Taylor Ham a.k.a Pork Roll

[mjdeez]

Ok so apparently this is a Jersey / Philly thing, but have any of you made any pork roll that has come out good?

I found this recipe, and it seems like a good starting point. http://lpoli.50webs.com/index_files/NewJerseyPorkRoll.pdf   

Also, since i don't have a dry cure chamber (yet) I'm hoping I can do this in the DBS and just figure out a way to keep it humid (bowl of hot water?) since it is only for 12-24 hours.

If you've never had pork roll (also called Taylor Ham or Taylor Pork Roll) I would suggest you try it next time you're in the Jersey area (or make it!). Its great with breakfast instead of bacon / sausage or on a burger.   My favorite breakfast sandwich is a Belly Buster: Bacon, sausage, pork roll, egg and American cheese on a hard roll, with butter. :-) 

[Habanero Smoker]

Since this is a fully cooked sausage, you should be able to do this in your DBS with your regular set up. I would set the vent at 1/4 opening, and fill the bowl with hot, not boiling water. Periodically check, and if the casings seem to be getting a little dry, I would use a spray bottle and spritz them with water. If you are going to apply smoke, I would do that after the fermentation period.

For this recipe the most important steps are the temperature and time; if you have LHP then follow his temperature and times, if you have a different starter culture then use the temperature and times that come with that culture.

The sausage looks interesting. I've seen it before and have been meaning to make it. I use Bactoferm F-RM-52. It a little sharper and more tangy then LPH, but the fermentation time is much shorter and the bacteria can tolerate a higher temperature.

[mjdeez]

Thanks for the tips on the humidity and when to apply the smoke.  I was thinking of using my modified cold smoke rig and seeing if I could regulate at around 85, but I'll look into the F-RM-52.  I bought a 1/2 hog a while back which came with already made pork roll. It was the best I'd ever had, tangier than usual so that may be a good choice.

When I was thinking about posting this, I wasn't sure if I should post this in the curing or sausage forum. For some reason I was thinking fermentation = cure, and it is weird to think of pork roll as a sausage. I only ever see it in slices, so I guess its time to change my view point on that.

[Habanero Smoker]

Each time I look at that recipe, it makes me hungry. It looks like he adjusted the amount of cure #1 to compensate for any residual nitrites that may be left in the bacon. I may make this after Christmas when things settle down.

[classicrockgriller]

I hope somebody makes some. That is just nice!

Habs please post if you do this.

[Habanero Smoker]

I going to make a batch, but I know it won't be before the New Year. I'm hoping mjdeez is doing a batch before then and will post his results.

[jimmyb]

I'm from Jersey and this is a Jersey thing for sure. I do a lot of traveling and ask around in the different places I visit and no one has ever heard of Taylor Ham/pork roll. If you can master this then you have something. You will also make many new friends who will not be able to get this anywhere else. This is the perfect hangover sandwich. Taylor Ham, egg, and cheese on a hard roll. Throw a little ketchup on that and it's heaven! 

[mjdeez]

I'm hoping mjdeez is doing a batch before then and will post his results.

I won't get around to this one until around mid January or so. I need to buy some supplies. Also lots of family stuff over the next few days and I'll be away for a few days. 

Taylor Ham, egg, and cheese on a hard roll. Throw a little ketchup on that and it's heaven! 

I completely agree with that.  That was my old standby for hangovers. Occasionally I'll make bacon-wrapped hot dogs with eggs, cheese wiz and ketchup. There was a hot dog place up in North Jersey that used to make this delicacy and my friends and I were able to duplicate it. Not that it's difficult.

[deb415611]

I might try to make a batch of this some day for my dad.  When I was a kid we used to visit relatives in NJ every year (my dad grew up there) - the three food things that I remember are pork roll, a red sauce for steak sandwiches and birch beer.  We used to come home with some of each.  The pork roll was an entire roll from the deli dept at the grocery store. 

I now live in CT and have seen a 4 pk of Taylors pork roll in the grocery store.

[pensrock]

Deb, what is a pork roll. I never heard of it before.  ???

[deb415611]

Deb, what is a pork roll. I never heard of it before.  ???

here is some pics of someone cooking some  http://www.grilling24x7.com/porkroll.shtml

here is info

http://www.jerseyporkroll.com/what.htm

[Habanero Smoker]

Well! I started this on Monday, and finished it on Tuesday. I haven't tasted it yet, but I'm not too confident of the out come. One of those situations of what could go wrong did. I'll try to post the results tomorrow. I'm going to fry up some for this morning's breakfast.

[jiggerjams]

Sorry to hear things didn't seem to pan out. Looking forward to hearing the story. I hope breakfast is a good "roll in the pork"

[mjdeez]

Hey Habs I meant to follow up on this one. I bought a side of pork on New Year's Eve and I bought a got a bunch of pork roll in the deal. So it will last me awhile, but actually it is not as good as I remember, or maybe I am getting pickier and pickier the more stuff I make myself.  I found the same with this guy's bacon. I used to think it was the best I'd ever eaten, but I go and try it again and I'd rather eat my (overly salty) bacon instead.

In any case i can't wait to actually make this myself. but it will be awhile.

[DADAKOTA]

Looks like fried bologna