Lunch / Dinner
Pork Sandwiches Au Jus with Quick-Pickled Lettuce
Caught dead-center in a season full of warm-weather festivities, it’s easy for the Fourth of July to slip by with an uninspired assortment of convenience foods and culinary fallbacks. But this year, shake things up with Spanish-inspired takes on all-American classic. Exotic spices meet simple elements like yellow mustard and crispy potato sticks for a pork sandwich stacked with intriguing flavors and textures.
Ingredients
FOR THE PICKLED LETTUCE, WHISK:
FOR THE PORK, ADD:
COMBINE:
SPREAD:
Test Kitchen Tips
After roasting the pork, transfer the broth and bay leaves to a saucepan and let them boil while the pork rests. This step will deepen the flavor of the dipping sauce.
Bolillo [boh-LEE-yoh] are football-shaped rolls about 6 inches long that are most often used to make Mexican sandwiches call tortas. Made from dough similar to a French baguette, they have crisp brown crusts and light, chewy interiors.
Instructions
Preheat oven to 450° with rack in bottom third.
For the pickled lettuce, whisk together water, vinegar, sugar, and salt. Pour over lettuce; toss to combine, then let pickle.
For the pork, add broth and bay leaves to a 9×13×2-inch roasting pan. Line pan with a roasting rack. Season pork with salt and pepper; place on rack.
Combine orange juice, oil, paprika, garlic, and Worcestershire. Pour juice mixture over pork, rubbing it in so the spices adhere.
Roast pork 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 275°; continue roasting pork until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 145–150°, about 1 hour more.
Transfer pork to a cutting board, tent with foil, and let rest 15 minutes.
Pour broth mixture into a saucepan; bring to a boil over high heat and reduce while pork rests. Degrease and strain jus, then season with salt and pepper.
Slice pork into sandwich-sized pieces; arrange on a platter and pour half the jus over the top.
Strain pickled lettuce; discard liquid.
Spread 1 tsp. mustard on each roll, then top with pork, onion, pickled lettuce, and potato sticks. Serve sandwiches with remaining jus.
Use tongs to toss the lettuce with the pickling mixture. It will wilt and lose volume as it sits.
Use a sharp knife to slit the pork before seasoning, so the spiced juice mixture can really soak in.
Nutritional Facts
Nutritional Facts
Per sandwich
Calories: 688
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 21g 32%
Saturated Fat 6g 30%
Cholesterol 85mg 28%
Sodium 369mg 15%
Carbs 75g 25%
Fiber 4g 16%
Protein 45g
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.