Philly Italian Roast Pork Sandwich Recipe

Preheat and season

Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Pat the pork butt dry with paper towels. In a small bowl combine kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, dried oregano and crushed rosemary. Rub olive oil over the pork then massage the dry rub all over, pressing to adhere.

Sear (optional)

Place a heavy skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When hot, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and sear the pork on all sides until deeply browned, about 3–4 minutes per side. Transfer pork to the Dutch oven if you used a skillet.

Roast

Add the smashed garlic cloves and quartered onion around the pork. Pour in the white wine or chicken stock to come about 1/3 up the side of the roast (about 1 to 1 1/2 cups initial liquid). Cover tightly with a lid or foil. Roast in the preheated oven until the pork is fork-tender and reaches an internal temperature of 195–200°F (90–93°C) for shredding, about 3 to 3.5 hours depending on size.

Finish and shred

Remove pork from oven and transfer to a cutting board; tent with foil and rest 15 minutes. Reserve cooking liquid. Using two forks, shred the pork into bite-sized pieces. If desired, skim off excess fat from reserved juices, then return a few ladlefuls of the strained juices to the shredded pork to keep it moist and flavorful. Taste and adjust seasoning.

If using jarred cherry peppers, drain and roughly slice. If using fresh roasted red peppers, peel, seed and slice into strips. In a small sauté pan over medium heat, warm 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add minced garlic and sauté 30 seconds until fragrant. Add peppers, red wine vinegar, sugar, red pepper flakes and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until peppers are heated through and the vinegar reduces slightly, about 4–6 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. These can be made ahead and refrigerated up to 3 days.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add butter and 1 teaspoon olive oil. When butter foams, add sliced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until starting to color but not brown. Add the spinach in batches, tossing until wilted (about 2–3 minutes total). Season with salt, black pepper and lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning. Keep warm.

Preheat broiler or oven to 400°F (200°C) if you prefer to melt cheese under heat. Split the wedge breads or rolls lengthwise, leaving a hinge if desired. Brush cut insides lightly with olive oil or melted butter and warm in the oven for 3–4 minutes until slightly crisp.

Pile a generous portion (about 3/4 to 1 cup) of shredded roast pork onto the bottom half of each roll. Spoon some of the reserved pork jus over the meat to keep it moist (about 1–2 tablespoons per sandwich). Top pork with a layer of garlic sautéed spinach (about 1/4 cup packed) and then a spoonful of the sweet vinegar peppers (1–2 tablespoons).

Place two slices of aged provolone over each piled sandwich. Place the assembled open sandwiches under the broiler for 1–2 minutes, or in the oven at 400°F for 3–4 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Watch carefully to avoid burning.

Remove from oven, sprinkle with chopped parsley if using, close sandwiches, press gently, and serve immediately. Provide extra reserved pepper mixture and jus at the table for drizzling.