The Most Popular 4th of July Dish in Every U.S. State

In Indiana, the 4th of July is a celebration best held between two buns—and those buns better be straining to contain a pork tenderloin the size of a steering wheel. Breaded, fried, and flattened to a thin consistency, this sandwich is a Hoosier staple that dates back to the early 1900s, when German immigrants introduced it.

But on the Fourth, it becomes a festival favorite, especially at fairs, parades, and backyard spreads. You eat it with mustard, pickles, maybe onions—never lettuce. Because in Indiana, this isn’t a sandwich. It’s a humble, crispy, golden-fried monument to Midwest pride.