Iowa’s Best Pork Tenderloin in 2023 Has Been Revealed

We have a winner! Congratulations to Cliff's Place in Manning, the 2023 champion of Iowa's Best Breaded Pork Tenderloin Contest!

Earlier this month, the Iowa Pork Producers Association announced the finalists for this year's Best Breaded Pork Tenderloin Contest. Over 9,000 nominations for 774 different restaurants were accepted, but they had to narrow it down to just five:

• Cliff’s Place, Manning
• The Roadhouse – Orange City
• Spillway Supper Club, Harpers Ferry
• Stumpy’s Bar & Grill, Duncombe
• ToJo’s Bar & Grill, Jamaica

According to the press release from the Iowa Pork Producers Association, Cliff's Place has been around for almost 50 years! Here's how they prepare their now award-winning tenderloin:

"A Cliff’s tenderloin starts with 6 ounces of pork, sliced from a never-frozen boneless loin and tenderized to achieve the desired texture and thickness. Hand-breaded to order, the meat is dredged through a mixture of flour and Flavor-Crisp’s 'Chicken on the Run' Fine Grind seasoned breading, dipped in buttermilk, and coated a second time in the dry flour before being deep fried to a golden brown."

Once the tenderloin is ready, it's served on a toasted Rotella’s Italian Bakery bun and topped with pickles. The sandwiches cost $6 each, but if you want extra toppings (like bacon or cheese), there is an upcharge.

We also need to recognize The Roadhouse in Orange City, who was named this year's runner-up!

To read more about this year's winning restaurant and see a full list of past winners, you can check out the Iowa Pork Producer Associations website HERE.