This Carroll Restaurant Serves the Best Pork Tenderloin in Iowa

The Iowa Pork Producers Association has named the winner of their 2026 Best Breaded Pork Tenderloin Contest.

This year's winner is located in Carroll, IA. Iowa Pork named Wasted Grain Bar & Grill the winner of the Best Breaded Pork Tenderloin Contest. It took the crown in a race against 464 nominated restaurants in addition to four other finalists during "Porktober," National Pork Month.

What Makes Wasted Grain's Pork Tenderloin Special:

Wasted Grain Bar & Grill co-owner Cory Handlos grew up eating tenderloins at Darrell's Place in Hamlin, which was the inaugural winner of the Iowa Pork contest back in 2003. He told The Des Moines Register that sandwich set the bar for him, and now his pork tenderloin owns the same title as his inspiration.

Handlos and his wife, Missy, opened Wasted Grain on Mother's Day 2023, and worked to refine the recipe throughout the first year of operation. The key, he revealed, was tenderizing the pork once, not twice. Double-tenderizing made the pork cutlet wide and thin, with more breading-forward flavor than pork. The Handlos couple want you to taste the pork. The Wasted Grain staff also handbreads each tenderloin with a secret recipe.

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What Does Wasted Grain's Pork Tenderloin Taste Like?:

Finalist judge Phil Carey, a retired chef and culinary instructor, remarked about Wasted Grain's pork tenderloin and what deemed it the winner in such a crowded field:

A lightly golden‑brown breading with a moist and very tasty pork flavor, this breaded pork tenderloin hits the spot. [It's] a very enjoyable sandwich to eat - Iowa Pork finalist judge Phil Carey, per The Des Moines Register

The Des Moines Register also noted that if history repeats itself, Wasted Grain will see a significant uptick in business as a result of the win. Last year, Hometown Heroes in Grinnell saw tenderloin sales increased twentyfold after earning the title of Best Breaded Pork Tenderloin. Now, Wasted Grain is more than just a reliable local spot. It's a destination.

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To celebrate, Wasted Grain is transforming its annual fall festival into Pork Fest. It's happening on Saturday, October 17th at 4pm, where attendees can enjoy a mechanical pig ride, inflatables, pig-themed games, live music, and more. You can find out more about Wasted Grain Bar & Grill winning Iowa Pork's contest on The Des Moines Register's website, and you can view everything Wasted Grain has to offer on their website.