South Philly Slow Cooker Italian Shredded Pork Recipes

ITALIAN PORK SANDWICHES (DINIC'S COPYCAT PHILLY PORK SANDWICH)

Steps:

• Marinate the meat the night before. If needed, trim the skin off of the pork shoulder while you're butterflying it, but don't trim away the fat cap on top. We used a 4-pound piece off of a larger cut, so we also had a small bone to butterfly around.
• Sprinkle evenly all over with salt (to avoid oversalting, sprinkle it from a height above the meat so it spreads evenly without needing to use a ton). Combine 1½ tablespoons ground fennel seeds, 1½ tablespoons dried thyme, 2 tablespoons dried oregano, and 1 tablespoon fresh minced rosemary leaves. Generously rub the meat all over with this seasoning. Next, stir together the 3 tablespoons of minced parsley and the minced garlic. Spread the majority on the inner parts of the butterflied pork shoulder, and distribute the rest on the top.
• Rebundle the pork shoulder so it is in a relatively tight roll. Place in a roasting pan, and surround with the thinly sliced onion. Drizzle a little olive oil over the onions. Refrigerate overnight.
• The next day, take your pork out of the refrigerator early (about 2 hours before you're ready to roast) to come up to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F, and position a rack in the lower third of the oven, and one in the upper third.
• You're going to roast the pork and the peppers simultaneously, so wash the peppers, pat them dry, and cut them all lengthwise and deseed them (If you like your long hots really hot, skip that step!) Toss in olive oil, and sprinkle with salt. Lay out evenly on a baking sheet.
• Place the roast in the lower third of the oven, and the peppers on the rack in the upper third. Roast at 450 degrees F for 35 minutes. (Depending on how hot your oven runs, you may want to check them at the 20-25 minute mark.) Remove the peppers from the oven and set them aside. Later, you can reheat the peppers by stirring them into the hot pulled pork to rewarm them, or by putting them back in the oven in the final stretch of cooking.
• Also take the pork out of the oven at this step, and add the stock, wine, tomatoes, and bay leaves. Stir to combine. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil. Cook for another 15 minutes at 450 degrees F, and then reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F. Continue roasting the pork for 2 hours.
• Carefully remove the foil (you'll be putting it back on). Using a sharp carving knife, cut the roast into large chunks, laying them flat in the braising liquid. Re-cover with foil and cook for another 2 to 2 ½ hours, until the pork is fork tender.
• A little while before you take your pork out of the oven, it's time to prepare your broccoli rabe. In a skillet over medium-high heat, add ¼ cup of olive oil and 7 cloves chopped garlic. Let the garlic brown lightly, and add the crushed red pepper flakes, followed by the chopped broccoli rabe. Cook until wilted, and then lower the heat if needed to cook until tender--you don't want the stems to be crunchy!
• Remove the pork from the oven. Discard the bay leaves. Pull the pork in the pan with two forks, mixing everything in the juices.
• Stir in your reserved roasted peppers to rewarm them. Alternatively, you could reheat them in the oven in the last 10-15 minutes of roasting.
• To build each sandwich, grab your Italian bread/rolls, and slice them lengthwise. Lay down a healthy bed of sharp provolone slices (we went with sharp provolone from the deli counter, but if you really want to be authentic to the OG sandwich, get a wedge of super sharp provolone and cut it into rough, thick shavings), and toast to melt the cheese. Top with a generous, drippy helping of pulled pork. Spoon over the broccoli rabe, and nestle a few pieces of long green hot pepper and bell pepper inside. Top off with pepperoncini slices if desired, and eat immediately!

PHILADELPHIA STYLE ROAST PORK SANDWICHES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Remove the netting or strings on pork roast, keeping them intact to use again. Combine rosemary, 3 cloves of garlic, parsley, 3 teaspoons of olive oil, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, and 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper in a bowl. Slice open the pork roast and spread it with the oil and herb mixture. Roll up the pork and secure it with the netting or string. Rub outside of the roast with remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.
• Place the pork, fat side up, in a roasting pan or baking dish and pour in water. Bake in the preheated oven, basting occasionally, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours; add more water if necessary. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the meat should read at least 145 degrees F (63 degrees C). Allow the roast to rest 10 to 15 minutes. Reserve the pan juices.
• While the pork is resting, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Stir in 2 cloves chopped garlic and red pepper flakes; cook and stir until garlic is fragrant but not brown, about 3 minutes. Pour in chicken stock and bring it to a boil. Add spinach, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and lemon juice. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the spinach is wilted, stirring occasionally.
• Cut the string on the roast and cut the pork into thin slices. Return the sliced pork to the reserved pan juices.
• Slice the sandwich rolls and sprinkle each roll with shredded Manchego cheese. Add pork slices to each sandwich, top with spinach, and serve.

TONY LUKE'S ITALIAN ROAST PORK SANDWICH (THE REAL DEAL)

Steps:

• Turn crock pot on high setting.
• If the roast comes in elastic-y netting remove the netting, but keep it intact, you'll be stuffing it back in later.
• Mix the next 6 ingredients in a bowl.
• Spread the pork roast out on a clean surface.
• If there are any large thick sections of meat, score them with a knife.
• Rub 3/4 of the mixture over all exposed surfaces.
• Roll the roast back up and place back in netting.
• (Or truss with kitchen twine if no netting was provided) Rub the remaining mixture on the outside of the roast.
• Place the roast in the crock pot and cook at high for 20 minutes.
• Turn down to low and cook at least 3 hours longer or until the pork is falling apart.
• Remove pork from truss or netting and shred into large chunks, removing any large pieces of fat that may be left.
• Return to juices which have accumulated in the crock pot.
• For the broccoli rabe: Wash thoroughly and cut about 1/2 inch off the bottom of the stems.
• Cut the florets off the top and set aside.
• Bring 3qts salted water to a rolling boil.
• Add broccoli rabe leaves and stems and cook about 1&1/2 minutes then add the florets and cook until tender, about 5-7 minutes.
• Remove broccoli from boiling water and drain, but reserve about 1/4- 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.
• In a deep frying pan (which is cold) begin heat olive oil, red pepper flakes and garlic together over medium heat.
• Once the garlic begins to sauté, begin to time about two minutes (till very lightly browned) add drained broccoli.
• Sauté the broccoli rabe about 3-5 minutes longer and then add the cooking liquid from the pot.
• (This should look a little soupy).
• Assemble: Toast sliced roll if desired.
• Add provo to roll before hot meat. then the cheese can melt. After that top with broccoli rabe generously. manja!