Pork Roll Substitutes?

[WHT]

Having grown up in New Jersey and now find myself in Chicago, some things are missing from my life. Regional foods like pork Roll / Taylor ham for one and I don’t quite want to spend 3 times the cost of the product to get it shipped out here. I have learned where to find bagels and passable pizza (how I miss Ray’s in NY.) and even cheese steak. Though that was a chore since the Italian beef seems to be the choice out here.

To the crux of my dilemma, something that passes for pork roll. Cotto salami seems to be passable if you season it right. A few hard to pronounce locally made items come close, though not quite right. To me one of life’s pleasures is a grilled pork roll with American cheese on a hard roll with some good mustard. Pedestrian I know but we all have or little secrets. Am I doomed to do without? Maybe offering a trade of a ride to the city from the airport (O’Hare or Midway.) might be a viable option. I don’t get back to the shore as often as my need for this and other little gems would dictate.

[Schielke]

That is a tough one, I love Taylor Pork roll and could only get it when relatives would come to visit us from NJ. In Seattle, I found a deli that does carry it. You might want to ask a specialty deli if they would consider carrying this product.

Another option is to get an East Coast friend to ship you some frozen rolls or you could go get a large order yourself and keep them frozen.

I dont know of anything that really comes close to pork roll.

Ben

[WHT]

Another option is to get an East Coast friend to ship you some frozen rolls or you could go get a large order yourself and keep them frozen.

I dont know of anything that really comes close to pork roll.

I have two basic problems. The first being limited freezer space. Just the Refrigerator and a 4 Cube deep-freeze as I live in an apartment. I am not sure how much more power I can run with the AC and the computers on top of it. Maybe I will get lucky with getting a Deli to get it on my behalf. I have tried rather unsuccessfully in the past. Midwesterners may be friendly in other ways but this has not been one. I tried the friend route also; most are too busy to do something like that. A lot of them left the coast before I did so the numbers are dwindling. Sorry to say relatives are less help.

[afoodnut]

Having grown up in New Jersey and now find myself in Chicago, some things are missing from my life. Regional foods like pork Roll / Taylor ham for one and I don’t quite want to spend 3 times the cost of the product to get it shipped out here. I have learned where to find bagels and passable pizza (how I miss Ray’s in NY.) and even cheese steak. Though that was a chore since the Italian beef seems to be the choice out here.

To the crux of my dilemma, something that passes for pork roll. Cotto salami seems to be passable if you season it right. A few hard to pronounce locally made items come close, though not quite right. To me one of life’s pleasures is a grilled pork roll with American cheese on a hard roll with some good mustard.  Pedestrian I know but we all have or little secrets. Am I doomed to do without? Maybe offering a trade of a ride to the city from the airport (O’Hare or Midway.) might be a viable option. I don’t get back to the shore as often as my need for this and other little gems would dictate.

WHT,

You might want to post this in the Heartland forum, if you haven't already. Lots of friendly, helpful Chicago folk post there.

[Schielke]

I think there is a pork roll thread around here somewhere.

ahh, here it is

Pork ahoy!

[=Mark]

It be a jersey thang... Can't think of any subs.

[tommy]

try this, this, and this.

[Kim WB]

try this, this, and this.

Man, it's like a little pork roll sub-culture, a veritable cottage industry of Jersey producers, marketing to ex-jerseyans throughout our fine nation...a fine country we live in, indeed!

[WHT]

try this, this, and this.

Tommy,

Thanks for the links. Case is the most reasonable in shipping costs. Though the product itself is sweeter than Taylor and has to cook a little longer.

Again, the problem is the relatively high shipping costs involved. Live Main lobster is cheaper to bring in. Like other Internet sites I think the nostalgia factor is what jacks up the price. Not the actual handling.

I can just see me doing a pork roll tasting. For my Midwest friends. This is a fine Taylor; note how the spice and texture offset the egg and cheese. Now for the Case, its stronger more defined sugar content and lighter smoke notes along with its dense summer sausage texture stand up to the heartiest Dijon. Now for the…