What is Pork Roll?

Ode to my favorite meat...

I'm not a huge breakfast fan in general, mostly because I don't like getting up early. However, there are a few things that can get me out of bed no matter what, for some people its bacon but for me its all about the Pork Roll. Some people call it Taylor Ham and you can find it in the store as John Taylor's Pork Roll, usually in the deli isle in on of the cases in the middle of the isle that has your more exotic cheeses and salamis.

Here in Arizona Pork Roll seems to be lost in the crowd but for us east coast transplants Pork Roll usually made its way into our breakfast once or twice a week. What is it? In essence Pork Roll is just a salted pork breakfast meat, Pork roll is generally sold in 1, 1.5, and 3 lb. unsliced rolls packed in cotton bag, as well as 6 oz. boxes containing 4, 6, or 8 slices. Larger rolls and packages are available for food service customers. It has been a staple in public school cafeterias in New Jersey.

How to cook it: Now I prefer my Pork Roll to be sliced thin and cooked more on the well done side. However, others prefer thick cuts, its all a matter of personal taste. So I will instead give you user friendly instructions for your first Pork Roll encounters.

1. The Jersey Breakfast - Scrambled eggs and cheese on a long roll with diced Pork Roll.
(Perfect on a hero roll or any kinda of long roll.)
2.The Other Breakfast Meat - Thin sliced Pork Roll grilled or fried in a pan and served with eggs your way. (Perfect alteration to the typical bacon and eggs.)
3. The Baby Bear - two slices of thin cut Pork Roll grilled or fried in a pan, on a hamburger bun with a slice of cheese.
4. The Momma Bear - two slices of thin cut Pork Roll grilled or fried in a pan, on a hamburger bun with a slice of cheese and a fried egg.
5. The Papa Bear - 4 slices of thin cut Pork Roll, pan fried, served on a hamburger roll, on top of a medium cooked hamburger, topped 2 slices of cheese and with a fried egg (yolk still runny).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pork_roll

Recipes: Oven Baked Pork Chops... with a twist.

If you're like me, you've found that Pork, of all the meats, can be the trickiest to cook. Furthermore, when cooking Pork in it's Chop form, it can be especially difficult to achieve the dish's maximum potential. Pork Chops tend to cook quickly and if you're not careful, it doesn't take much to overcook them, leaving them tough and dry.

Hopefully this quick recipe will do for you what it's done for me, and that's save Pork Chop night!

Here's what you'll need:

1. 1/2 cup ketchup
2. 1 tbsp soy sauce
3. 1 tsp chili powder
4. 1/4 tsp pepper
5. 2 tbsp brown sugar
6. 2 tsp canola oil
7. 1/4 tsp allspice
8. 2 large potatoes, cut into 1 inch cubes
9. 2 celery stalks, diced small
10. 2 large onions, diced small
11. 2 large carrots, diced small
12. 1/2 Lime squeezed for juice.
13. 4 boneless center-cut loin pork chops

Here's what you do: 

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, mix ketchup, brown sugar, soy sauce, oil, chili powder, allspice and pepper. Make sure to take your time mixing these ingredients so that everything is perfectly blended.
3. Dip the pork chops into the sauce, coating both sides. Then set to the side on a plate. The best thing to do if you're making these ahead of time would be to cover the plate with saran wrap and return to the fridge. Once the chops are to the side, add the prepped veggies to the mix and make sure they're equally coated. It's important to make sure your veggies are chopped the same size so they will cook evenly.
4. Next, break out your tin foil. What we're going to do here is tear off 4 sheets about 8" by 8". Place the Pork Chop in the center of the sheet and then scoop about 1/4 of the veggies on top of it. Fold your foil square up to create a tightly sealed pocket for the Chop. Repeat this process for your other three Chops. Place all 4 individually wrapped chops on a baking sheet.
5. Bake in the oven for approximately 35 minutes, using a meat thermometer to check your temperatures. 
6. Serve Chops with their cooking juices and the veggies, side with rice, fresh veggies, bread, or whatever you might like. 

I hope you enjoy!

Food Pr0n: Traditional English Fry Up

If you've never had an Englishman (or woman) serve you a traditional English fry up, I'm afraid dear chaps you have indeed missed out! The fry up pictured here is often times referred to as the "Full Monty." It's a traditional English fry up, featuring fried eggs, fried bacon, toast, beans, grilled sausages, grilled mushrooms, and grilled tomatoes. If I'm doing it right, we eat the tomatoes, mushrooms, and sausages together. The bacon goes with the eggs. The beans go with toast. If you're like me, you get a little bit of each thing in your bite. That's the best way to go!

Do you have your own favorite fry up?