A HAM SANDWICH

FL046: TYPE II FUN
March 22, 2021

This is a “ham sandwich” the same way banh mi is “bread.” An anchor concept to wrap the uninitiated mind around. You can make it as good as you want.

You will need the following:

ROAST PORK

HAM TO TASTE

CITRUS/VINEGAR SLAW

A NUTTY CHEESE: SOMETHING ALPINE?

PUNGENT INTERLOPERS:
DIJON AND JALAPEÑOS

You can acquire these components readymade, though bear in mind that the Limo prefers the journey. Homemade mustard takes weeks and can be pretty disappointing (turns out Dijon is famous for a reason!), so we’re cutting that corner without a second thought: Trois Petits Cochons makes our favorite mustard, hands down. Eataly has the smoked ham we seek; Paolo Bea makes the olive oil.

By all means use whatever you have on hand, but if you have a shot at the best don’t let it get away. And if you want to not spend a fortune on olive oil, skip the Bea ($50) and get anything made by Asaro in Sicily ($15).

Goal: project-level investment, crowdpleasing results
Yield: 4 sandwiches, park-ready

FOR THE PORK

  • 1 tablespoon caraway seeds

  • 3 whole cloves

  • 1 tablespoon black peppercorns

  • 1/2 cup kosher salt

  • 1 1/2 - 2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, or 2 1/2 pounds bone-in shoulder (remove the bone and save it for broth)

FOR THE CABBAGE

  • 2 cups red cabbage, sliced as thinly as possible on a mandoline

  • 2 tablespoons great-quality olive oil

  • 1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar (again: best quality), or substitute lemon juice if you are vinegar-averse

FOR THE SANDWICH ASSEMBLY

  • 4 large ciabatta rolls, or 1 loaf quartered

  • 1-2 slices thinly sliced smoked ham per sandwich

  • a few thin slices of a smooth, nutty cheese (like young Gruyere) per sandwich

  • 1-2 jalapenos, thinly sliced on a mandoline

  • Dijon mustard to taste (about 2 tablespoons per sandwich), preferably Trois Petits Cochons brand

 

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.

Grind the caraway, cloves and peppercorns until coarse. Blend with the kosher salt.

Rub the pork shoulder with a generous handful of the spiced salt and discard any that doesn’t stick (you may have quite a bit extra). Place in a roasting pan or dutch oven. Cover tightly with a lid or foil and bake until the meat collapses at the prod of a fork, about 4 hours. Airlift the pork to a bowl and let cool for 5-10 minutes, then remove any unwanted fat and shred the meat with two forks. Taste and add some of the pan drippings to season (but mind the salt).

Increase the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.

Toss the shredded cabbage with the olive oil, vinegar, and lots of salt and pepper. Taste for seasoning: it should be potent.

Gather the ciabatta. Halve the rolls if they didn’t come sliced. Spread each half with about 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard. Place the bottom halves on a sheet tray and distribute the ham, shredded pork, and cheese on top, and place the top halves to their side. Bake until the pork is warmed through, the cheese is melted, and the ciabatta is lightly toasted: about 10 minutes. Top with cabbage and jalapeño slices and serve.