I believe everyone is familiar with the Muffletta. If not its a tasty Italian sandwich invented by immigrants to the New Orleans area and has become a favorite to that city. It's essentially a variety of ham cold cuts with provolone cheese but its signature flavor component is the olive tapenade.
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So in honor of this great classic and as a tribute to the recent pulled pork day, I decided to recreate this sandwich using pork components instead of the tradition sesame seed bun. So to begin with, I chose a pork tenderloin as the 'bread'.
Stage 1, trimming the silver skin and fat and filleting them into flats. After a good salting, I let them cure overnight......
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Stage 2,...due to the thickness, I needed to pound these little piggies a little thinner for rolling purpose.......
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Stage 3, instead of some sort of mayonnaise for our sandwich, I decided to create a rosemary/garlic paste to rub inside the fillets......
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Stage 4....after having applied the paste, the bottom half is ready for the cold cuts. I used Boar's Head premium capocollo and Italian cured ham.....
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.....with the final topping, provolone cheese......
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....followed by the signature olive tapenade.........
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Stage 5, need to top off the sandwich with our final layer of pork 'bread' and get her rolled and tied ready for seasoning.......
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Stage 6, ....oh you thought we were done? Not yet my friends, we need our final layer of piggy deliciousness, a bacon weave.......
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....rolled and back to the refrig to chill out for a few.......
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Stage 7, after a good chill I prepared a tray to catch to porky dripping for some gravy......BUT WAIT, we need a time out for some much needed porky porn......
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.....ok now back to the prep.......
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Stage 8, getting her loaded on the WSM. Did some pecan and apple wood for smoke, held the temperature in the pit to 225* for the first two hours then cranked it up to 300* to crisp the bacon for the final hour. When internal temp got to 145*, I pulled it......
​
....man this sucker looks to good to eat......
​
....but because of my empty stomach and the family pounding the table with knives and forks, I carved and served.......
HAPPY SMOKIN' ...... TROUTMAN OUT......
​
So in honor of this great classic and as a tribute to the recent pulled pork day, I decided to recreate this sandwich using pork components instead of the tradition sesame seed bun. So to begin with, I chose a pork tenderloin as the 'bread'.
Stage 1, trimming the silver skin and fat and filleting them into flats. After a good salting, I let them cure overnight......
​
Stage 2,...due to the thickness, I needed to pound these little piggies a little thinner for rolling purpose.......
​
Stage 3, instead of some sort of mayonnaise for our sandwich, I decided to create a rosemary/garlic paste to rub inside the fillets......
​
Stage 4....after having applied the paste, the bottom half is ready for the cold cuts. I used Boar's Head premium capocollo and Italian cured ham.....
​
.....with the final topping, provolone cheese......
​
....followed by the signature olive tapenade.........
​
Stage 5, need to top off the sandwich with our final layer of pork 'bread' and get her rolled and tied ready for seasoning.......
​
Stage 6, ....oh you thought we were done? Not yet my friends, we need our final layer of piggy deliciousness, a bacon weave.......
​
....rolled and back to the refrig to chill out for a few.......
​
Stage 7, after a good chill I prepared a tray to catch to porky dripping for some gravy......BUT WAIT, we need a time out for some much needed porky porn......
​
.....ok now back to the prep.......
​
Stage 8, getting her loaded on the WSM. Did some pecan and apple wood for smoke, held the temperature in the pit to 225* for the first two hours then cranked it up to 300* to crisp the bacon for the final hour. When internal temp got to 145*, I pulled it......
​
....man this sucker looks to good to eat......
​
....but because of my empty stomach and the family pounding the table with knives and forks, I carved and served.......
HAPPY SMOKIN' ...... TROUTMAN OUT......
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