This Breakfast Meat Is A New Jersey Legend

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Every part of the country has its own regional delicacies and favorites. For a state as culturally and geographically diverse as New Jersey, that can mean a lot of things. However, one humble breakfast meat unites nearly hungry residents from all corners of the Garden State – even if they might not agree on exactly what to call it. Some may know it as the pork roll, also referred to as Taylor Ham.

Pork roll is a New Jersey food through and through, dating back to its development more than 150 years ago in the state capital of Trenton. That's where John Taylor (who gave his name to a still-well-known version of the product) created the product by combining ground pork with spices and binders and cooking it into a roll form. However, some argue that in reality, the story of the pork roll goes back even further in time. Allegedly, it was among the rations carried by Revolutionary War soldiers at the Battle of Trenton.

Though Taylor wasn't the only person who made similar pork roll products, the popularity of his version led many parts of New Jersey to simply refer to the product as "Taylor Ham." Changes to federal law forced the company to stop labeling it as "ham" just after the turn of the 20th century. Even so, more than 100 years later, significant portions of northern New Jersey still refer to it as such. The Taylor Provisions Company also remains one of the largest producers of the country's pork roll products, along with Case and several smaller brands.

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Pork roll is typically served in thin slices with the appearance of bologna and the texture of Spam. These are usually pan-fried to make them crispy and add flavor, then served on a breakfast sandwich with egg and cheese on a Kaiser roll. Home cooks have significant flexibility when using the meat. It is pre-cooked, so no additional preparation is required before eating it. This arguably gives pork roll an edge over other breakfast meats like bacon or uncooked sausage, which need sufficient time and skill to prepare.

Bacon and sausage have the advantage where availability is concerned. Some folks outside the Northeast may have never encountered a pork roll. It's part of a rich tradition of regional American breakfasts. Though it might not be the best-known option nationwide, there's no doubt this savory breakfast delight is an iconic New Jersey food you need to try. Just don't ask a diner full of Garden State residents for a definitive answer on what it's called.