How Much Do You Know About Pork Roll?
It’s one of the biggest debates that consumes the state of New Jersey… pork roll or taylor ham? Whatever you decide to call it, there is one thing we can all agree on, and that is how delicious this popular breakfast meat is. Pork roll is one of The Committed Pig’s favorite sandwich fillers and staple ingredients. You can even find an entire section of our menu dedicated to it, so we decided to share some details about it with our customers.
Pork roll originated in 1856 thanks to John Taylor of Trenton, New Jersey and was sold to the public as “Taylor Ham.” Eventually, in 1906, food labeling regulations required the company to change the product’s name to pork roll instead of ham. John Taylor tried to trademark the term “Pork Roll,” but was denied and forced to use the term along with his competitors. Despite the change, many people today still refer to it as ham. I guess some old habits just can’t be broken!
What exactly is pork roll, you ask? Well, back in 1856, John Taylor was said to have used chopped pork and spices, in which he then sugar cured and hickory smoked the meat. Today, the product is made in a similar way, making sure to keep the beloved flavor. Preservatives are used before smoking to help keep the meat as fresh as possible in the packaging before use.
Pork roll is simple to cook, typically pan-fried or grilled, with several small cuts made on the outer edges to keep the slices from bubbling in the middle and cooking unevenly. A classic favorite is pork roll (or taylor ham), egg, and cheese on either a bagel or hard roll. We like to get creative with our sandwiches at The Committed Pig, adding a unique set of ingredients like avocado, apples, and jalapeños.
This Garden State favorite is such a large part of the local culture, that Trenton holds an annual Pork Roll Festival that started in 2014. So, if pork roll was once a mystery meat to you, we hope we were able to clear things up a bit. Stop by one of our three locations and grab a pork roll sandwich today!