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Philadelphia Pork Sandwiches

This recipe is inspired by the sandwiches we sampled in Philadelphia. To re-create these famous Philly sandwiches at home, we opted for a boneless pork butt roast and braised it in chicken broth. This made tender and flavorful pork, and the juices from the pork mingled with the chicken broth during cooking to create an ultrasavory jus.
Letting the roast cool and cutting it in half made it easier to slice paper-thin. We then rewarmed the pork before shingling the thin slices on warm Italian rolls with garlicky broccoli rabe and sharp provolone cheese.
Servings: 8
Author: Cook's Country

Ingredients

Pork and Jus

  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
  • 2 teaspoons dried thyme
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 4-pound boneless pork butt roast trimmed
  • 2 cups chicken broth plus extra as needed
  • 8 cloves garlic peeled and smashed

Broccoli Rabe

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic sliced thin
  • 1 pound broccoli rabe trimmed and cut into ½-inch pieces
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 pinch red pepper flakes

Sandwiches

  • 8 8-inch Italian sub rolls split lengthwise
  • 12 ounces sliced sharp provolone cheese

Instructions

FOR THE PORK AND JUS:

  • Adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position and the heat oven to 300 degrees.
  • Combine the salt, rosemary, thyme, oregano, fennel seeds, and pepper flakes in a bowl.
  • Tie the pork with kitchen twine at 1-inch intervals.
  • Transfer the pork to a large Dutch oven and season all over with the salt mixture.
  • Pour the broth around the pork.
  • Add the garlic to the pot.
  • Cover, transfer to the oven, and cook until the meat registers 190 degrees, 2½ to 3 hours.
  • Transfer the pork to a large plate.
  • Transfer the braising liquid to a 4-cup liquid measuring cup; add extra broth, if necessary, to equal 3 cups.
  • Let the pork and liquid cool completely, about 1 hour.
  • Cover and refrigerate both for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.

FOR THE BROCCOLI RABE:

  • Heat the oil and garlic in a Dutch oven over medium heat until the garlic is golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes.
  • Add the broccoli rabe, salt, and pepper flakes and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 4 to 6 minutes.
  • Transfer to a bowl.

PREPARE THE PORK:

  • About 20 minutes before serving, adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 450 degrees.
  • Remove the twine and cut the cooled pork in half lengthwise to make 2 even-size roasts.
  • Position the roasts cut side down on a cutting board and slice each crosswise as thin as possible.
  • Spoon the solidified fat off the cooled jus and discard.
  • Transfer the jus to the Dutch oven and bring to a boil over high heat.
  • Reduce the heat to low, add the pork, cover, and cook until the pork is heated through, about 3 minutes, tossing occasionally.
  • Cover and keep warm.

FOR THE SANDWICHES:

  • Arrange the rolls on 2 rimmed baking sheets (4 rolls per sheet).
  • Divide the provolone evenly amongst the rolls.
  • Bake, 1 sheet at a time, until the cheese is melted and the rolls are warmed, about 3 minutes.
  • Using tongs, divide the pork and broccoli rabe evenly amongst the rolls (about 1 cup pork and ⅓ cup broccoli rabe per roll).
  • Serve.

Notes

  • Plan ahead: You need to let the pork cool for 1 hour and then refrigerate it for at least 1 hour (preferably overnight) to make slicing easier.
  • Sharp provolone is often labeled “Provolone Picante,” but you can use standard deli provolone, too.
  • If you're using table salt, cut the amounts in half.