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Thursday, September 21, 2017

Touchdown Torta

[FTC Standard Disclaimer] This post is sponsored by Smithfield and their line of Fresh Marinated Fresh Pork.

This fusion sub sandwich is ideal for game day menus.  Loaded with double smoked bacon, smoked Gouda cheese, and thick sliced roasted pork on a crusty and light bolillo roll, you won't walk away hungry.  


This huge sandwich is based on the torta, a Mexican sandwich served on a crusty roll.   Tortas are usually large and stuffed with pork, chicken, or beef.  They are finished in a sandwich press and then served warm. We get tortas frequently from a little unnamed food truck near our office and came up with this idea when I noticed the bolillo roll resembles a football.

Torta from a local food truck.

We put our own spin on the torta by adding the red pepper mayo, bacon, and Gouda cheese, so it's not a traditional torta. Then we made it quick and easy by using Smithfield's Fresh Marinated Pork Golden Rotisserie Flavor Sirloin.

Smithfield Fresh Marinated Pork starts by using only 100% fresh pork and then carefully blends their seasonings to give you a quick, ready to cook item.  These handy pork sirloins, pork chops, tenderloins, fillets, and pork roasts come in a variety of flavors, including:

  • Roasted Garlic and Cracked Black Pepper,
  • Slow Roasted Golden Rotisserie Flavor, and
  • Hardwood Smoked Bacon and Cracked Black Pepper.

If you have the space on your grill, you can cook bacon and pork at the same time to save time.  Or you can just pre-cook the bacon and pork sirloin and then just put the sandwich together and warm it up at the tailgate.  If you like, you can just use a panini press for the last part.  

Smithfield Fresh Marinated Pork recipe golden rotisserie flavor#realflavorrealfast

Give this big sandwich a try.  It is so good and ideal for tailgates, it doesn't matter if you are watching football or fùtbol.

Touchdown Torta

Published 09/21/2017

Ingredients

  • 8 slices of Smithfield Cherrywood Smoked Bacon
  • Smithfield Slow Roasted Golden Rotisserie Flavor Pork Sirloin
  • 2 bolillo rolls, sliced in half lengthwise
  • 1 cup shredded lettuce
  • 1 tomato, thinly sliced
  • 6 slices smoked Gouda cheese
  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon red pepper relish 

Instructions

  1. Double smoke the bacon.  Preheat a grill to 375°f, add 1 large chunk of cherry wood, and set the grill up for indirect heat.  Place the bacon on the grate, close the lid, and cook until browned.
  2. Cook the Smithfield Slow Roasted Golden Rotisserie Flavor Pork Loin.  Place roast on the grill and cook, turning occasionally, until golden and reaches an internal temperature of 145°f, about 32 to 45 minutes.  Remove and allow to rest for 5 minutes.  Slice the roast into 1/8 to 1/4" slices.
  3. Heat the sandwich.  Layer the bacon, pork, and cheese on the two buns.  Place on the grill and top each sandwich with either a grill press or a foil wrapped brick.  Close the lid and allow to roast indirect until the cheese is starting to melt, about 5 minutes.  Remove them from the grill.
  4. Finish the sandwich.  Mix together the red pepper relish and mayonnaise.  Slather some  mayo on the lower half of each bun.  Top with lettuce and tomato, then season that with salt and pepper.  Slice in half and serve.

Notes/Substitutions

  • Bolillo rolls - You can buy these at Mexican grocery stores or perhaps even at a Mexican food truck.  If not, you can substitute a section of French bread, Cuban rolls, or other crusty bread.


Smithfield Fresh Marinated Pork is 100% fresh and packed with protein #realflavorrealfast
Smithfield Fresh Marinated Pork contains no artificial ingredients and is packed with protein.

Smithfield Cherrywood smoked bacon
We have been enjoying Smithfield's new (to us, anyway) Cherrywood Smoked Thick Sliced Bacon.  Look at the marbling in that bacon!

While the bacon is already smoked, we like to hot smoke it a second time for this sandwich. 

Smithfield Fresh Marinated Pork #realflavorrealfast
All that I did to this was take it out of the package and tie it.  The tying part isn't necessary but I usually do that for any roast just to make it cook more evenly.

Smithfield Fresh Marinated Pork on a Big Green Egg Mini-Max Kamado grill #realflavorrealfast
I like this recipe because it can be cooked on a small kamado or a small kettle grill, which is just the ticket for tailgating.  For kamado style grills like this one, I used a heat diffuser and a drip pan to create the indirect heat.  For a kettle grill you would just bank the coals to the sides and cook the roast over the spot that has no coals below.

It definitely lives up to its name and turns golden.  You could certainly cook this on a rotisserie but it doesn't need it.

Smithfield Fresh Marinated Pork Golden Rotisserie flavor #realflavorrealfast
It's going to smell so good that you'll want to cut right into it, but give it that 5 minute rest.

Smithfield Fresh Marinated Pork #realflavorrealfast
Sliced, juicy, delicious and ready to roll.


The bolillo rolls are crusty on the outside, airy on the inside, and make one big sandwich.  We bought ours at the Mexican grocery store where the food truck is located.

Smithfield Fresh Marinated Pork, Cherrywood Smoked Bacon, and Smoked Gouda rock this torta #realflavorrealfast
How can you go wrong with this combination?

Pressing a sandwich on the grill Smithfield Fresh Marinated Pork #realflavorrealfast
I keep a foil wrapped brick for times like this but you can use a bacon press or a cast iron pan to press your sandwiches.

Smithfield Fresh Marinated Pork is a great time saving shortcut for the kitchen #realflavorrealfast
Fast, easy, and delicious!


For more quick and easy recipes featuring Smithfield Fresh Marinated Pork, check out their Cooking With Smithfield on Facebook.

Smithfield is also challenging you to see what you can do with Marinated Fresh Pork to get a flavorful meal ready in about 30 minutes with their “Real Flavor, Real Fast” contest. For more 30-minute meal preparation ideas, and to submit your original tip for a chance to win great prizes, head to Smithfield Real Flavor Real Fast.

Here's a video from Smithfield to give you inspiration!