Southern Fried Pork Tenderloin
Crispy, golden-brown pork tenderloin with a seasoned cornmeal crust. Ready in under 30 minutes and cooked in one skillet for easy cleanup.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 385
- Protein
- 38g
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb pork tenderloin
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cornmeal (yellow)
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
Instructions
- 1
Pat the pork tenderloin completely dry with paper towels, pressing gently all over to remove surface moisture so the crust will crisp.
- 2
Place the pork on a cutting board and slice it crosswise (cutting straight down perpendicular to the length) into rounds that are 0.75 inches thick, like cutting a log into flat disks.
- 3
In a shallow dish or plate, combine the flour, cornmeal, salt, and black pepper, then stir with a fork until evenly mixed.
- 4
Pour the vegetable oil into a 12-inch skillet and heat over medium-high heat until it shimmers and slides quickly when you tilt the pan, about 2 minutes.
- 5
Working with one pork slice at a time, dredge both sides in the cornmeal mixture by placing it in the dish, pressing gently to coat, flipping, and pressing the other side until fully covered.
- 6
Place the coated pork slice into the hot oil, then repeat the dredging and placement until you have filled the skillet in a single layer without crowding—you may need to cook in two batches.
- 7
Cook the pork without moving it for 3 to 4 minutes until the underside turns the color of warm honey with edges just beginning to look darker, indicating a crispy crust has formed.
- 8
Flip each piece over using tongs and cook the other side for 3 to 4 minutes until it also turns honey-colored and the crust is crispy.
- 9
Transfer the cooked pork to a clean plate, then repeat steps 5 through 8 with the remaining pork slices if needed.
- 10
Let the finished pork rest on the plate for 2 minutes so the juices settle, then serve immediately while still warm.
Tools you’ll need
- cutting board
- sharp knife
- paper towels
- 12-inch skillet
- shallow dish or plate
- fork
- tongs
- meat thermometer (optional, for internal temp check)
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