Pork Tenderloin Recipe

Prepare vegetables: place shredded cabbage, julienned carrot, and sliced red onion in a medium mixing bowl or jar.

Make pickling liquid: whisk together rice vinegar, water, sugar, and salt until sugar and salt dissolve.

Combine and refrigerate: pour pickling liquid over vegetables, press down so liquid covers them. Let sit at least 20 minutes at room temperature or refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Stir before using.

Make sauce: in a small bowl whisk together hoisin sauce, mayonnaise, and lime juice until smooth. Taste and adjust — add more lime for brightness.

Fold in cilantro: stir chopped cilantro into half of the hoisin mayo to distribute herb flavor; reserve remaining cilantro for garnish.

Prepare pork

Pat pork medallions dry with paper towels. If pieces are thicker than 1/2 inch, slice horizontally to make even 1/2-inch cutlets. Lightly season both sides with 1 tsp kosher salt, 3/4 tsp black pepper, and 1/2 tsp garlic powder.

Breading station

Set up three shallow bowls: (1) flour mixed with 1/2 tsp salt, (2) beaten eggs combined with buttermilk and 1 tbsp hot sauce, (3) a mixture of cornmeal and panko. Dredge each pork piece in flour (shake off excess), dip into egg-buttermilk, then press into cornmeal-panko mixture to coat thoroughly. Place breaded medallions on a wire rack; let rest 10 minutes to help coating adhere.

Fry pork

Heat a heavy skillet over medium-high heat and add enough vegetable oil to reach about 1/4 inch depth (approximately 1 cup). When oil reaches 350°F (or test by dropping a pinch of breadcrumb — it should sizzle and brown slowly), fry pork in batches without overcrowding. Cook 2.5–3 minutes per side until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 145°F. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined tray and season immediately with a light sprinkle of salt. Keep warm in a low oven (200°F) if needed while frying remaining pieces.

Toast buns: melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Butter cut sides of brioche and toast cut-side down until golden, about 1–2 minutes.

Build sandwiches: spread a generous tablespoon of hoisin mayo on both top and bottom buns. Place one fried pork medallion on the bottom bun, top with a heaping 1/3 cup pickled vegetables (drain excess liquid), a few pickled jalapeño slices if using, and a sprinkle of chopped cilantro. Cap with top bun.

Serve: arrange sandwiches on a platter with lime wedges on the side. Serve immediately while pork is hot and crispy.