Philadelphia Pork Sandwiches
By Morgan BollingPublished on April 23, 2018
Time
3½ to 4 hours, plus 2 hours cooling and refrigerating
Yield
Serves 8
Ingredients
Pork and Jus
1 tablespoon kosher salt 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary 2 teaspoons dried thyme 2 teaspoons dried oregano 2 teaspoons fennel seeds 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1 (4-pound) boneless pork butt roast, trimmed2 cups chicken broth, plus extra as needed8 garlic cloves, peeled and smashedBroccoli Rabe
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 3 garlic cloves, sliced thin1 pound broccoli rabe, trimmed and cut into ½-inch pieces2 teaspoons kosher salt Pinch red pepper flakesSandwiches
8 (8-inch) Italian sub rolls, split lengthwise12 ounces sliced sharp provolone cheeseBefore You Begin
Plan ahead: You need to let the pork cool for 1 hour and then refrigerate it for at least 1 hour to make slicing easier. Sharp provolone is often labeled “Provolone Picante,” but you can use standard deli provolone too. If you’re using table salt, cut the amounts in half.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Combine 1 tablespoon salt, 2 teaspoons minced rosemary, 2 teaspoons dried thyme, 2 teaspoons dried oregano, 2 teaspoons fennel seeds, and 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes in bowl. Tie 1 trimmed boneless pork butt roast with kitchen twine at 1-inch intervals. Transfer pork to large Dutch oven and sprinkle all over with salt mixture. Pour 2 cups chicken broth around pork and add 8 peeled and smashed garlic cloves to pot. Cover, transfer to oven, and cook until meat registers 190 degrees, 2½ to 3 hours.
- Transfer pork to large plate. Transfer braising liquid to 4-cup liquid measuring cup; add extra broth, if necessary, to equal 3 cups. Let pork and liquid cool completely, about 1 hour. Cover and refrigerate both for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.
- Heat 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil and 3 thinly sliced garlic cloves in Dutch oven over medium heat until garlic is golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add 1 pound broccoli rabe, trimmed and cut into ½-inch pieces; 2 teaspoons salt; and pinch red pepper flakes and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to bowl.
- About 20 minutes before serving, adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Remove twine and cut cooled pork in half lengthwise to make 2 even-size roasts. Position roasts cut side down and slice each crosswise as thin as possible.
- Spoon solidified fat off cooled jus and discard. Transfer jus to Dutch oven and bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, add pork, cover, and cook until pork is heated through, about 3 minutes, tossing occasionally. Cover and keep warm.
- Arrange 8 split Italian sub rolls on 2 rimmed baking sheets (4 rolls per sheet). Divide 12 ounces sliced sharp provolone cheese evenly among rolls. Bake, 1 sheet at a time, until cheese is melted and rolls are warmed, about 3 minutes. Using tongs, divide pork and broccoli rabe evenly among rolls (about 1 cup pork and ⅓ cup broccoli rabe per roll). Serve.
for the pork and jus
for the broccoli rabe
for the sandwiches
Time
3½ to 4 hours, plus 2 hours cooling and refrigeratingYield
Serves 8Ingredients
Pork and Jus
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 (4-pound) boneless pork butt roast, trimmed
2 cups chicken broth, plus extra as needed
8 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
Broccoli Rabe
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, sliced thin
1 pound broccoli rabe, trimmed and cut into ½-inch pieces
2 teaspoons kosher salt
Pinch red pepper flakes
Sandwiches
8 (8-inch) Italian sub rolls, split lengthwise
12 ounces sliced sharp provolone cheese
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Pork and Jus
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 (4-pound) boneless pork butt roast, trimmed
2 cups chicken broth, plus extra as needed
8 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
Broccoli Rabe
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, sliced thin
1 pound broccoli rabe, trimmed and cut into ½-inch pieces
2 teaspoons kosher salt
Pinch red pepper flakes
Sandwiches
8 (8-inch) Italian sub rolls, split lengthwise
12 ounces sliced sharp provolone cheese
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Pork and Jus
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 (4-pound) boneless pork butt roast, trimmed
2 cups chicken broth, plus extra as needed
8 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
Broccoli Rabe
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, sliced thin
1 pound broccoli rabe, trimmed and cut into ½-inch pieces
2 teaspoons kosher salt
Pinch red pepper flakes
Sandwiches
8 (8-inch) Italian sub rolls, split lengthwise
12 ounces sliced sharp provolone cheese
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
This recipe is inspired by the sandwiches we sampled in Philadelphia; read about our trip here. To re-create these famous Philly sandwiches at home, we opted for a boneless pork butt roast and braised it in chicken broth. This made tender and flavorful pork, and the juices from the pork mingled with the chicken broth during cooking to create an ultrasavory jus. Letting the roast cool and cutting it in half made it easier to slice paper-thin. We then rewarmed the pork before shingling the thin slices on warm Italian rolls with garlicky broccoli rabe and sharp provolone cheese.
Before You Begin
Plan ahead: You need to let the pork cool for 1 hour and then refrigerate it for at least 1 hour to make slicing easier. Sharp provolone is often labeled “Provolone Picante,” but you can use standard deli provolone too. If you’re using table salt, cut the amounts in half.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Combine 1 tablespoon salt, 2 teaspoons minced rosemary, 2 teaspoons dried thyme, 2 teaspoons dried oregano, 2 teaspoons fennel seeds, and 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes in bowl. Tie 1 trimmed boneless pork butt roast with kitchen twine at 1-inch intervals. Transfer pork to large Dutch oven and sprinkle all over with salt mixture. Pour 2 cups chicken broth around pork and add 8 peeled and smashed garlic cloves to pot. Cover, transfer to oven, and cook until meat registers 190 degrees, 2½ to 3 hours.
- Transfer pork to large plate. Transfer braising liquid to 4-cup liquid measuring cup; add extra broth, if necessary, to equal 3 cups. Let pork and liquid cool completely, about 1 hour. Cover and refrigerate both for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.
- Heat 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil and 3 thinly sliced garlic cloves in Dutch oven over medium heat until garlic is golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add 1 pound broccoli rabe, trimmed and cut into ½-inch pieces; 2 teaspoons salt; and pinch red pepper flakes and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to bowl.
- About 20 minutes before serving, adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Remove twine and cut cooled pork in half lengthwise to make 2 even-size roasts. Position roasts cut side down and slice each crosswise as thin as possible.
- Spoon solidified fat off cooled jus and discard. Transfer jus to Dutch oven and bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, add pork, cover, and cook until pork is heated through, about 3 minutes, tossing occasionally. Cover and keep warm.
- Arrange 8 split Italian sub rolls on 2 rimmed baking sheets (4 rolls per sheet). Divide 12 ounces sliced sharp provolone cheese evenly among rolls. Bake, 1 sheet at a time, until cheese is melted and rolls are warmed, about 3 minutes. Using tongs, divide pork and broccoli rabe evenly among rolls (about 1 cup pork and ⅓ cup broccoli rabe per roll). Serve.
for the pork and jus
for the broccoli rabe
for the sandwiches
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