Last weekend I saw at least three different shows on Food Network talking about a roast pork sandwich that is famous in Philadelphia. It looked so good! Slow roasted pork with Italian herbs drenched in gravy on a cheesy roll topped with spicy roasted broccoli rabe. I had to make it at home. I decided to use the slow cooker and the grill. I don't use the oven in the heat of summer if I can help it. It turned out so so good! Dear sister approved. She made the face. You know the one, as if to say my mouth would fall open in awe if my mouth wasn't full. The rub is delicious. I loved the rosemary and garlic together. Between the rub and using the grill, the pork had a nice crust which is hard to do in a slow cooker. The gravy is so savory. Who knew such a little bit of wine would add so much flavor. The onions, garlic and beef base didn't hurt either. The flour helped to thicken it just enough. It was so good, I used the leftover gravy on grits later in the week. All the components were great on their own. This could easily be a plated meal instead of a sandwich. But you have to make the sandwich. Everything together with the melting cheese is magical. I think I will make this again for the first football game we watch with the family.
I almost forgot! The leftovers re-heat well. Sister actually tried it the next day. I put some pork, gravy and broccoli rabe in the microwave for 1-1/2 minutes while I made the grill bread and melted the cheese. Just as good as right out of the slow cooker.
Slow Cooker
Roast Pork Sandwiches with Broccoli Rabe
Serves 4 to
6
Ingredients
1-1/2 lb
pork loin roast
Italian
Herb Rub (recipe below)
1 med. Onion,
sliced
1 garlic
clove, sliced
3/4 cup
water
1 tsp beef
base or bouillon
1/8 cup
vermouth or dry white wine
2 Tbsp
all-purpose flour
2 bunches
broccoli rabe
Olive oil
Garlic salt,
to taste
Red pepper
flakes, to taste
1 loaf of soft
French bread
Margarine
Provolone
cheese, 8 to 12 slices
Directions
Drizzle
roast with olive oil and rub with Italian Herb Rub. Place in the refrigerator
to marinate for 30 minutes.
Pre-heat
grill to high heat for 10 minutes. Place roast on the grill, grill 6 minutes a
side. Remove and set aside. Place onion and garlic in a 4 quart slow cooker.
Place roast on top of onions and garlic. Combine water, beef base and vermouth;
whisk into flour. Pour liquid into the bottom of slow cooker. Cook on low 3-1/2
hours (time may vary depending on your slow cooker). Remove roast from slow
cooker cover with aluminum foil and let rest for 30 minutes. Leave slow cooker
on low to keep gravy warm.
In the mean
time, pre-heat grill to medium high heat for 10 minutes. Drizzle broccoli rabe
with olive oil and season with garlic salt and red pepper. Place broccoli rabe on
the grill, grill 4 minutes a side. Remove and place in a microwave safe dish
covered with plastic wrap, microwave 2 minutes or until stems are tender. When cool
enough to handle chop into bite size pieces.
To prepare
the bread for sandwiches, cut off the end of the loaf. Make the next slice 3/4”
thick but do not cut all the way through the loaf, the bottom should remain
attached. Make another slice 3/4” thick, this time cut through the loaf. You have
made a 1-1/2” slice of bread with a pocket in the middle. Repeat until you have
enough bread sliced for 4 to 6 sandwiches.
To make a
sandwich, slice the pork into thin slices. Place two slices of cheese into the pocket
you made in the bread (fold the cheese in half if necessary). Butter the
outside of each side of the bread place in a medium hot skillet. Brown each
side of the bread, melting the cheese inside. Remove from skillet and open the
bread. Place sliced pork in the gravy coating each slice with gravy place on
top of cheese. Top with broccoli rabe and drizzle with additional gravy if
desired. Serve hot.
Italian
Herb Rub
Makes approx.
4 Tbsp
Ingredients
1 Tbsp
dried rosemary
1-1/2 tsp
dried oregano
3/4 tsp
ground sage
1-1/2 tsp
dried minced garlic
1 Tbsp kosher
salt
1-1/2 tsp black
pepper
1/4 tsp red
pepper flakes
Directions
