I Love Breakfast: Pork Roll

Today's  breakfast spotlight features Pork Roll,also known as Taylor Ham. I was first introduced to this New Jersey delicacy by one of my roommates during my sophomore year of college and boy were my eyes were opened that day! You could say my most early attempts at cooking started at this time, and what I cooked mostly were eggs and/or things for breakfast sandwiches, so this breakfast meat definitely holds a special place in my heart.

Texturally, pork roll is very similar to Spam or bologna, and the seasoning is also similar to Spam. Because the meat is a little softer than your traditional ham, you get some great mixture of textures when you properly pan fry your slices of pork roll. An interesting factoid  from Wikipedia:

A popular breakfast sandwich in the region made with pork roll is known as the Jersey Breakfast, a "Pork Roll, Egg, and Cheese", or a "Taylor Ham, Egg, and Cheese." A Jersey Breakfast always contains pork roll, typically served with american cheese on a hard roll or on a bagel. It is a staple of many delis, diners, bakeries, and breakfast spots in New Jersey. In Philadelphia, the hard roll is commonly replaced with the locally ubiquitous "long roll" used for hoagies and cheesesteaks.

 

Now for the sad part: I do not know anywhere in the Boston-area that sells pork roll! I have however found places to order them online, but have not brought myself to place an order as of this post. So if you know where to find this fine product in the New England area, or find yourself in the New Jersey/Pennsylvania region, seek out a local deli on what I'd like to nominate as the new "Breakfast of Champions."