A South Philadelphia Italian Classic

Just the Recipe | 8 Servings

Roast Pork

3 lb Boneless, Skinless Pork Shoulder

1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/4 Cup of Red Wine Vinegar

1 Lg Head of Garlic

3 Sprigs of Rosemary

2 TBS Honey

2 tsp Fennel Seeds

1 tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper

1 TBS Kosher Salt

Broccoli Rabe

3 Bunches of Broccoli Rabe (rapini)

6-8 Cloves of Garlic

1 tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

1/2 Cup of the juices from the Roast Pork

To Serve

Hoagie Rolls

Sharp Provolone Cheese, Thinly Sliced

Slow Cooker | LOW 8-10 hrs

Note: This is best when you make the pork overnight or the day before.

Steps:

Slow Roast the Pork:
- Mix the oil, vinegar, red pepper flakes, honey, fennel seeds, salt and black pepper together. Whisk to combine.
- Cut the head of garlic in half across the middle (equator). (No need to peel.)
- Add the rosemary sprigs whole to the slow cooker.
- Place the pork shoulder on top of the rosemary sprigs. Coat with the marinade. Turn a few times so it gets fully covered in the marinade. Place the pork shoulder with the fat on top to cook.
  - Note: if the pork has very little fat -or if you trimmed if off - you may want to add 1/2 to 1 cup of water or chicken stock to the slow cooker so it doesn’t dry out.
- Nestle the garlic halves around the pork.
- Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours. When it is cooked through so you can shred it easily with two forks, allow the pork to cool a bit. Shred completely in the slow cooker or on a cutting board and then return to the juices.
Just before eating, make the broccoli rabe:
- Wash and slice the broccoli rabe into 1 inch ribbons.
- Bring a large pot of water with 2 TBS of kosher salt to a boil.
- Prepare a large bowl of water with ice (an ice bath).
- In batches, par-boil the broccoli rabe for 2 minutes until bright green. Immediately move to the ice bath to cool (use tongs, a sieve with a long handle, or a slotted spoon). When cooled, drain and squeeze the excess water. Repeat until all the broccoli rabe has been par-boiled. (Between each batch, allow the water to re-boil and add more ice to the ice bath.)
- Add 1-2 TBS of olive oil to a skillet, heat.
- When hot, add the garlic and crushed red pepper. Cook for 30 seconds.
- Add the drained, squeezed broccoli rabe. Sauté for 2-3 minutes.
- Add 1/2 cup of juices from the roast pork, stir, and remove from heat.
To assemble:
- Cut the hoagie roll in half.
- Add a layer of shredded, roast pork.
- Add 3-4 slices of sharp provolone.
- Top with a hefty amount of broccoli rabe.

Serve and enjoy! Pairs well with Butter Beer.

If you don’t like broccoli rabe, sauté spinach instead.

Kitchen Acumen Tips:

Alternatively you can cook this in the Instant Pot for 45 minutes on High Pressure; natural release for 10 minutes. Then, manual release. Shred and add back to the juices, keeping warm until ready to eat.
Store the shredded pork in its juices so it doesn’t dry out. It works well to cook this a day before and then allow to cool and refrigerate. Scrape off the excess fat that cools the next day. Add back to the crockpot on low until warmed, then turn the crockpot down to warm.
Variations:
- Instead of broccoli rabe, sauté spinach and season well with garlic and crushed red pepper. If you have never had broccoli rabe, it is a unique and bitter flavor. It cuts through the rich, savory roast pork and sharp provolone very well. However, if you don’t like bitter flavors you might not like it. In that case, go with spinach.
- Swap pork for chicken breasts or a mixture of chicken breasts and thighs. Slow cook for 4-6 hours, until it can be easily shredded with forks.
- If you can’t find sharp provolone cheese, regular will do just fine.