Monday, June 08, 2009

The Joy of Pork Roll

Yesterday, I posted about that NJ delicacy known as pork roll, and a couple commentors were not aware of this gastronomic delight.

Pork roll, also known as Taylor ham, has been around for many years, and is uniquely NJ. I checked the Google, and it clearly stated that it is impossible to accurately describe it.

And that would be the best way to describe it, indescribable. It is like nothing you have ever had.
It is sweet, it is salty, and it is porky. And the only place in the world to get it is in NJ. It is available at every diner, deli, and fine dining establishment. In NJ.

Ha! Too bad for the rest of the world.

Someone once suggested it was similar to Spam.

Hummmpf!!!!! Humbug and balderdash, too. Not even close.

And as far as nutritional value; a pork roll and cheese sandwich is about 90% pure fat, mixed with 10% deliciousness. Copious amounts of ketchup does "Healthy it up" a bit, and occasionally a vegetarian will order it with onions.

And did I mention pork? I'm not sure of the percentages, but it's great.

It's worth a trip to NJ just for this sandwich.

http://www.humorbloggers.com/

21 comments:

HR Diva said...

Joe you let the best kept secret of NJ out of the bag. Pork roll is nothing like spam.

The last outside job I had once a week my breakfast was a pork roll, egg and cheese sandwich. Real healthy. I may just have to go get one of those sandwiches in the morning.

Enjoy...MB

tahtimbo said...

Okay, forget the diet, I'm on my way. I agree with using ketchup to add a healthy note to the pork roll. If you want to go "whole hog" (pardon the pun), you can add cheese, thus representing a different food group. (Oh, and bacon)!

Lola said...

I've never heard of it either. I'm from the Midwest.

ReformingGeek said...

Hum....maybe you could lobby to get that added as a food group. I'm sure it will make the cut, with the ketchup and all.

Donnie said...

Sounds great! I love that type of unhealthy food from time to time. Everybody deserves a treat! I'm on my way. Now that I know where you live.

Unknown said...

seriously the sound of it makes me want to vomit...and I think 10 lbs was added to my thighs. Thanks.

Nooter said...

mmm.... pork roll...

Unknown said...

Ah, yes-- even my mom, who was a pretty healthy eater, did love a good Taylor Ham and cheese sandwich.

I haven't had one in years. MMMMMM....

And no, pork roll is not spam. It is much more porky.

Sandee said...

You've just described 'parts are parts'. Like spam and hot dogs. Just saying.

Have a terrific day Crotchety. :)

brokenteepee said...

It is indeed its own food group. I too prefer it with an egg on a nicely toasted bun with all the melty American cheese. Mmmmmm. But I still prefer my scrapple.

Heh heh. You should try it. It's spicy, it's crunchy. It's all the pig that's fit to grind and some fat too!

Marie said...

Gag me.

My sons ate so much pork roll as teenagers I am surprised they don't have a permanent film of grease oozing out of their pores. Add a steady stream of additional teenage boys (they traveled in packs; they mostly traveled in a pack to my house) and I used to buy it in a big mega-sized cardboard box from B.J.'s.

They had a penchant for cooking up huge batches in the middle of the night, which I finally forbade as the smell made me want to vomit. They came up with this creative solution: cooking it outside on the gas grill. Right under my bedroom window. Yeah, that solved the problem. We lived in Ocean Grove. Houses approximately 6 inches apart. Might as well get the neighbors up retching too.

I guess it didn't do them too much harm. They all (I still see the Pack) seem to have adequate cognitive function. They are all unusually handsome. It appears to have not affected their fertility either and those who do have kids are awesome fathers.

I suppose it is from being born in Manhattan. I am not a true new Jerseyan. I will never get Pork Roll.

Swirl Girl said...

Philly has it's cheesesteak - but obviously the Pork Roll is Jersey's Hero.

Unknown said...

I am sooo hungry right now. Sometimes you can really be a jerk!

Da Old Man said...

@ HR: I know. But it was more taunting those who can't have it. Enjoy your sandwich.

@ Tahtimbo: Cheese does give it those healthy dairy undertones.

@ Lola: Oh, what you are missing.
:)

@ Reforming: In NJ, it already is.

@ Don: You'll like it. It's worth the trip.

@ Stacie: If it only added 10 lbs, you've been working out.

@ Nooter: The ultimate snak

@ Jenn: You move to Pennsy, and you lose out on pork roll. See how much you gave up?

@ Sandee: Nooooooo. Spam is parts. Pork roll is all the deliciousness they left out of Spam.

@ Pricilla: Scrapple scares me.

@ Marie: You'll never be a real New Jerseyan until you embrace the pork roll.

@ Swirl Girl: It's more unique than a cheesesteak. NJ has cheesesteaks, No one but us has pork roll.

@ FishHawk: Sometimes? That means I'm getting nicer.

Joanie said...

I can get Taylor's Pork Roll in PA. I don't want any pork roll, but I can get it if I want it.
I, myself am a fan of scrapple.

Nanny Goats In Panties said...

Well then how the heck are we supposed to get this stuff from way the heck over on the left coast?

Heck.

nipsy said...

Aha!! The secret is out..well if Jersey won't share the pork roll with us in Ohio, I'm keeping my cabbage rolls all to myself..even when I move to California and they all look at me weird when I tell them whats for dinner..*sigh*

Isn't it funny how many different things are strictly a "one state" food?

Janna said...

Ok, bear with me here.
I'm still confused...

So why do they call it a pork ROLL?
Is it rolled up like a jelly roll, with savory filling inside?

Is it rolled around in stuff, like bread crumbs and/or batter, then deep fried?

Why is it a "roll"?

Enlighten me.

I am fascinated by all things pork-related.
Well, almost all.
Head cheese still grosses me out.
So do pork brains and pig knuckles.

Please tell me those aren't ingredients....

brokenteepee said...

Hmmm, I wonder if that is where Jimmy Hoffa went......

Anonymous said...

I just had pork roll for the first time last month. It was pretty good. Four of us finished a whole one in three days. I liked it best fried with scrambled eggs and cheese. I've since learned you can buy it in Fl, at Publix

Da Old Man said...

@ Joanie: You must be right over the border. The Jersey wanna be part of Pennsy

@ Nanny Goats: I'm working on it. I found a distributor who ships nationwide. I'm trying to get some donated to my fellow bloggers in exchange for my advertising on this blog.

@ Nipsy: Pretty much

@ Janna: It's like a giant sausage. A delicious, smoky, salty, porky, fat laden sausage.

@ Pricilla: Shhhhh

@ Freak Smack: I bet it's because so many NJ folks move to Fla.
Years ago, we used to have to pack a cooler with pork roll whenever we went to visit my uncle in Fla.