Philly Roast Pork Sandwich (DiNic’s Copycat)

Ask around Philly and you’ll hear that our best sandwich isn’t the cheesesteak. It’s the roast pork. It’s thin sliced pork roasted with garlic and herbs, piled onto a crusty roll along with sharp provolone, bitter broccoli rabe, and a few long hots. The pork’s juices soak into the bread in all the right places. DiNic’s at Reading Terminal Market is the spot most people rave about, but I’m here to tell you that you can totally make this delicious roast pork sandwich at home, Philly-style.

I should clarify that this is not a quick recipe, but more of a three day undertaking. However, you’ll only be spending about 45 minutes of actual working time spread out over those three days (most of which is just the pork hanging out in the refrigerator). This recipe will yield enough meat for 8 monster sandwiches.

Why This Copycat Works

Before I made this, I watched a Bon Appétit video featuring the owner of DiNic’s. He takes the pork out at about 140°F and lets it finish in the hot stock (this was the part that got me, because my first plan was to cook it to 170°F). I pulled mine at about 150°F, and resting in the stock carried it up to about 175°F, but it didn’t dry it out and it sliced beautifully (instead of looking more like pulled pork).

The other trick is slicing it as thin as you can, like the delis do. Trust me, this is best done once the roast has thoroughly cooled and ideally after spending at least a night in the refrigerator. Try slicing a warm roast and see how it crumbles into oblivion at the mere suggestion of a knife! Once thinly sliced, simply warm the meat back up in the jus. Voilà! You’ve reinvented deli meat!

What You Need

Start with a boneless pork shoulder. I got a 5 pounder that was already tied up from the butcher, and I seasoned it with the twine left on (didn’t really want to mess with taking it apart). For the rub you need kosher salt, black pepper, minced garlic (lots of it!), fresh rosemary, dried oregano and a pinch of crushed fennel seed (optional but I love the Italian deli flavor it gives the pork).

Get a sharp provolone for slicing, not the mild provolone you find in sandwich meat sections at the grocery store. You want some bite, and that’s exactly what you get with sharp provolone. For the stock, you’ll need an onion, a couple sprigs of rosemary, more garlic, about a cup of dry white wine and chicken stock. For the toppings, grab broccoli rabe, long hot peppers, red pepper flakes and olive oil.

For rolls, I highly suggest using South Philly steak rolls (they hold up better to juicy meats and have that nice crispy exterior/soft interior). Of course, if you can find a really good seeded Italian roll, that would be traditional.

DiNic’s uses Sarcone’s seeded rolls, a South Philly bakery staple with a nice hard crust on the outside and soft on the inside. If you live within driving distance of Philadelphia and can get Sarcone’s rolls, use those. Otherwise, just use any good bakery roll that won’t disintegrate in the jus.

Day 1: Season the Pork

Combine salt and pepper with garlic, rosemary, oregano and fennel in a small bowl. Rub mixture over pork, tucking some into ends and wherever twine doesn’t completely close pork so mixture makes its way inside.

Transfer the pork to a rack set over a sheet pan and refrigerate it overnight, uncovered. The salt will penetrate the meat and help season it throughout (this process is known as a dry brine). Refrigerating the pork uncovered will help dry out the exterior, which promotes better browning the following day.

Day 2: Roast, Build the Stock and Chill

Take the pork out of the refrigerator an hour before you roast it and preheat your oven to 450°F. On a sheet pan, combine the long hots, the olive oil, and a big pinch of salt, stirring to coat. Place in the oven with the pork. Roasting the peppers can be done ahead of time because they’ll keep nicely refrigerated until you’re ready to eat.

Roast both the pork and long hots until pork is nicely browned and the long hots are blistered and soft, about 30 minutes. Toss the long hots with sliced garlic and refrigerate until ready to make sandwiches (they’ll keep nicely in their oil).

Build the stock in the same pan with the pork. Add onion, garlic, rosemary, wine and stock, scraping up the tasty browned bits (known as fond, and the source of much of a great jus’s flavor) as you go.

Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil. Turn oven down to 300°F. Roast until the meat registers about 150°F on a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part. This took about 2 1/2 to 3 hours for my 5 pound pork shoulder.

Leave the pan covered and let the pork rest in the hot stock. Mine climbed from 150°F to about 175°F while it sat there, so just leave it in until it gets there. See how nicely the outside has browned? All that flavor is going into the jus. Resist the temptation to pull the meat out of the pan early.

Refrigerate the pork overnight. Strain the jus, place in another container and refrigerate as well. In the morning the fat will congeal so it can easily be removed.

Day 3: Slice and Build the Sandwiches

Cut the twine and discard. Slice the pork cold, as thinly as possible (a sharp, long-bladed knife will work well here, or use a meat slicer, if you have one). Don’t rush this step; it’s important to get nice thin slices for the best sandwiches.

Skim off fat. Add a bit more stock if the jus is too intense and warm through over gentle heat.

Steam the broccoli rabe for 3 to 4 minutes (steaming will mellow out the bitter flavor and keep the stems from being too chewy). Cook the garlic and pepper flakes in the olive oil for 1 minute. Add the broccoli rabe and cook for 2 more minutes, tossing to coat with the oil. Season to taste with salt and serve.

Warm the long hots in a ladle of the jus. Then add the pork slices to the simmering jus and cook just until warmed through, 1 to 2 minutes. Do not let it boil, as it will cause the meat to tighten up and get chewy.

I start off by putting 2-3 slices of provolone cheese on the roll, this way the bread won’t absorb too much liquid and get soggy. Next I place one of the long hots on the cheese and bury it under the sandwich ingredients.

Top with pork, a spoonful of the jus and a heap of the broccoli rabe and eat immediately, while the roll is still crisp.

Tips for the Best Roast Pork Sandwich

A meat thermometer is essential. Take the pork out of the oven at about 150°F and let the hot stock carry it to about 175°F. Without a meat thermometer it’s easy to overcook the pork and end up with dry meat that won’t carve properly.

Keep in mind that the 5 tsp of salt in this recipe is Diamond Crystal kosher salt. Morton is saltier, so use 3 3/4 tsp if that’s what you have.

With steak rolls, a spoonful of jus is enough on the pork, but ask for a side of jus (as you would at the counter) if you like your rolls on the soggy side.

Long hots can range from very hot to almost mild, and you can’t tell which until you take a bite, so taste before using on sandwiches. In a pinch, roasted Italian frying peppers or a couple of hot cherry peppers can substitute for long hots.

Make Ahead and Leftovers

Roasted pork will keep in the refrigerator, covered, for 4 days; it will slice more easily after chilling. Store sliced pork, rabe, long hots and jus separately and reheat as needed.

You can keep pork slices in their jus in the freezer for up to three months. When you want to eat it, put it in the refrigerator overnight to thaw. You can warm it up slowly on the stove. This is also a great dish to have in the freezer for game day.

Where the Roast Pork Sandwich Comes From

The sandwich is thought to have been created by Italian immigrants (specifically from the Abruzzo region) who made their way to South Philly in the early 1900s. Domenico Bucci opened up the first roast pork shop in 1930 and his shop (now known as John’s Roast Pork) is still open! Some other places that do it well are Campo’s and Tony Luke’s. However, if I’m sending people to get one, I send them to DiNic’s in Reading Terminal Market.

DiNic’s also does a pulled pork version if you want to go fattier and messier. Some people sub sautéed spinach in lieu of the rabe, and I’ve seen plenty of folks add pickled pepperoncini for bite or roasted sweet peppers for a little sweetness. But try mine with rabe and long hots first, then play from there.\

More Philly Sandwiches

If you’re doing a Philly sandwich night, make the other legend too. My authentic Philly cheesesteak is a lot faster and uses the same steak rolls, so set out both and let everyone pick a side.