Roast Pork Sandwich with Auricchio Provolone, Broccoli Rabe & Long Hots
You can experience the taste of South Philly without leaving your home on your very own backyard grill. This iconic sandwich, made with tender, slow roasted, thinly sliced juicy roast pork and infused with garlic and herbs, nestled into a crusty ciabatta roll, topped with sautéed broccoli rabe and pungent imported provolone, and finished off with a long hot pepper and savory au jus dripping down your hands, is one everyone should experience. It is the perfect meal for entertaining a hungry crowd or simply feeding the family.
Ingredients
For the sandwiches:
- 1 wedge of imported Auricchio provolone
- 8 large ciabatta or seeded crusty rolls
- 2-3 bunches of sautéed broccoli rabe with garlic and oil
- 3 pounds of boneless pork butt
- 6-8 grilled long hot peppers
- Au jus for topping
Ingredient:
- 3 lbs. boneless pork butt
For the herb rub:
- 1 tablespoon of Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon of black pepper
- 1 tablespoon of garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon of onion powder
- 1 teaspoon of oregano
- 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme
- 1 tablespoon of fresh rosemary
- 1 tablespoon of chopped parsley
- 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon of crushed red pepper
For the the au jus:
- 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 stick of salted butter
- 2 teaspoons of black pepper
- 2 teaspoons of salt
- 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce
- 4 cups of chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon of brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon of rosemary
- 1 teaspoon of thyme
For the broccoli rabe:
- 2-3 bunches of rapini
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 5 cloves of smashed garlic
- Crushed red pepper
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
Directions for the herb rub
- Place the pork in a large bowl. With gloved hands, rub it all over with the olive oil and all the herbs, seasonings and apple cider vinegar. Cover securely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or for best results, overnight.
- When ready to cook the pork, remove from refrigerator allow the bowl to sit on your counter for 60 to 90 minutes to bring the meat down to room temperature, depending on how long it’s been marinating in the refrigerator.
- Preheat the barbecue to 265°F. After 1 hour, flip the pork. Cook for 1 hour more, but monitor it to make sure it’s not burning. Baste occasionally on all sides with whatever herb and olive oil mixture you have remaining in the marinating bowl. After 2 hours or an internal temperature reached of about 190°F-195°F, remove from the grill and let it rest on a cutting board for at least 10 minutes.
Directions for the au jus:
- In a large saucepan over low heat, melt the butter and then add the onions, stirring occasionally until caramelized, about 15-20 minutes, careful not to burn. Add a drop of water and adjust the heat to prevent sticking and burning.
- Once the onions are dark yellow to light brown in color, add the broth and all seasonings and bring to a light boil then reduce the heat and simmer for about 15-20 minutes. Strain if desired.
Directions for the broccoli rabe:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.
- Prepare an ice bath (large bowl of cold water with a few handfuls of ice). Once the water is at a steady boil, cook the broccoli rabe for 1 minute, strain the broccoli rabe from the boiling water or use a slotted spoon to remove and immediately place into the ice water bath.
- Remove the broccoli rabe from the ice bath and blot with paper towels until dry.
- When ready to sauté the broccoli rabe, coat a large sauté pan with quality extra-virgin olive oil, add in the smashed garlic and a few pinches of red pepper flakes. Allow the garlic to bronze and then remove it.
- Add in the broccoli rabe, toss it with the oil to coat it and season it well with salt and pepper to taste. Cook it until heated through about 2-3 minutes.
- Chop the broccoli rabe into smaller pieces and set aside until the sandwiches are ready to be assembled.
Directions for sandwich assembly:
- Before you shut the grill, on low heat, grill the long hot peppers while, rotating them for even cooking and being careful not to burn them. Remove from heat.
- Slice the rolls in half. Using a potato peeler or sharp knife, thinly slice a generous layer of provolone on the base of the bread.
- With a carving knife, thinly slice the warm pork butt, placing it on top of the cheese, followed by the broccoli rabe atop the meat, then the long hot on top of the broccoli rabe of each sandwich.
- Ladle on a small amount of au jus over top and grate some additional provolone to finish, if desired. Serve immediately.
