pepper, and the cayenne in a shallow bowl. Add the pork, cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.

3. Pulse the crackers into coarse crumbs in a food processor, then transfer to a shallow dish. Put the flour in another dish. Remove each piece of pork from the marinade, letting the excess drip off. Dredge both sides in the flour, dip in the buttermilk marinade again, then coat with the cracker crumbs.

4. Heat 1/4 to 1/2 inch oil in a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 360F. Fry the pork in batches until golden and cooked through, about 3-5 minutes total. Drain on paper towels.

5. Spread both halves of each bun with mayonnaise and mustard. Layer the lettuce, tomatoes and onion on the bottom halves. Add a piece of pork and a few pickle slices. Cover with the bun tops.

Pam’s Potato Salad

Adapted from All Recipes

4 medium waxy potatoes
2 large eggs
½  cup chopped celery
¼  cup chopped onion
2 Tbsp cup dill pickle relish
¼  tsp garlic salt
1 Tbsp prepared mustard, yellow or dijon
ground black pepper to taste
1/8 to 1/4 cup mayonnaise, to taste

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 20-30 minutes, until a fork easily pierces to the center of the potato. Drain, cool, and chop.

2. Meanwhile place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil; cover, remove from heat, and let eggs stand in hot water for 8-10 minutes. Remove from hot water, cool, peel and chop.

3. In a large bowl, combine the celery, onion, relish, garlic salt, celery salt, mustard, pepper and mayonnaise, stir well to combine.  Add potatoes and eggs. Mix together well, taste and add salt or more mayonnaise if needed, and refrigerate until chilled.

Corn-on-the-cob

Corn
Butter
Salt

1. Fill a large pot with enough water to cover corn by about 2 inches. Bring to a rolling boil. Add corn and cook for 3-5 minutes.

2. Serve with butter and salt.