Pork Roll (Taylor Ham)
intro
Iconic New Jersey diner staple: crispy pan-fried pork roll (Taylor Ham) layered with egg and melted cheese on a toasted roll, salty, savory, and ultra quick to make.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep pork roll slices
Remove pork roll slices from their packaging, then cut four 1.2cm (1/2-inch) deep slits evenly around the outer edge of each slice to prevent curling during cooking. Set prepped slices on a clean plate while you preheat your cooking pan.
Toast the kaiser rolls
Heat a large 30cm (12-inch) cast-iron skillet over medium heat (175°C/350°F). Add 1 tablespoon (14g) of unsalted butter, swirling to coat the pan surface once fully melted. Place split kaiser rolls cut-side down in the pan, toasting for 1 to 2 minutes until the cut surface is golden brown and slightly crisp. Transfer toasted rolls to a serving platter.
Pan-fry the pork roll
Keep the skillet over medium heat, and add the remaining 1 tablespoon (14g) of unsalted butter. Arrange pork roll slices in a single layer in the pan, cooking in 2 batches if needed to avoid overcrowding. Cook for 2 minutes per side, until edges are crispy and deep golden brown, and slices are heated all the way through. Transfer cooked pork roll to a plate, and tent loosely with aluminum foil to keep warm.
Cook the fried eggs
Reduce the skillet heat to medium-low (150°C/300°F). Crack eggs directly into the pan, leaving 5cm (2 inches) of space between each to prevent spreading. Season eggs evenly with the 1/4 teaspoon (0.5g) of ground black pepper. Cook for 2 minutes for slightly runny sunny-side up yolks, or 3 minutes for fully set hard yolks, based on your preference.
Assemble the sandwiches
Layer 2 slices of cooked pork roll on the bottom half of each toasted kaiser roll. Top the pork roll with 1 slice of American cheese, followed immediately by 1 hot fried egg to help melt the cheese. Place the top half of the roll on each stack, pressing down lightly with the palm of your hand to compress the sandwich slightly.
Rest and serve
Let assembled sandwiches rest for 1 minute to allow the cheese to fully melt and flavors to meld. Serve immediately while hot, with optional ketchup or hot sauce on the side for dipping if desired.
Tips
2.Cook pork roll in batches if your pan is too small to hold all slices in a single layer with space between them; overcrowding causes steaming instead of the crispy, caramelized edges that define the dish.
3.For the most authentic New Jersey-style experience, use soft deli American cheese rather than artisanal hard or sharp cheeses; its mild, creamy melt complements the salty, savory pork roll without overpowering it.
OMG this is exactly the pork roll egg and cheese I grew up eating! I’ve been messing up my pork roll for years by not cutting those little slits in the edges—total game changer! No more curled up weird pieces that don’t cover the whole English muffin. I used American cheese like the recipe said, fried the egg just hard enough so the yolk didn’t run all down my wrist, 10/10. My husband asked if we can have this every Sunday for brunch now.
SO good! I threw these together before school drop off this morning and all three of my kids devoured them—no complaints about 'weird meat' or 'too much cheese' which is basically a weekday morning miracle. 15 minute cook time is totally accurate even when you’re rushing around packing lunches and signing field trip forms at the same time. Will be adding this to our regular breakfast rotation for sure!
Tried this for my weekly meal prep, wrapped each assembled sandwich in foil and stashed them in the freezer, and they reheat perfectly in the toaster oven in about 10 minutes. Swapped in whole wheat English muffins for a little extra fiber and added a pinch of red pepper flakes for a tiny kick. Perfect grab-and-go breakfast for my 6am work shifts.
Wait, do people actually stick to American cheese for these? I followed the recipe but swapped in sharp cheddar because that’s what I had in the fridge, and it was way too strong, totally overpowered the salty pork roll flavor. Guess I need to actually follow the recipe properly next time and grab American, huh?
I’m a total beginner in the kitchen and this recipe was so easy to follow! I was worried I’d burn the pork roll or mess up the eggs, but the step-by-step instructions were super straightforward and hard to mess up. Only misstep I made was using a super thick everything bagel instead of a Kaiser roll like the recipe suggested, it was a little too bready for my taste. Next time I’m grabbing the right rolls!