Scott Hutcheson

Mini Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches

Last night's trial run also included a platter of pint-sized pork tenderloin sandwiches. Thanks to davidd for the idea and be sure to check out his extensive site on pork tenderloin sandwiches. I had intended on posting my photos and recipe but davidd does such a great job you might as well jump to his post on these sure-hit Super Bowl party morsels.

Indiana State Fair Ribeye Steak Sandwiches: Slider Style

One of the highlights of my summers each year, is a visit to the Indiana State Fair in Indianapolis for a Ribeye Steak Sandwich from the Indiana Beef Cattle Association. This is great stuff - a thin-cut char-grilled ribeye on a white-bread bun. I top mine with A-1 and mayo. It does not get much better than this. This is one of the items I've been recommending to those wanting Indiana foods on their Super Bowl menu.

I did a trial run this evening and prepared some steak sandwiches for my family and the neighbors. I decided to make small sandwiches, about the size of White Castle or Krystal (check local listings). I picked up some dinner rolls that would do the trick. The Sara Lee Classic Dinner Rolls were just right. The pack comes with 12 white-bread rolls that are the perfect size for that slider-style ribeye sandwich.

The prep for these sandwiches is pretty simple. For this trial run, I purchased one standard ribeye at the market. It was about .66 pound and a little over a half inch thick. I cut it into fourths and then cut each quarter into three very thin slices. So, one ribeye yielded 12 pieces for 12 sandwiches. I used kosher salt, garlic powder, and black pepper on each side. Normally, I would head outside and put these on a hot grill but it was pretty cold and I had a lot of other stuff going on in the kitchen.

So instead, I heated up the grill pan. At high heat these thin steaks took about 30 seconds per side. Although you would not have to, I used a bacon press to get really good sear marks on the meat. In order to get the timing right, I needed to hold these for a few minutes. I placed the cooked steaks on a warm, 200 degree oven.

When we were ready to eat, I pulled the steaks out of the oven, put them on the buns, and served the buns on a platter. Even as they cooled to room temperature, they were still delicious. I put out several condiments - mayo, ketchup, A-1. Although I didn't think about it until afterwords, some horseradish would be great on these. They really had that State Fair taste and the small size will be a great idea for the Super Bowl buffet table.    

Hoosier Sugar Cream Pie

Indiana is not the only place this pie can be found but it is most often associated with Amish communities so you will find something similar in Pennsylvania Dutch County and a few other places in the US with significant Amish populations. Hoosiers, however, seem to have really staked their claim on this simple, rich dessert and it is most often associated with Indiana.

It would be a great choice to represent Indiana's sweet tooth on the Super Bowl buffet table. The following recipe is an adaptation of one called Mae Dawson's Hoosier Sugar Cream Pie which was featured by Paula Deen on her TV Food Network program. Mrs. Dawson's version calls for a ready-made, store-bought crust. I made my own and would encourage you to as well. I also made small pies in 4" aluminum pans. I plan to cut these in fourths for a buffet table. A forth of one of these small pies is perfect as a two-bite piece of Hoosier goodness. Here is the recipe.

Hoosier Sugar Cream Pie

Flaky Pie Dough

• 1-1/4 cups bleached all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter
• 4-6 tablespoons of cold water

In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking powder by hand and stir well to mix. Cut the butter into small cubes and drop in one cube at a time. Toss the cubes in the flour a few times to coat them with flour so they won't stick to one another. With either your hands or a pastry knife work the butter into the dry ingredients until it looks like course-ground cornmeal and no large pieces of butter remain visible.

Next add the water about two tablespoons at a time, working in with your hands, until the dough starts to stick together. In less humid weather you will need more water and in in more humidity, you'll use less. When the dough begins to stick together, form it into a ball and transfer to a work surface that has been dusted with flour. With a knife, cut the dough in fourths. Working with one forth at a time, dust a rolling pin and roll out into a circle that is about eight inches in diameter. Each of these will go into a mini pan. Cut away the excess that hangs off the pan and set the scraps aside. Make the other three crusts and then combine the scrapes to make the forth crust, rolling out like the others. Flute the edges of each crust and place all five pans on a large baking sheet.

Pie Filling

• 2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1-1/2 cups of heavy whipping cream
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• Whole nutmeg
• 1 egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Combine all ingredients, except for nutmeg and butter, in a mixing bowl and use a whisk to combine. Pour into each pie crust. Grate a little nutmeg onto each pie and drop a few pieces of butter onto each pie. With a pastry brush, brush each crust edge with the beaten egg. Place in the 450 degree oven for 10 minutes then reduce the heat to 350 degrees and cook an additional thirty minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to come to room temperature. Refrigerate and serve chilled.

Individual-Size Deep Dish Pizza

If you would like to tackle, Chicago-style Deep Dish Pizza for your Super Bowl party, here is something you might want to consider. I did a trial-run today with some individual-sized pizzas and the results were pretty good. A muffin tin was the perfect size for these mini versions of the real thing. The recipe I used was an adaptation of one found in The Frugal Gourmet Cooks American. The late Jeff Smith (aka the Frug) developed this recipe after the version served Chicago's Pizzeria Uno. Here is my recipe.

The Dough

• 2 packages, Quick Rise dry yeast
• 2 cups tepid water (90 degrees)
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 5-1/2 cups all purpose flour

In the bowl of an electric mixer, dissolve the yeast in the water. Add the oils, cornmeal, and three cups of the flour. Using the whisk attachment, beat for 10 minutes. Change the whisk to the dough hook, add the rest of the flour, and knead for several minutes until the dough begins to form a ball. Pour out the dough on the countertop and cover with a large bowl. Allow this to rise until double in bulk (this was about 30 minutes for me). Punch down and allow to rise again (another 30 minutes). If my photo looks different than yours, it is because I used half whole wheat flour. I would not recommend this and if I do it again, I'll use all white flour. I really like whole wheat pizza crust and thought I would give this a try. It turned out too heavy. Use the white stuff.

Prepare muffin tin (large cup size) with cooking spray. Put a golf-ball sized lump of dough in each cup and use your fingers to spread it out on the bottom and up on the sides. You want the dough to be about 1/8 in thick.

Filling - There are some variations on filling and I decided on just sausage and cheese. My wife does not eat pork or beef so I used Italian sausage-style soy crumbles and the worked well. I filled each cup in this order - sausage, mozzarella, pizza sauce (I used Newman's Marinara but you could make your own or used another good jarred tomato sauce), a little more mozzarella, and then a drizzle of olive oil. The above dough recipe will probably make about 24 of these.

Options - A pound of sausage, a pound of cheese, and a 28-ounce jar of sauce should be about the right quantity. If using real sausage, I suggest you brown in first. I know this is not how the big pies are done but they need to cook longer then these smaller ones. Other options for fillings pepperoni, onions, mushrooms, bell peppers, or whatever else you can think of.

Baking - Preheat the oven to 475 degrees and bake for about 25 minutes. The top should be golden and gooey. These little guys are pretty substantial. If you are serving lots of other stuff, one per person would be fine. If this one of only a couple main dishes, then go with two per person.

A Word About My Buns

I've had several inquiries about the type of bun to use with a breaded pork tenderloin or a ribeye sandwich. Here is my take on the topic. First, I am a whole- wheat guy. At our house we rarely have white bread in the pantry. That being said, you do not want to go that route with your Hoosier Super Bowl foods. Go with the white stuff. Wonder Bread buns would be perfect. Wonder Bread was actually an Indianapolis product (insert your own joke here), so it is a great choice for that reason (if interested, go here for the Indianapolis history of Wonder Bread).

The bread in these sandwiches is really just a meat-delivery device so you don't want it getting in the way - no rye, no seeds, no hearty grains - just soft-as-a-marshmallow white bread to hold together the sandwich and keep the condiments off your fingers. 

Corn in Indiana

A few people contacting me for Super Bowl ideas have asked about corn as an Indiana food tradition. Truth be told, very little of Indiana's corn is grown to be eaten in its whole state. Most of it is processed into feed, sweeteners, and all sorts of other food products. Some farmers do grow a few rows of sweet corn and it is readily available during July at farmer's markets and produce stands. A couple of my favorite ways to enjoy this seasonal corn is in corn pudding and corn fritters.

Corn pudding  is not a dessert but rather a semi-sweet side dish. It is absolutely delicious. Alton Brown, of Food Network fame, has a recipe here.

I also make a killer corn fritter. This is dessert and is sort of a cross between a hush puppy and a donut. My recipe is available here.

I would not consider either of these to be widely recognized as traditional Hoosier foods but if you are looking for some ideas for corn-related Super Bowl fare, these might fit the bill.   

Faith, Fellowship, and Groundhogs

Originally published in the Lebanon Reporter on January 25, 2007

If you don’t like the weather in Indiana, just wait a minute. You’ve probably heard this saying before. When I moved to Indiana nearly 12 years ago, this was part of my new-resident orientation. It was not the first time I had heard something like that adage. When I heard it before it had gone something like this - “If you don’t like the weather in Oklahoma, just wait a minute.

During my early years in the Sooner State we were taught that the quote was attributed to one of our favorite sons, Will Rogers. When I moved to Illinois, I found out they had their own version. Abe Lincoln said it there. When I lived in Tennessee, they thought it was something Elvis had said. In fact, there have been several places I’ve either lived or visited that claim this folksy quip as their own pronouncement of the unpredictability of the weather.

There is another declaration that seems to have a questionable origin. This one has to do with church goers and their love of good food. Growing up with a stepfather who was a Baptist minister I experienced a great many pitch-ins, pot lucks, dinners on the grounds, and pancake breakfasts. “There’s one thing for sure about Baptists, we really love to eat.” As a young boy, I took this at face value, thinking that the our particular branch of the church had some sort of special deal with the Lord so that our food tasted better.

I had no idea that while we were devouring our deviled eggs, the Methodists were feasting at their fish fries, the Quakers were chowing down on chicken and noodles, and the Wesleyans were devouring dessert. As I did some denomination hoping over the next few decades, I got to taste-test for myself. Along the way I’ve befriended several folks outside the Christian faith and it seems that the Synagogues and Mosques are quite fond of food as well.

There is something special about communal meals regardless of the name on the sign outside the house of workship - sharing faith and food. At times, eating together is a sacred ritual and at other times it is just a chance to spend time with good friends. When people leave a church, for one reason or another, or when a church closes its doors, the most precious memories are more likely to be of breaking bread in fellowship hall than of hymns and sermons in the sanctuary.

A few people are still around our community who once attended a little country church called Hopewell Presbyterian Church in rural Boone County. This was a church with some great food traditions. Many years ago, membership had dwindled to such low numbers that they merged with First Presbyterian Church of Lebanon. Although some of Hopewell’s traditions were incorporated into First Presbyterian’s, others were lost in the transition.

One memorable annual event at Hopewell was the Groundhog Day Dinner featuring Groundhog loaf. No, this wasn’t the frugal use of road kill, but rather a clever play-on-words. The church had several hog farmers in the congregation and someone came up with the idea of serving Ground-hog loaf, aka Hamloaf. On each Groundhog Day, members and guests would get together to eat, and talk, no doubt, about whether or not Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow.

The good folks at First Presbyterian Church of Lebanon have decided to resurrect Hopewell’s tradition and will be hosting a Groundhog Day Dinner on Friday, February 2, 2007. It will be a come-and-go event beginning at 5:30 pm and ending when the food is gone or at 7:30 pm, whichever comes first. There is no fixed price for the meal but the church is accepting donations that will go toward their mission ministries.

There may not be any significant theological implications to the Groundhog Day Dinner but it certainly offers a great opportunity to for good fellowship, good food, and a way to be part of a Boone County tradition we thought was long gone.

Indiana Super Bowl Foods: Tenderloins, Ribeye Sandwiches, and Sugar Cream Pie

OK, the questions keep rolling in and the hits to this website are at an all time high. Clearly the tradition of serving indigenous foods at Super Bowl parties is wide spread. My first suggestions include the all-time Indiana favorite Breaded Pork Tenderloin sandwich, the state and county fair favorite Ribeye Steak Sandwich, and Sugar Cream Pie for dessert. First, a word about the tenderloin. This is really the closest thing Indiana has to a food of our own. You see them elsewhere in the heartland but legend has it that they were born in Indiana. Here is where they originated.

Breaded Pork Tenderloins - Take a whole, trimmed pork tenderloin and cut it in half-inch slices. Use a meat mallet to pound each piece to your preferred thickness ( I like mine thin). Preheat a skillet of vegetable oil to 350 degrees. Prepare two shallow bowls (I use pie plates) one with beaten egg and the other with the panko bread crumbs. There is a lot of variations on what these are breaded with. The panko is my contribution and I think it works great. To the bread crumbs add salt and pepper to taste. Season each tenderloin with some more salt and pepper then dip into the egg. Let the excess drip off and the coat both sides in the breadcrumbs. Put in the oil and brown until they are golden brown. If you've left them in the thicker side, they will need more time to cook throughout. Use a probe thermometer to assure it is cooked to 185 degrees. Drain on paper towels then make your sandwich on a hamburger bun with your choice of condiments and dressings. I like mine with mayo, ketchup, and pickle.

Ribeye Sandwiches - As for the ribeye sandwich, these are made with very thinly sliced ribeyes - about 1/4 inch (your butcher should be able to do this for you). These can be marinated in something like Dales or I like mine with kosher salt, fresh cracked black pepper, and garlic powder. Throw them on a hot grill and they don't take long to cook. These are also served on a hamburger bun. I like mine with mayo and A1.

Sugar Cream Pie - The Food Network has a great recipe for this favorite Indiana dessert. It is available here.

Hoosier Food for the Super Bowl

I've had several inquiries already this morning from football fans already planning their menu for their Super Bowl parties. It seems like a lot of people have a tradition of serving food from the home cities/states of the two teams. People can pretty easily figure out what to serve to represent the Chicago Bears - Chicago-style pizza, hot dogs, etc. but most folks outside of Indiana have no idea what our Hoosier food traditions are. I'm recommending tenderloins, ribeye sandwiches (of county and state fair fame), and sugar cream pie. Any other ideas?

Crossroads Family Restaurant, Versailles

For me, "pulled pork" is always associated with a pork shoulder smoked over hardwoods low and slow. The smokiness is what really makes it work. That was before I wondered into the Crossroads Family Restaurant in Versailles. This is a big place, much larger than one would expect from a town of this size. The building began as a Sears & Roebuck kit home built by a local dentist in 1933. In 2000 it was added on to and transformed into a restaurant. They serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner and the eight-page menu (available here) covers all the bases. They have a couple of specialties which include hand-cut steaks and the aforementioned pulled pork.

Their pork is roasted low and slow but not smoked. It is cooked over charcoal but there is no smoke but very good anyway. The result is moist and very flavorful - the taste of the pork itself really comes through. I had this in a sandwich ($5.29) but it is also available in a platter ($11.99 for a full platter and a petite plate for $8.29) which comes with a choice of potato and two vegetables. The sandwich comes with an optional side of BBQ sauce, which I got, but its not the way I would go with this sand which. I think mayo or mustard would work better.

I still love the smoked stuff but this pulled pork is a nice change of pace and I recommend you give it a try. Crossroads Family Restaurant is located at 615 W. Hwy 50 in Versailles. They can be reached by phone at 812-689-3000.