Roast Pork Sandwich

When I say "Philly Sandwich" what do you think?  Probably Cheesesteak.  Well, you're right it's what that city is known for, but what you don't know, unless you're a native like me, is there's another sandwich native to that city, that put the Philly Cheesesteak in the dirt. It's the famous roast pork sandwich you can get at any place that serves up cheesesteaks, even Pat's and Gino's, although I should note that DiNic's is the current title holder for best sandwich in the city.  There are  a few different ways to do this sandwich.  Some places use broccolirabe and some use long hots (long spicy green chiles).  I'm using onions and long hots for this recipe.  This will make about 6 sandwiches, plus some for later. 

Sandwich Porn....

6 Italian style rolls, toasted

3 lb. pork butt

2 medium onion, cut in 1/2 inch slices

6-7 long hots, cut in 1/2 inch slices

Olive Oil for tossing

2 tbsp. chopped fresh thyme

1 tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary

1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley

1 tbsp. garlic powder (GHASP!!!!!)  Trust me.

1/2 pound sliced aged provolone or parmesan cheese (the real stuff, not the crap in the can).

1.  Let me show you how to cut the onions and peppers.  You want them thick because you're going to roast them for a long time with that pork.  It might be smart to preheat your oven to 300 now too.  For the onions, cut the ends off, then peel it.  Go about 1/2 inch thick all the way down.  For the peppers, just lay down a half inch slice.  Take out the seeds if you want, but I'm leaving them in because i like it spicy.  

Cutting the peppers

Cutting the onions

2.  Toss your onions and pepper in a bowl with some salt and pepper, olive oil, garlic powder, and the herbs.  Lay them out in a deep roasting pan.  

3.  Lay your pork over your vegetables.  If it's a really thick butt, I like to cut it down into 1inch thick slices to cut down the cooking time.  Cover this well and let it roast for 2.5-3 hours.  You'll know the pork is ready because it will be falling apart.

4.  Before you do anything, DO NOT DRAIN THE JUICE!!!!!!!  Pull the pork in the roasting pan, so it stays with the juice and vegetables. 

PORK PORN!!!!!

5. When you're ready to eat, give the meat, onions, and peppers a good stir, grab a bun, lay some cheese on the bottom and spoon that beautiful meat mixture into the bun.  

6.  Devour

This is one of those recipes I actually won’t mess with much, because it's such a classic.  Every place has their own spin, but I usually keep with onions, pepper, and broccoli rape for my vegetables, and paremsan or provolone for my cheese.  The best thing about this recipe is you can make it a day ahead, let the meat sit in the juice overnight, and it's even better the next day.  As always, you got questions?  Leave 'em in the comments.

Happy Eating,

-The Doctor

The Pendie Burger

I'm pulling in time proven Man-Burger recipe from my good buddy, Mike Pendergrast's backyard recipe book. We made these about every cook-out at the house in college, and went with any beer, whiskey, malt liquor, or (dare I say) Zima, we had in the fridge (had to keep the girls happy). This ultimate Man-Burger recipe is unique, easy and tasty. It's origins lie in a famous Minnesota sandwich recipe, called the "Juicy Lucy".

Makes: 4 Burgers (You need 4 buns obviously. Lettuce, Tomato, and Onions are optional)

Gooey, Cheesy, Pendie-Burger Deliciousness

2.5 lbs Ground beef
4 oz. Velveeta, cut into 1/4" cubes
1 shallot, chopped
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
4 tbsp ranch dressing
1 tbsp French's mustard

1. Start by mixing all of the ingredients together in a bowl, except the Velveeta. Man up and dig into the raw meat.

2. When everything is mixed, form the mix into eight equal sized patties. I know I said 4 burgers, just read on and trust me, Evil Doctor, remember?

3. Take 1 oz of the Velveeta and 2 patties. Put the Velveeta between the 2 patties and make 1 big pattie. Think of a cheese sandwich, with meat as the bread.

4. Hopefully, you have your grill fired up. Just pop them on and cook for between 7 and 10 minutes on each side. Don't forget to season with salt and pepper to taste. I like to make the patties about 3/4" thick. Stays juicy, but doesn't take too long to cook. I eat these as rare as I can, but you can cook them how you like. The Velveeta in the middle melts, and your cheese is inside. You can also make these a day ahead and have them ready for cookout.

5. There always a step 5...eat it, I like toasting the buns a bit in an oven or on the grill, and eat it with some pickle and tomato slices. Throwing some bacon on it doesn't hurt either, but then gain, it's bacon, it's good on anything.

Till next time,

The Doctor